That might be it for an incredible provincial run — and season — by the U11 AA Interlake Maroons softball club.
After a regular season filled with growth, the young Maroons headed into Carman last weekend in search of some season-ending hardware.
The Maroons dropped their opener 14–7 to Westman Heat – Reimer on Friday morning, but bounced back with four straight wins over Friday and Saturday to finish first in Pool A.
From there, it was a Sunday morning semifinal against the Southwest Strikers, where the Maroons fell 18–9 to move into the bronze medal game.
Bronze was set for 11 a.m. Sunday against the Westman Storm, but due to rain — which disrupted outdoor events across Manitoba — both the bronze and gold medal games were put on hold.
The Maroons now await word on whether the game will be rescheduled or if they’ll share third-place honours with the Storm.
One thing is certain: coaches Mike Stetch, Charlene Stetch and Scott Kwasnitza are proud of how their team performed.
“They showed a lot of heart and determination over the weekend,” said head coach Mike Stetch on Monday. “We had a couple of comeback wins from pretty big deficits. There’s one game we entered down six going into the final inning — and in U11 you can only score six in an inning — so we basically had to max out.
“If we had lost that game, I think we were eliminated. We got down to our final strike, but we persevered. It was very emotional tying it from that deficit. But they regained their composure, and in extra innings we held on to win by one. We couldn’t be more proud of the group.”
Stetch also gave credit to assistant coach Kwasnitza, who’s worked with the team for the past two seasons.
“He’s been just an unbelievable mentor and friend for me over the last two years,” said Stetch. “Our girls are super lucky to have him sharing his knowledge and experience. He’s a lifer — both in baseball for himself and with a family big into softball. We’re just grateful to have had him with the Maroons organization.”
For some players, this was their first time competing at provincials. Others were returning for a second year.
Next season, players moving up to the U13 level will have the option of trying out for AAA — which comes with a busier schedule. The Interlake Maroons organization also fielded teams up to U17 this season, continuing to provide a bridge between single-A and AAA softball.
Some of the U11 Maroons are still eligible to return to the squad next year if they choose.
The U13, U15 and U17 AA Maroons were also in provincial action over the weekend. Although none advanced to the playoff round, all three completed their full round-robin schedule before the weather became a factor.
