After dropping a 6-2 decision to Taylor Ridge (Rockridge) – now the three-time defending champion – in the semifinals Friday evening, the Lady Bulldogs wasted no time establishing control in the sun-drenched stadium, with virtually no shade and temperatures stretching into the 90s.

After pitcher Lucy Fearday set the Lady Indians down in the order in the top of the first, Cameran Rios got things started for SAHS immediately. She lined a 3-1 pitch into right field. When it glanced off the outfielder’s glove, Rios scooted into second base with a lead-off double.

With one out, Addie Wernsing got an infield single, but Rios was unable to advance. Hailey Niebrugge then followed with a ground ball to Johnson City third baseman Bailey Weber. With shortstop Mackenzie Mowery covering third base, Weber tried to make a quick throw to the bag. But Rios got there first, leaving the bases loaded.

Fearday then looped a single to centerfield, driving in Rios with the first run. Sydney Kibler drove in the second run with a ground ball. And when the throw to first was wild, two runs ended up scoring. Anna Faber capped the inning with an RBI single, staking the Lady Bulldogs to a quick 4-0 lead.

“Getting ahead early was big,” Cameran Rios admitted. “During warmups, that’s what we were talking about. We were chilled and calm, but there was this feeling. We knew we were going to do something and we were going to do it early. It was nice to get ahead.”

“Jumping ahead early was huge,” Coach Taylor added. “That’s one of the reasons we’ve been successful this season. We score early runs and then keep building on that.”

And that’s exactly what St. Anthony did yet again.

After not scoring in the second, the Lady Bulldogs widened the gap in the third and fourth innings.

With two outs in the third, Faber grounded a single between first and second. She then stole second base and scored when Abbi Hatton lined a pitch down the rightfield line for an RBI triple. Stacie Vonderheide followed with a bloop single into left, driving home Hatton.

Addy Rios led off the bottom of the fourth with a double. After Niebrugge was hit by a pitch, the pair pulled off a double steal, followed by a walk to Kibler to load the bases. Faber then collected her third hit of the game, driving in two more runners to make it an 8-0 advantage.

“As a team, we struggled early in the season,” Faber recalled. “But the coaches worked hard with us. Softball means a lot to me and to this team. I’ve learned a lot about things like discipline and effort. It’s a great feeling to finish out the year with my fellow seniors, my teammates and my coaches.”

While the Lady Bulldogs were piling up the runs, Fearday was in total control on the mound. Through the first four innings, she had not allowed a hit and just one baserunner via a walk. Lily Armes lined a single to center with one out in the fifth for Johnson City’s first hit.

Fearday completed her high school career with a seven-inning gem. She allowed just two hits and one run, an unearned tally in the fifth. She walked two and struck out seven, while throwing 63 pitches.

“I’ve had a very successful career, but I couldn’t have done any of this without my teammates,” Fearday said. “I didn’t know a whole lot about Johnson City, so I just stuck to what I do best. I tried staying low in the zone because every team that makes it to Peoria can hit.”

It was a fitting way for the team’s four seniors – Cameran Rios, Lucy Fearday, Anna Faber and Kenzie Kabbes -- to end their careers. After missing their freshman season due to COVID, they returned to play as sophomores, along with their new coach, Makayla (Walsh) Taylor. In their three seasons together, the Lady Bulldogs have compiled a 72-18 record to go along with two state trophies. They finished runner-up in Class 1A in 2021, reached the Class 2A sectional championship in 2022 and earned the third place trophy this year.

“This is a full circle moment for me,” Taylor admitted. “They were part of my first team, so it’s really hard to say goodbye to them.”

“It’s awesome to be here with this group of girls,” Fearday said. “We’ve been together a long time and we feel we can hang with anybody.”

“This feels awesome,” Rios added. “There are only two teams that end their season with a win. Even though this isn’t the trophy we were looking for, we’re still very happy.”

“Finishing in the top three in the state is quite an accomplishment, especially going from 1A to 2A,” Faber continued. “I’m proud to be a part of that.”

The large contingent of Lady Bulldog fans and players continued talking, hugging and taking photos for quite some time after the game and awards ceremony had concluded. It’s a time and a feeling only championship teams get the opportunity to experience.

As for the team, Fearday probably summed it up best.

“I’ll always be proud to be a Bulldog. Dogs forever.”