When the PIAA canceled the high school spring sports seasons back in March, seniors wondered if their high school careers had come to an abrupt end. But thanks to Freedom High School head coach Michele Laubach and her staff, the Lehigh Valley softball programs were able to compete for the first and last time in 2020, sending off the seniors on the right note.

Parkland High School, especially, was looking forward to playing ball this year. The Trojans had a roster filled with seniors, and were carrying the momentum of winning six Eastern Pennsylvania Conference crowns in a row and five District 11 titles in the last six seasons.

Parkland added another championship to its shelf last week as the Trojans went 4-0 in the first Lehigh Valley High School Softball Showcase tournament, a 16-team, three-day event. They shutout Bethlehem Catholic (7-0) and Stroudsburg (6-0) last Wednesday, followed by comeback victories against Northampton (4-3) and Freedom (6-2) on Thursday at Coca-Cola Park to win the tournament.

“It’s definitely great because we didn’t have our senior year,” Parkland senior catcher Giana Schick said. “I got to play with my girls again. And catch for Katie (Zaun). She’s a junior, so that was nice. I didn’t get to have that season with her. And we played great.”

Zaun took home tournament MVP honors, pitching in all four games.

It was the perfect ending to the decorated careers for the large Trojan senior class of 10 members that competed in the event. The group includes Schick, Sierra Marsteller, Andrea Thomas, Madison Beers, Allison Superka, Molly Gillette, Bella Polash, Riley Mang, Nicole Klass and Analena Yeager. The group is close, and being able to play one last time together was exactly what the players were looking for.

“It meant a lot,” said Marsteller. “I was hoping we would be able to play together before we all went to college. It was a great event, playing in different venues, and being able to actually win it is just a great way to end our legacies.”

A special event happened in between the semifinals and the championship game, there was a senior ceremony featuring more than 60 seniors from the teams that participated in the three-day tournament. Each of the seniors was introduced as they walked alongside their parents and then greeted their coaches at home plate.