The Juneau-Douglas and Thunder Mountain High School softball teams played in their final home games over the weekend. The Crimson Bears honored five seniors prior to their game Friday at Melvin Park against Sitka. The Falcons honored their five seniors the following day between games against Sitka and Ketchikan.
Below, JDHS coach Lexi Razor and TMHS coach John Boucher comment on their respective senior classes.
Juneau-Douglas seniors
Leah Spargo — Leah is one of our workhorses for the team. She is dependable and willing to give her all for each game and her teammates. One of greatest aspects of Leah’s personality is that she is extremely humble. She is one of the best pitchers in the state and she never lets it go to her head. When she is on the mound she has a job to do and she takes pride in that job. Leah’s positive attitude, work ethic and smile will be missed next year. We wish her the best of luck at Northern Arizona University next year!
Abby Meiners — Abby could be considered our team cheerleader. Abby is frequently heard saying, “Come on people” to get her team cheering and into the game. Abby has had a great attitude and work ethic all four years for JD Softball. She is always willing to play where the team needs her and leave it all on the field. Abby’s smile, work ethic and positive attitude will be missed next year. We wish her the best of luck at Whitworth next year!
Morgan Balovich — Morgan has tremendous love and passion for the game of softball. As a player, she is able to play and excel at any position. As a teammate, she is caring and helps her teammates when they are down and struggling. She also does an excellent job working with players to learn and improve their game. Morgan’s passion for the game and compassion for her teammates will be missed. We are very jealous of her plans for next year as she travels the world and then begins college.
Elisa Fabrello — Elisa “All-Day” Fabrello is one of the most dedicated players we have. She is at every practice and training session ready to play. Elisa’s best games happen when people usually have their worst. It feels like Elisa isn’t ready to play unless she gets “hit by a ball” or has ran a mile. As a teammate Elisa keeps people smiling and surprises everyone with her witty comments. Elisa’s reliability and work ethic will be missed next year. We wish Elisa the best of luck in the future!
Caitlynn Rich — Caitlynn has been dedicated to learning the game of softball since she started playing her freshman year. Caitlynn has worked hard each year and has done a great job being a leader for the junior varsity as a senior. She loves cheering on her teammates and stepping up to help with the team whenever needed. Coaches look forward to seeing Caitlynn continue to grow and we wish her luck in her future!
Thunder Mountain seniors
As a group, this class is one of the most successful classes in TMHS Softball and in TMHS team sports history. Together, this class earned two Region V regular season titles, won the initial Region V conference tournament in 2017 and brought the school its first team championship in any sport and its first back-to-back state championships.
The group excelled in the classroom as well, consistently placing among the team leaders in their GPAs. Their contributions to the success and growth of TM softball has been immense, they are among the TM softball pioneers that leave a legacy of striving for excellence that sets a high standard for the program — both in the classroom and on the field.
The five seniors graduating in 2018 will be missed, but they have also been instrumental in helping build a solid foundation by helping set the standards for TMHS softball for the future. The coaching staff wishes these five outstanding student-athletes the absolute best in their future- may they soar in all their future endeavors.
— Coach John Boucher.
Megan Dallas — Megan has been a four-year varsity starter for the Falcons, locking down a spot in the outfield and contributing to the pitching staff. Megan’s hallmark is her steadiness, her willingness to play where the team needs her and her physical toughness. She has battled through some tough leg injuries during her career, but she has always given her max effort, even when playing hurt. Her quiet, steady and team-first attitude will be missed. She is an outstanding student-athlete, and is planning on serving in the Air Force next year.
Rachel Macaulay — Rachel is a four- year starter for the Falcons — locking down the starting catcher position as a freshman. Rachel’s biggest strength is her on-field leadership, providing the coaching staff with insight into the pitcher’s performance and helping to develop strategies to use against opposing hitters. Her leadership skills are exemplified by her being one of two players in team history to be named team captain as a junior. The coaching staff will miss her pointed questions as they have often been intended to be for the better of the team. She will be attending the University of Portland in the fall.
Peyton Harp — Peyton is a four-year varsity player for the Falcons, contributing at first base, but also occasionally at pitcher when needed. On many occasions, her height and stretching ability have made the difference for an out for the Falcon infield. Her quiet humor and her knack for staying calm and looking on the bright side when the going gets tough is a great strength. The coaches greatly appreciate her selfless contributions to the JV program during her career — she has greatly helped the future of Falcon softball through her unselfish efforts. She is an outstanding student and will be attending the University of Alaska Southeast in the fall.
Maxie Saceda-Hurt — Maxie is a four-year starter for the Falcons, primarily as the starting shortstop, but also contributing at second and third base on occasion. Maxie has been the glue holding a strong Falcon infield together for the last four years. Her experience, ability to lead by example and a knack for making the right play at critical times are her hallmarks. Maxie’s strengths are her leadership and competitive fire. She was one of two players in TM softball history named a captain as a junior. Through her constant quest to get better as a softball player, she earned a scholarship at Simpson College where she will play softball in the fall.
Gabrielle Scales — Through hard work, Gabrielle has grown tremendously during her four years as a Falcon. Working her way up from the JV’s, she broke into the starting outfield as a junior. Gabrielle has had a helpful attitude, filling in where the team has been short, whether that be as a starting outfielder, warm up catcher for the winter workouts, or as a fill-in player for the JV team. Gabrielle has worked hard to become an offensive threat, using her speed to keep defenses on their toes by mastering bunting and slap hitting. She will be attending the University of New Hampshire in the fall.
