The season this fall for the Western Pines Middle School girls softball team may have ended earlier than expected, but it was a winning season to remember and celebrate.
This year, the Tigers went undefeated, as the squad posted a 10-0 regular season record. According to head coach Gus Wessel, the team’s success on the softball diamond was all based on a positive mental attitude.
“We came into this season with one goal in mind — to set a tone and create a culture,” said Wessel, who teaches sixth-grade mathematics at Western Pines. “Winning, honestly, was secondary. With an all-new coaching staff and a roster that had lost six of its 13 players from the previous year, this season was about buying into something new — setting a higher standard and truly believing in one another.”
The 13 players on the roster were Ashlyn Shelby (eighth grade), Amanda O’Brien (eighth grade), Brielle Heim (eighth grade), Brooklyn Vassalotti (eighth grade), Calling King (eighth grade), Jade Garoutte (eighth grade), Kam Kirschenhofer (eighth grade), Mariyah Baque (eighth grade), Zoey Mancuso (eighth grade), Laurel Martel (seventh grade), Raelynn Belanger (seventh grade), Arabella Girard (sixth grade) and Jewel Garoutte (sixth grade).
The team took the regular season one game at a time, always focusing on the next game on the schedule.
“The season started with its fair share of challenges and a few close games that tested our grit and determination. But, as the weeks went on, the team grew closer and began to truly gel,” Wessel recalled.
According to Wessel, his players were as strong and close off the field as they were in practices and games.
“The girls held team breakfasts before every game, completed weekly ‘homework’ assignments together, set weekly workout goals and attended study hall every Friday to stay on top of their grades,” Wessel said. “They became game changers both on and off the field.”
The girls softball squad from Western Pines never let bad weather interrupt practice.
“Practice was never canceled,” Wessel said. “If the weather turned bad, we moved indoors, where we emphasized conditioning, running bunt and slap defenses, or playing whiffle ball. The message was clear: consistency and determination matter. This group lived by the mindset: family over everything.”
As August transitioned into September and then into October, winning games became a habit for Western Pines.
“As the season progressed, our goals evolved,” Wessel said. “What began as a mission to build culture shifted toward something even bigger — winning the division, something that hadn’t been done in 20 years. Not only did these girls achieve that goal, they did it with an undefeated regular season, the first in school history.”
Western Pines’ undefeated regular season record earned the team a first-round bye in the Palm Beach County middle school softball playoffs. The team’s second-round opponent on Monday, Oct. 20 was Independence Middle School, which knocked Western Pines out of the playoffs last year. This year, Western Pines defeated Independence, but it was not easy. Western Pines won, 7-4.
“In true fashion, the girls battled back once again, earning their third come-from-behind win of the season,” Wessel said. “That victory sent us to the regional championship against another great team, Jupiter Middle School, where we ultimately came up short, losing 3-1 on Oct. 23.”
Wessel was able to put the entire season into its proper perspective.
“This season wasn’t just about softball. It was about family,” he said. “The success came because of Amanda, Arabella, Ashlynn, Brielle, Brooklynn, Calleigh, Jade, Jewel, Kam, Laurel, Mariyah, Raelynn and Zoey — 13 girls who came together with a shared purpose and belief. This season was about building something that lasts. A family. A culture. A legacy. And with this team, it will always be family over everything.”
This past season, some of the team’s statistical leaders were Brielle Heim, who batted .515; Kam Kirschenhofer, who had a .500 batting average; and Mariyah Baque, who batted .484.
The team’s on-base percentage leader was Kirschenhofer with a .676. The team’s two leaders in hits with 17 were Jewel Garoutte and Heim. The leaders in RBIs were Amanda O’Brien and Garoutte with 13 each. The team’s pitching staff was led by Heim, who had six wins, pitched 41 innings, recorded 63 strikeouts and had an earned run average of .878.
Western Pines concluded its season with an impressive 11-1 record.
