Sarah Eisenach follows through on a throw during a practice on May 15.
Before Princeton High School softball coach Dave Boehm took the reins five years ago, the Little Tigers were at best a three- or four-win team.
Once this year’s seniors came to the squad as freshmen, though, he saw an gradual change. This season, the team was able to do something it had never done before in school history: reach 10 wins.
“That year, we had six freshmen who came out and actually knew how to play softball,” Boehm said. “They were decent players. It was kind of discouraging before, but they picked it up. These girls came on, and that’s really when it all started up.”
Those players were Maddie Cahill-Sanidas, Charlotte Heller, Charlotte Gray, Helen Eisenach, Hannah Gutierrez and Marisa Gonzalez, the school’s all-time hits leader, who many view as the best player in PHS history. The girls all played in rec and travel leagues before making the move up to the high school level.
“I think because a lot of us played as a team before, coming together at school has made us able to set these records and accomplish things that the school has never seen,” Gutierrez said. “We started together as kids, and then we all came together as a cohesive unit.”
That familiarity helped when early-season injuries caused several players to switch positions and fill holes.
“I think it’s worked out for us pretty well,” Eisenach said. “It was different. Once everyone got used to where they were playing, though, it was the best our team has ever looked.”
The six seniors were relieved relieved to finally hit the 10-win mark.
“It was awesome,” Cahill-Sanidas said. “After four years playing with this team, it was a really good feeling.”
Boehm said the goal became realistic a few years ago. Last year, he made a deal with the girls: if they reached double digits in the wins column, he would let them give him a mohawk and dye it blue.
“It was kind of like a challenge for them,” he said. “They stepped up and they got it. It worked in their favor. Not really mine, though.”
The team is appreciative that he followed through.
“He’s been hiding it, but every time we steal his hat, it’s nice to see that,” Cahill-Sanidas said. “It’s nice that he came around and did it. The whole team really wanted that tenth win, and that was just the icing on the cake.”
Besides the six seniors, Boehm said freshmen Sarah Eisenach, Kelli Swedish, Julia Tarantino, Emily DiLella, and Stephanie Wu have proven themselves to be key on the diamond. The younger Eisenach has been particularly successful.
“She’s a steady pitcher who has thrown every game but two this year,” Boehm said. “She’s really been a workhorse for us.”
Boehm said he sees some of this year’s senior class in his current and future freshmen.
“With the addition of the players coming up, I think they can build on almost the same thing that we have with these six,” he said.
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