You don’t win championships in July without putting in the work in September.
Ten months after their first tryout, the Central Saanich Extreme capped off a season to remember with a provincial title – storming through five must-win games on July 20 to claim gold at the U17B girls fastball championships in Kelowna.
Their path to the top wasn’t smooth, but it was relentless.
After finishing the round robin with wins over Port Alberni, Abbotsford and View Royal – plus a 5-5 draw with Okanagan – the Extreme entered the playoff round as the tournament’s top seed.
But a 3-1 loss to Richmond in their opening game of the gold bracket put them on the brink.
What followed was a run as gutsy as they come: a 10-3 win over Cloverdale, 5-3 over Abbotsford, 6-5 over host Kelowna, and a 7-1 statement win in a rematch with Richmond.
Then came the final – a tight, back-and-forth battle with Ridge Meadows that ended with a 5-4 win and a dogpile at the mound.
"We are very 'team first' in everything we do. There are so many selfless young women on this roster who will be quick to promote a teammate before they ever promote themselves," said team manager Mike Brown. "This particular weekend was no different as these girls battled from beginning to end, the end being championship Sunday that required five straight wins over 15 hours for us to reach the mountaintop."
The championship capped a dominant 60-8-2 season for the Extreme, who also won the District 1 title and medalled at all four in-season tournaments they entered. Earlier in July, they finished fourth at the Canada Cup in Surrey – a 37-team tournament featuring competition from B.C., Alberta, Washington and Oregon.
The team features 12 players aged 13 to 16, with athletes from Central Saanich, West Shore, Saanich and Oak Bay.
Next, they’ll head to the Western Canadian Championships in Regina, Sask., running August 7-1 – a tournament they weren’t expecting to qualify for, but one they’re ready to take on.
"We will continue to practice hard for the next couple weeks," said Brown". We had no expectations that we’d be adding this to our summer to-do list so we will make some adjustments and stay in game shape."
Before they hit the road again, the Extreme will be at Central Saanich Thrifty Foods on Saturday, Aug. 2 from 12-5 p.m. The players will be packing groceries, helping customers and collecting donations as part of a sponsor drive to support their trip to Westerns.
“It’s a chance to give back and say thanks,” Brown said. “The support from this community has meant everything to these girls.”
