Hodgdon softball team looking to defend title

HODGDON, Maine (WAGM) - The Hodgdon Hawks softball team made school history last year when they won the Class D Regional Championship. The Hawks return several members of that team and are looking forward to getting the season started on Monday.

(Mark Faulkingham):” We are really excited and looking forward to the season. We have been going for about two weeks inside and got outside today. It is a little chilly, but the kids are looking forward to it and they have been working very hard. I have been really impressed with their work ethic.”

The Hawks went into the playoffs last year as the number three seed and picked up wins over CAHS, SAHS, Woodland and Machias in route to the Class D title. They lost in the States to Searsport. Faulkingham says they lost three players from last year’s team, but they return their pitcher catcher combination.

Faulkingham:” We had three seniors off last year’s team. I have shuffled some kids around, mostly having to work on situational stuff. Marissa Dow and Sadie Thompson are back as my pitchers and Aleyah Matheson is back as well.”

Thompson and Marissa Dow both turned in great outings last year, while they throw different pitches, they are always there to pick each other up

(Sadie Thompson):” If one of us is not having the best day pitching and the other one is right there to help pick up the pace.”

(Aleyah Matheson):” It’s really fun. They both have different pitches, so catching for both of them is really fun. They work with college coaches so they throw strikes and that makes it easier on me.”

The Hawks know that they will have a target on their back this year with everyone wanting to knock off the defending Champions.

Faulkingham:” I told the girls that every time we play everyone is going to bring their A game. They want to be able to say they knocked off the defending champions. It’s going to be a tough road, it really is. I think these girls have put in the work in the off season and the preseason and it is going to be ok.”

Matheson:” Very excited especially to go back to the championship and play there again.”

Thompson:” Everybody wants to beat us cause we did so well last year. We need to focus and not worry about that pressure and just play like we always do.”

The road to the playoffs begins next week and the Hawks will be looking for another deep run in the playoffs and would love to bring more hardware to Hodgdon.

Thompson:” We are excited and ready for the warm weather because no one really likes playing in the cold, We are all really excited about starting the season.”

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