It’s a great day to be a Lady Mustang

Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably already know that just last week, the Hughes Springs Lady Mustangs made the trip to Austin for the UIL Class 3A State Softball Championships. This marked the first time in program history that the team has made it to this point in the season.
Only four teams made the trip to Austin at the 3A level. Hughes Springs was the only team from East Texas to make the trek.
During their run to Austin, the Lady Mustangs accomplished some pretty lofty feats. The team, comprised of mostly sophomore and juniors, lost only two games during the regular season and entered the state semifinal matchup with a 34-3 record. (One of their losses was to Little River, who ended the Mustangs season in Austin.)
Of the team’s players, no regular position player had a batting average lower than .200.
As I think back on the Mustangs’ season, a few things come to mind.
The school has a motto of “It’s a great day to be alive, and a Mustang.” During the course of these past few weeks, during their trek to Austin, anyone who is a fan of softball has cheered for the Mustangs. We have all rooted them on, either from our homes while we listen on the radio, or were able to attend the games in person.
We all hoped that they would bring home the state championship, for the simple fact that we wanted to say “We remember when Hughes Springs won their first championship.”
Now, this is not meant to be a sports article, so I will get to my point. These girls have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about. Yes, I am sure they are devastated they did not perform to their capabilities and win the championship, but they were there.
They were one of only four 3A teams that made it to that point. That, in and of itself, is a feat to be proud of.
The following that these girls have gathered during their run is amazing. Little girls came to the school when the team left for Austin, cheering for their favorite player. And I would venture a guess that the players were not the only ones brought to tears following the semifinal loss.
From my perspective, this is not the last we have heard of the Mustang softball team. With only one graduating senior, the girls, I’m sure they will come back next season with a fire in their belly, wanting to prove this year was no fluke.
And I know that we all will once again be behind them on their journey.
So, ladies, to you I say this: hold your head up high. You have everything to be proud of. Your accomplishments, though they fell short of your ultimate goal, have made the area stand up and take notice. You have made, not only an entire community proud, but all of the area, as well.
Congratulations on an outstanding season, and go get them next year. It truly is a great day.