CARTER: Not the first rodeo, but maybe more special

It’s kind of a big deal.

Continued disappointments  to one team lingered in the minds of those associated with Creston softball.

That’s what several prominent Creston school professionals continued to reiterate to me about Creston’s repeated losses against powerhouse Winterset come tournament time.

When Creston took the lead in the seventh inning of the game and I moved from the first base side of the field to third base, I ran into one particular person behind home plate who had voiced this frusrtation before. Now, it was joyful but nervous giddiness.

“In case you didn’t know, this is kind of a big deal.”

I hope I’m not remembering that incorrectly, but I believe that was how it was phrased.

About five minutes later, the Panthers had taken down giants, or in this case, Huskies.

Fast forward to Tuesday night.

Creston was taking on a Glenwood team that it had already defeated twice. The Panthers weren’t underdogs. However, there was still something electric about it.

Creston was, by most assessments, not supposed to be as good as last year.

The record says as much, not winning the Hawkeye 10 indicates as much, and yet here we are. The 3-2 Panthers win was, in the minds of some of the seniors, even more satisfying than last year’s win clinching an appearance at state

Lexie Little told me that last year was the year where the state trip was supposed to happen. It was the ‘last chance’ to make it happen.

“Last year we felt like it was our last year to go, last chance. It’s even better this year just because no one believed I don’t think, except for us,” Little said.

Losing Haylee LaMasters, Natalie Mostek and Brenna Baker was supposed to make all the difference.

Instead, the combined efforts of an experienced infield, two pitchers sharing significant time in Cali Foglesong and Taylor Briley, and young players stepping up, has led Creston back to state once more.

I didn’t see that run from last year, but I can tell how much it meant.

I believe everyone that has told me that this one means even more.

Watching this team come together to rally from behind on Saturday and Tuesday has been a thrill.

It’s not that this is my first time covering a team having accomplished this much, even as a young, semi-experienced reporter. When attending school at Ohio University, I had the chance to cover two state championship games: One in the lowest division of high school football, the other in the lowest division of high school girls basketball.

I covered Ohio University softball’s run to the NCAA tournament as well.

I can comprehend what it means for a small-town to follow its team to glory.

Having said this, the last week isn’t any less surreal. I have found myself still aghast at what I have witnessed several times in the last week.

I’ve gone back to the CNA newsroom and have sat, an hour after last pitch, with my heart still beating rapidly.

The experience of consequential high level athletics keeps me on edge like nothing else.

The first time I talked to Ryan Kronberg, I think he could sense how anxious, I was to get to my first full-time job and get on the ground doing reporting right away. He also assured me that I would be able to take on the majority of the local softball coverage.

Knowing that I would be covering a successful softball program in Creston immediately was an enthralling possibility.

Little did I know how good it would get.

It has the possibility to get even better, and that’s an incredible thought to ponder.