BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — “Mary, Queen of victory, pray for us!” was the prayer shouted to heaven before every Corpus Christi Saints softball game as the girls gathered together in a circle, united by their pinky fingers.

Their prayers were answered most of the season as the team made a deep run into the post-season before ultimately falling short in the state championship game to Brimfield. The Saints finished the season 16-5 with the proud accomplishment of 2021 Class A State Runners Up.

This year’s team was motivated to make a post-season run. The girls lost in the regional championship the previous two years, which drove them to not let that happen again this year. The Saints’ race to the state tournament began with a first-round bye in the regional tournament. In the second round of regionals, the Saints defeated Delavan 15-0 behind a one hitter by Kampbell Niepagen. The girls went on to win the regional championship by defeating Mt. Pulaski 8-3 behind Laney Snow’s four hits.

Next up, the Saints came ready to play right from the start against Metamora St. Mary’s/Riverview in the sectional championship game winning that game 15-0 behind Snow’s three hits and a no hitter by Niepagen. The first-round game of state was a 6-4 win against a tough Dwight team. This was a great team effort and displayed that the team had a lot of girls who could come through when needed. Next up was a 6-0 victory over Stronghurst West Central. Again, a hard-fought team effort. The state championship game was a heartbreaker for the girls. They showed a lot of heart, fighting all the way to the end, before losing 4-2 to a very good team from Brimfield.

Corpus Christi last made it to the state tournament in 2018, with a team that was a co-op of Corpus Christi Catholic School, St. Mary’s Catholic School, and Epiphany Catholic School. That team played as a 2A school when there were only two classes and bowed out in the first round.

The Saints’ Head Coach Cory Wait and Assistant Coaches Scott Snow, John Keck, and Ryan Cook were blessed with a team of hard-working girls that genuinely like each other. This year’s team was led by five 8th graders: Rylee Cook, Ruthie Doering, Avery Duff, Addie Hoenegis, and Laney Snow. Coach Wait met with this group at the first practice of the year and explained to them that this was their team. “I told the 8th graders, the experience that everyone would have this season would be dictated by them, good or bad. They took pride in making sure every girl felt included and had fun. They set the example by working hard every day and accepted the challenge of getting better every day.”

“Together” was the word used throughout the post-season. “As individuals, we don’t have much chance for success, but when we all bond together, like the strands of a rope, we cannot be broken,” Wait explains. “To celebrate, we loved to find restaurants to go to as a team after games. These memories may be almost as special as the on-field memories to some of the girls.”

Creating these fun moments is part of Coach Wait’s coaching philosophy. “This is junior high softball. It is meant to be a time of having fun and making memories with your friends! We also insist on a sisterhood among the girls. This means always supporting each other, on and off the field. It makes our younger girls feel special when the older girls say hi to them in the hallways and out at football games and things like that. This sisterhood is what is most special on our team. This is also what is helping our program grow.”

Wait’s first experience with Corpus Christi softball began seven years ago. The first two years, he was a volunteer Assistant Coach. During that time, the Saints co-oped with St. Mary’s. The next two years, Wait transitioned to Head Coach of a co-op team with both St. Mary’s and Epiphany due to there not being enough interest among Corpus Christi students. Wait’s coaching philosophy and creation of the “sisterhood” has resulted in a growing interest in the program. The last three seasons, he has had enough interest in softball to field a team made up entirely of Corpus Christi students.

“My coaching philosophy is simple: effort and attitude, and have fun doing it. More times than I can count, I remind the girls that they are in control of their effort and their attitude. Outworking those around you and having a positive attitude will usually lead to a successful outcome. Also, have fun!”

Coach Wait reflects on the season and is already looking forward to next year with five returning starters and a lot of girls who would have started on most of the teams they played this year. “This season was a great ride. The girls worked hard and got better and better as the season went on. We will lose a lot to graduation this year, but I feel really good about next season.” The Saints will lose Laney Snow, who finished the season with a batting average of .614, with over half of her hits being for extra bases, including four home runs. But they will bring back one of the top pitchers in the state, Kampbell Niepagen, who struck out 180 of the 387 batters she faced this season and threw multiple no hitters.

“To my eighth graders: You will be dearly missed. You have set the bar high for those who come after you. I could not be more proud of you. To the girls who will return next season: I can’t wait to see what you will do. I am excited already for the next season of Corpus Christi softball!”

Congratulations to the Corpus Christi Softball program for finishing 2nd in State!

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