BURIN, N.L — There was a sense of the unknown as the Burin Eagles U12 team headed to Carbonear July 13-15 provincial softball championship.
Head Coach Danny Loughlin explained it had been about 17 years since a team from the town had taken part in the Under 12 provincial event.
“We went with no expectations,” said Loughlin. “We knew there were 19 teams involved so we didn’t know what to expect. We just went with an open mind, hoping to have a fun weekend and if we (won) a game or two then that would be great…”
After the first day of play the team had a record of 4-0.
That put them in a semi-final game against Butlerville.
“We got the win there to move on to the championship against Marystown.”
Loughlin said the championship match was a close game.
“We were tied up until the bottom of the fifth, and then Marystown moved ahead and there was no turning back after that. But it was a close one; it was a good game.”
He added the players were excited to be playing another team from the Burin Peninsula in the final.
“Some of these kids go to school together, they play hockey together, and they’re buddies, so it was nice to see . . . Burin/Marystown friendly rivalry, which always makes it exciting…”
Team member Logan Hiscock said for him is was about more than just the game.
“The whole weekend was a lot of fun because I got to play a game that I love with all my close buddies and then hang out with most of them at the hotel.”
He added one of the highlights of the tournament came in the final inning of the semi-final game, “. . . when our team got the last batter out on Butlerville and we knew that we were going to play in the championship game.”
Danny Loughlin said they’ve come a long way in just a few short years since the minor softball program was revived in Burin.
“It was the vision of Myrna Broydell, Jennifer Matthews and Leslie (Ann) Lambe, who were the three that initiated this back three years ago.”
Since then, he says, many coaches and volunteers have joined the program and over 160 young people play softball.
