Despite a grueling schedule, with 10 of the 15 opponents qualifying for CIF playoffs, the 2022-23 Coronado High Softball team gained valuable experience that Coach Tom Dull believes will benefit the team and players down the road.
“I feel like teams that go through seasons like we had can’t help but grow stronger and closer together. They supported each other through all the ups and downs,” He said. “A 2-19-1 season has more downs than ups and these girls did not quit.”
“I feel like teams that go through seasons like we had can’t help but grow stronger and closer together.”
Coach Tom Dull on the Islanders softball season.
Dull reminisced on a moment during the season he believed epitomized the team and the players’ efforts this year.
“At our Senior night against Clairemont down one run, our two seniors Eva Serdio and Madison Cannon would start a two-out rally that gave us a chance to win. Although it didn’t go our way, we battled all the way to the end,” Dull said.
The Islanders may have struggled overall, but throughout the course of the full campaign Ali Pecus, Susanna Pate, and Cannon were able to showcase their abilities, with Pecus earning all league First Team honors while the other two were on the league’s Second Team, he said.
Senior captain and infielder/outfielder Cannon recognized the season’s difficulties and shortcomings, but said the team grew over the course of the 22-game season.
“It was a tough year, but I think we are all better players and people for going through it.”
-Captain Madison Cannon.
“It was a tough year, but I think we are all better players and people for going through it,” she said.
Battle tested
Dull said he believes the difficult season will aid the team down the road.
“I feel like we are battle tested and ready for next season,” Dull said. “Five of those teams are playing in the semifinals of Division I, II, and III. Playing this schedule this year gave us the experience we will need to take us far into the playoffs next year.”
The Islanders will lose some talented players to graduation, but Coronado is a young team with a large portion of their production this year hailing from underclassmen, he said.
Dull said players like Pate, Tatum Munoz, and Parker Thompson took steps in their game to help get Coronado High Softball back to being competitive.
