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Home > Archive > Jul 26, 2007

Snow Canyon Girls’ All-Star Team Going to Washington
By Stephen Vincent
The Snow Canyon 11-12-year-old girls’ softball team won the state championship July 14. And although other teams have won that title in the past, the Snow Canyon team will be first champions from Utah to play in to the Western Regional Little League Tournament in Vancouver, Wash.
“They're so excited,” said Snow Canyon manager Jesse Shipp. “I can't even explain it. Their goal was to make it to Vancouver.”
The reason why this year's team is going is because they raised the money to make the trip. With a trip to Vancouver in their sights, the coaches and parents began fundraising.
“What's been great for us coaches and parents is that we haven't had anybody tell us no,” said Shipp. “Whether it's $10 or $100, everybody's donated something.”
That money has enabled the team to pay for lodging and travel to the tournament.
The tournament runs July 28-Aug. 5, and the winner will advance to the World Series in Portland, Ore.
Snow Canyon opens with Southern California on July 28 at 7 p.m.
Then the squad has two days off before playing the state champion from Nevada on July 31 at 3:30 p.m.
The All-Stars’ last two games in pool play are against Northern California on Aug. 1 and Arizona on Aug. 2.
Snow Canyon needs to finish either first or second in its five-team pool to advance to the tournament's semifinals, where it would play a team from the tournament's other pool, which is comprised of teams from Oregon, Alaska, Washington, Montana and Idaho.
The championship game is set for Aug. 5, a Sunday, and Shipp said his team won't play on a Sunday, so he's talking to the tournament director to change the date of the game, if Snow Canyon reaches that far.
“We're going back there to have fun,” Shipp said. “If we win, it's a bonus. It's just an honor to represent Snow Canyon, let alone the state of Utah.”
The Snow Canyon team, which fell one win shy of the state title last year, earned the Utah championship this year by fighting their way through the loser's bracket.
The team fell into the loser's bracket after a loss to Dixie on July 10. They then won their way into a title matchup against Cedar American. The SC girls had to beat Cedar American twice to go to Vancouver.
They did just that, winning two tightly contested games, 5-4 and 6-5.
Shipp points out that the girls on his team are the same age as the boys' Little League team that is going to San Bernardino.
“These girls are just as competitive and work just as hard as the boys,” he said, “so they deserve the same credit.”
Shipp said their emotional win in the state tournament won over supporters, including the state's Little League director.
“I was talking to the state director on the phone, and he told me he's always been a baseball man,” Shipp said. “But he said while watching those two games, he became a softball fan.”
Shipp said he was impressed by the crowds who turned out to watch the girls’ softball tournament.
“We had in those girls’ games crowds as big, if not bigger than, the boys’,” Shipp said. “I want to emphasize the support girls’ sports gets – and how competitive it is.”
Shipp hopes more people will attend next year's tournament.
“If you missed it this year, don't miss it next year,” he said.
Members of the team are Brytni Gurney, McKenzee Langston, Jaicee Porter, Megan Funk, Ciara Parker, Kacey Rogers, Ashley Hatch, Grace Walton, Autumn Shipp, Mitzi Gates, Lexy Leavitt and Brooke Riley.
Shipp's assistant coaches are Chad Gates and John Walton.

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