OTTAWA LAKE, Mich. — UPDATE: The Whiteford Bobcats softball team came just one run short of a state championship.
The Bobcats fell to Evert by a score of 1-0 in the championship game on Saturday.
A day earlier, Whiteford beat Clare 1-0 in the state semifinal to advance to the final game.
Whiteford Agricultural Schools is back in familiar territory, once again taking the field at Michigan State University's Secchia Stadium to finish a remarkable season.
With a record of 29-5-1, the Bobcats have advanced to the MHSAA State Semifinals for the third straight year.
"It feels really good, especially with these group of seniors, this team itself," said pitcher Unity Nelson. "We've worked for three years now to keep getting back and it's just a great rewarding feeling."
The senior star flourished inside the circle at Wayne State University on Tuesday, striking out 12 batters to aid in her complete game win over Algonac 2-0. Teammate Karlei Conard went 2-4 with an RBI to help out offensively.
"The girls have put in so much hard work that you feel they deserve this," said head coach Matt VanBrandt. "But when you get to the final eight, it's really anybody's ballgame."
Determination and grit resulted in Whiteford turning expectation into reality after scoring two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to keep their season alive. Now, the Bobcats' focus shifts back to capping their campaign with a championship.
In 2023, that aspiration turned into heartbreak after Standish-Sterling walked off Whiteford 1-0 to prevent a state title. The year before, the Bobcats suffered a similar fate after losing 4-1 to Unionville-Sebewaing.
"We feel that that experience really pays off," VanBrandt said. "They're comfortable, they're confident and they know they're going to go out there and play their best."
Six seniors experienced both defeats. They plan to use them as fuel in hopes of delivering a long-awaited title that Whiteford has not won since 1987.
"We've put in all the work," Nelson said. "We've just got to come out there and play our game, not worry about anything else."
Whiteford will take an 11-game win streak into Friday to face off against eighth-ranked Clare at 10 a.m. Should they win, the Bobcats would advance to the Division 3 State Championship at 3 p.m. on Saturday at MSU.