The 1975 Parkland High School Girl's Softball Team
and Their Quest for a State Championship
It was 1973 when the sport of girls’ softball was introduced at Parkland High School under Coach Marcia Thomas who was instrumental in the success of girls’ softball at Parkland High School.
A rookie year it proved to be for all of us. It was a year of developing skills, finding the right position for each player and building confidence and it was all on the shoulders of Coach Thomas. After all, this was her first experience as well coaching and learning the game of softball. This entailed lots of reading to learn the game and some mentoring by the umpires. Let’s say that 1973 was a building year and well the record said it all…one win. In 1974 it proved to be a year that our skills and knowledge of the game were building as well as our confidence as we finished in third place, almost landing a spot in the playoffs.
In 1975 we seemed destined to qualify for district playoffs. We started the season with five wins. Game six against Southern Lehigh was a challenge and a battle of the undefeated. The game proved not only to be a battle but a thriller. We held a 4-2 lead going into the sixth inning but our battle ended with a seventh inning 7-6 loss. It was a tough and disappointing loss but we showed the confidence that our team had developed by rebounding with 2 more wins and earning a spot in the district playoffs.
We entered the districts with wins over Easton, 6-2 and North Schuylkill 9-1 and a spot in the district finals and a rematch against Southern Lehigh, the defending district titlist.
This time we battled to a commanding 11-2 win, a District 11 title and earned a birth in the first PIAA state championship tournament.
During the next week Coach Thomas continued to keep us focus and preparing us for one more tournament and a shot at a State Championship. I don’t think we realized the magnitude of what we had accomplished and what laid ahead and boarding that bus and heading to Bellefonte for the tournament we appeared to be the most relaxed team with not a worry in the world, just going to play another game.
We earned a first round bye and with wins over St. Mary’s, 15-0 and Central Dauphin
12-7 we had earned another berth in the state finals against Coatesville. Due to heavy thunderstorms the final game was postponed until the following weekend. Because of our location and Coatesville’s it was decided not to return to Bellefonte but rather it would be played at Topton, a neutral and centrally located field.
For me, I was glad to be going home and having the game being played in Topton. You see, my parents were unable to go out to Bellefonte so I was excited that my family could now attend the game in Topton.
The next week seemed to go so slow. I think we were all ready for our final challenge. We knew we were going up against a very talented Coatesville team but we were a team ready to go for one more game.
It’s May 31, 1975 and we arrived in Topton for the championship game. Little did we know that we would be playing before almost 1,000 fans. Perhaps for the first time we were experiencing some game jitters as Coatesville jumped out to a 3-1 lead. We go into the bottom of the seventh inning and needing three runs for the win and state title. One more time we needed to go out and show our determination and what we girls were made of. This was a team that had not given up all year and we weren’t going down without a battle.
What would unfold in that seventh inning was a true team effort, poised and confident and wanting that championship for Parkland High School. Inspired again by Coach Thomas encouraging us not to give up and asking us to go out and do our best, we as a team faced the challenge and indeed as a team earned a 4-3 win and the honor of the very First PIAA State Championship Softball Team.
I myself remember only feeling the excitement to have a chance to help my team. I remember just jumping for joy as the winning run scored and joining the celebration at home plate still jumping for joy. It was such an honor for all of us to have the gold medal placed around our necks.
We truly could not have achieved this honor without Coach Thomas’ dedication and confidence she had in us. She knew how to get us fired up and always told us we were better than the other team was. And we were a team of 20 girls supporting one another through this journey.
The celebration did not stop on the field. The caravan back to Parkland was great with family and friends joining us in our celebration back to the school. We were also given a day as guests to Dorney Park.
Reflecting back to May 31, 1975, I don’t know that I totally appreciated what we had done but 31 years later that changed for many of us in a reunion and recognition ceremony at Parkland High School. I now can appreciate what an amazing and awesome year we had with a 15-1 record and the challenges and pressures we overcame to become the First State Softball Champions.