Brunswick Academy - Viking Yearbook (Lawrenceville, VA)

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Glove open, feet implanted, left fielder Kathy Spence readies to cut off a Every pitch counts as Gail Clary delivers to a Nanseinond batter, possible double. Edward in the semifinals. Blowing an ear- ly lead, the Lady Vikings struggled, prayed, and held on-but just barely-to win, 11-10. Other previous eliminations left Ken- ston to face BA in the championship game. Despite the disadvantage of being visitors, the team was ready to take it all, so they just started the now-familiar rou- tine of psyching out the opponents every possible way. And did it work! Trailing the Kavaliers 2-0 after five, the team was becoming somewhat anxious— they were blowing so many opportunities to score— but, they were keeping their opponents close with good defense and practically untouchable pitching. Heads were turned to the skies, beg- ging for a rally. And what a rally it was! Like the game with Prince Edward, the Kenston players were completely discon- certed by the chants, siren s, and howling dogs. In the sixth with two out, the La- dies scored seven runs so crazily un- earned, it had to be seen to be believed. Going into the last of the seventh, Kenston’s last chance, the BA strategy was to keep their cool, and get three outs. After a brief prayer, the team took their time, and got the outs as they came, with the aid of the bench yelling, “Defense, defense!” Kenston had scored once, and with two outs, had runners on first and sec- ond, and their cleanup batter at the plate. A pitch high and tight meant out number three, a low one meant a 7-6 game, with them still at bat. It was low, and the crack of the bat meant trouble. The ball was deep to right— VERY deep. With a lefty hitter, the outfield was pulled to right. Short- fielder Boo Clary climbed the fence and hauled the would-be home run down, sav- ing the game, and pitcher Gail Clary’s life. BA fans and bench swarmed the field and shed some happy tears with the num- ber one team, the Lady Vikings. After such a bad start. “WE DID IT!”

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High Spirit, Lots of Noise Award BA First Softball Championship 1974 VAAC Champs — Lady Vikings: “We Did It!” Philosophers have said that bad begin- nings mean good endings, and the Lady Vikings can certainly agree with this. The promise of a successful season after two preseason victories (beating Nansernond Suffolk and Surry) suddenly began to diminish as the Lady Vikings promptly lost four of their first five season games. In the opening game with Huguenot, inexperience in a young infield, combined with weak hitting, cost BA a heartbreak- ing one-run loss. At Prince Edward, the second loss was marked down, attributed mainly to poor umpiring. Traveling to Kenston, the team scored only twice (from Boo Clary’s home run), compared to Kenston’s output of 12. Rain postponements kept the team from getting “psyched up” for the games. When the girls traveled to Mecklenburg for a double-header, they realized they had to get to work . . . FAST. In the first game, the Lady Vikings played a great defensive game, cutting runners down at third and home, while holding the Lady Knights for three extra innings to chalk up the season’s first vic- tory. The second game saw the tired girls play sub-par in the early innings as Meck- lenburg salvaged a split for the day. With scorching bats the improving Ladies rolled over the Rebels. Still on the road at Rock Hill, BA stomped their op- ponents twice to sweep the doubleheader. Finally coming home, the Lady Vik- ings extended their winning streak to four games by overpowering Amelia. But Kenston brought her bats to BA for the next game, and badly embarrassed the girls, winning by 1 1 . The “turning point of the season,” claims Coach Walton, was the big Prince Edward home game, a must win to keep any playoff hopes alive. A bad start had the Lady Vikings down 8-2 after four, and all began to think about next year. But through the next three innings, BA tied the score, and the Viking bench was making so much noise the visitors com- pletely fell apart. The “Big Team” pulled it out in the last of the ninth, on consecutive singles by Boo Clary, Winona House, and Daphne Slaw. The Lady Vikings were fi- nally putting it all together; bats were hot, defense and pitching had stabilized, younger players were gaining needed ex- perience, and most importantly, there was spirit on the field and on the bench. For the finale of the regular season, BA barely held on to beat the Patriots of Amelia. This sent the team, 7-5 in the conference to an elimination tournament with Prince Edward, Huguenot, and Mecklenburg, to determine the second, third, and fourth place teams- Kenston finished undefeated. In the first game BA had no trouble quieting the Prince Edward bats, as they easily tromped to a big victory. The third game saw the Vikings capture second place in the West, knocking off Hugue- not. Next came the playdown with Nanse- mond-Suffolk. With the score tied 5-5 after SVi, BA put on the heat, scored six runs in the fourth, and held on to beat Nansernond easily. The victory, over Nansernond, took the team to face Broadwater at Prince SCORES BA 5 Huguenot 6 BA 9 Prince- ward 11 BA 2 Kefistotp Forest 12 BA 4 MecKli urg 3 BA 6 Nfecklenburg 8 BA 13 Huguenot 4 BA 31 y Rock Hill 12 BA 13 . Rock Hill 2 BA 12 Amelia 4 BA Kenjlon Forest 16 BA Prince Edward 8 BA 9 Amelia 7 ELIMINATIONS BA 9 Prince Edward 3 % 11 Hugu iipt 7 w PtAYDOWNS ' ■ BA Nmisemd. Strffolk 6 TOPBNAMEi T SEMIFINALS BA 11. Broadwater 10 I:hampionship BA f Kenston Forest 3 Overall Record: 14 wins, 5 losses. Above: Concentration shows as shortstop Molly Peebles readies for a quick flip to second. Left: Co-captain “Boo” Clary strains to pull the pitch to right as teammates watch anxiously.

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Lady Vikings End Season With 7 Straight Wins, Late season surge, change of attitude transforms team. COMM ENT A R Y: The Lady Vikings should really be commended for a fine season. Even though they played 1 3 games on the road, they ended the season with a fine 14-5 record, and seven straight wins. Other coaches said BA had the most spirited team, and we did. At the begin- ning of the season, everyone “wanted to play, but didn’t want to work”. But after the second Prince Edward game, attitudes were completely changed. Our Vikings began to play AS a team, FOR the team. “We didn’t have much support from any- one but a few parents and students, but our bench compensated for this. They were our strongest asset.” said Coach Wal- ton. That may be true, but the second strongest asset was the aggressive, positive coaching of Miss Walton. Without her, the team said they wouldn’t have lasted the season. Sure the team had disagreements, but Miss Walton held them together . . . all the way. Hang in there, team, for a repeat in ’75. All Right! MVP Boo C’lary shows the skill that rewarded her witli the all-division shortfielder award. Above: Most Improved Player First Baseman Mar- tha Robinson stumbles to a shoestring catch. Right: Centerfielder Sue Golding gets off another throw to third. Below: Seldom is there a game without a mound conference, where the infield players discuss late inning strategy. Prelude to a pop up: Claire Dickie uppercuts a high pitch. 16 Competition Softball