By: Jonathan Szczepaniak | C&G Newspapers | Published June 19, 2023
STERLING HEIGHTS/SHELBY TOWNSHIP/MACOMB TOWNSHIP — There’s a reason that the Utica Ford II softball team got massive applause at the school’s graduation.
For nine seasons, the softball program has longed for a district title to set a pathway for success for the next group of talent, and the seniors were prepared to take that into their own hands this season.
“I think when we look up at the banner, and we always go into the gym and look up, not winning a district or regional title in nine years definitely put a lot more pressure on us, because if any year could do it, it’s the ’23 year,” senior Jenna Nilson said. “Being the team nobody saw going this far, it’s definitely an honor.”
Nilson, a Northwood University commit, did more than her fair share to make it happen, and the rest of the team was prepared to make the journey with her.
On June 2 at Utica High School, Ford (30-12) achieved the first step on its list of goals with a 7-6 win over Utica to earn the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 District 26 title. However, the job wasn’t finished.
Behind an impressive showing on both sides of the field, Ford outscored Bloomfield Hills and Warren Regina 25-6 collectively to take home the MHSAA Region 7 title on June 10 at Troy Athens High School.
Talk about setting the tone: senior Eliana Karas batted 7-for-8 with two home runs and 6 RBIs through both regional matchups as Ford’s offense exploded onto the scene.
Senior Rylee Hesske, junior Addison Hill, junior Gabriella Mecca, junior Samantha Yantus and Nilson continued to keep the bats going alongside Karas.
Combine that with a dynamic pitching duo of junior Jade Kupsky and sophomore Jenna Walters, and Ford was nearly untouchable throughout the state tournament.
For all that firepower, it’s hard to believe that it’s not the team’s strongest attribute. The team’s strongest attribute is its bond.
“It’s really more like a sisterhood,” Nilson said. “Previous years, there were cliques, but we do everything together. I know that even if it’s not related to softball or I’m going through something, one of the girls has my back. It doesn’t matter if you’re a junior or a sophomore. I know that the team is there for each other no matter what.”
Ford was together on the state tournament journey, which concluded in a quarterfinals loss to Lake Orion June 14 at Troy Athens High School.
With the amount of talent at Ford, there’s an expectation that this team should be right back up there in 2024 with Kupsky, Yantus, Mecca, Hill and Walters at the helm, but it’s a tough goodbye for Nilson, Karas and Hesske, who have been staples in the program since stepping onto the field.
The seniors wanted to lay a foundation for the underclassmen to follow next season, and Ford coach Matthew Joseph said they did just that.
“They’ve done an unbelievable job of leading this team, and in different ways,” Joseph said. “It’s been the work ethic that I’ve been most happy with. When your seniors are your hardest workers, everything kind of falls in place because that’s status quo. It says to the kids coming that, ‘OK, that’s what we’re supposed to do.’ Everybody is working hard and I don’t have to stress that because they get it done.”
Ford, who competed in the Macomb Area Conference-Red this season, will look to earn the school’s first league title since 2012 next year, and it’ll be up to the 2024 senior class to continue the leadership tradition. By the looks of this season, they’re in great hands.
As for the seniors, just as they used to look up to the banners in the gym, future classes will be staring at this year hoping to achieve the same success.
But at the end of the day, Ford’s ‘sisterhood’ will always remain strong.
“I love these girls so much,” Karas said.