Rochester Adams’ ‘We before me’ motto shapes successful season

ROCHESTER — It’s a winning culture at Rochester Adams High School.

After its baseball team broke the single-season wins record this year, the softball team countered with success of its own.

Finishing 30-8 with a 1-0 loss to Walled Lake Northern High School in the regional finals, Adams earned an Oakland Activities Association-White league championship and won its district championship.

It’s the third time in school history, first since 1994, that Adams has won both the league and the district championship in the same season.

A mix of senior leadership and young talent followed the culture that Adams coach Fran Scislowicz strived to create.

“They really bought into our team motto of ‘We before me,”’ Scislowicz said.

Adams faced adversity early, sporting a 3-3 record, but responded with an impressive 20-game win streak.

Led by senior captain Sabrina Lee, Adams’ pitching staff was dominant during the stretch. Lee pitched 189 innings, carrying a 23-6 record, and made some history along the way.

Lee set the single-season school strikeout record with 271 strikeouts as she anchored the Adams pitching staff. She threw a seven inning no-hitter with 15 strikeouts April 23 against Goodrich High School.

“Girls like her don’t come around every 10 to 20 years,” Scislowicz said.

She was an offensive leader, hitting .470 and earning back-to-back all-District, all-Regional and team MVP honors.

Lee said the team knew what it took to get back on track after the slow start.

“It was off-putting seeing how close we were to winning, but we just had to trust the process, because we could see the base we needed to get the wins,” Lee said.

Alongside Lee on the staff was freshman sensation Lilley Lutzka.

Lutzka, who hit .410 on the year, made an immediate impact this season, tallying a 7-1 record and commanding the shortstop position.

Scislowicz said Lutzka outshined any goal he had set for her before the season.

“It’s very hard for a young, 14- to 15-year-old to come out and play against 18-year-olds,” Scislowicz said. “I think she exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

Senior Gemma Ugorowski (.390) and junior Ella McDonald (.480) contributed consistent numbers on the offensive end. McDonald is currently committed to Ferris State University for softball.

While Adams softball achieved success on the field, some of its more remarkable achievements came off the field.

Adams earned its 35th-straight academic all-State honor, which is when a team carries a 3.0 GPA or higher. Adams carried a 3.81 team GPA.

Outside the classroom, Scislowicz’s team prided itself on giving back to the community.

Adams worked with the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign, made blankets for the New Day Foundation, and visited Musson Elementary, where players would read books to the students.

“The district championship brought some smiles, but doing stuff like that really brought real smiles,” Scislowicz said.

Both on and off the field, Adams softball is a model of the team motto, “We before me.”

With coaches Bob Koltvedt and Toni Bisaro returning alongside Scislowicz next year, Adams will continue to impress as a team.

“I love, love, love the coaching staff at Adams,” Lee said. “They’re basically like family.”