The Cody Fillies softball team’s state tournament run last weekend was powered, in part, by Powell athletes. 

This year, the Cody High School team opened their roster to other girls in Park County, and two Powell High School students took the opportunity — freshman Grace Gordon and Sophomore Ava Teten. 

Competing alongside teammates from a rival school was frightening to both at first, but eventually, they came around to the idea. 

“I was really scared at the beginning, and especially on the first trip to Cheyenne,” Gordon said. “But it was so much fun, and all the girls were just so funny. I vividly remember we were up til like 10 in the lobby just laughing and talking.” 

Aside from the bonding within the first couple weeks of the softball season, the team had some major setbacks on the field. 

“At the beginning, it wasn’t so good,” Teten said. “It started a little rough just because we hadn’t played with each other before.” 

The team’s first tournament took place in Cheyenne. There they faced off against several schools and had the chance to get a feel for the game before the real season began.

“We didn’t win a single game there, and were kind of on a losing streak,” Gordon said. 

However, the team didn’t let their losing streak get them down. Instead, they picked up the pieces and were able to make a comeback in their game against Kelly Walsh. 

“We finally found the groove and know how to work together as a team, more than just individually,” Gordon said. 

The Cody Fillies softball team competed at regionals April 16-17 in Casper and placed third as a team, qualifying them for state as the number two seed. The state tournament was still underway as of the Friday print deadline. 

Roles within the Fillies 

A very unique aspect of adding the two girls to the team is the position they each play — Gordon as a JV pitcher and Teten as a varsity catcher. 

These positions are rather crucial in the game of softball, and both girls have put in many hours to understand their roles. 

“I started pitching two years ago,” Gordon said. “I’ve been practicing a lot over the winter, and that has truly helped me a lot. But it is also very nice to have a couple of other pitchers on the team to help back me up.”

Teten has had a similar experience. 

“I’ve always caught, and it’s so much fun,” Teten said. “It’s my favorite position on the field, and I definitely love catching.” 

Something rather unique is Teten is not only new to the Fillies team, but she is new to Park County — moving here from Buffalo last fall.   

“I’ve been playing softball for quite a few years … since I was 10 or something,” Teten said. “I play with a team out of Sheridan, and we travel a lot, and that’s really fun to play a lot of different teams from around the state.” 

Lasting Impact

Softball is a dynamic team sport and requires strong leaders both on and off the field. 

“Softball makes my life a lot busier than a lot of people because I don’t have free time ever,” Teten said. “But that helps with leadership — especially from my catching position because you have to be able to lead your whole entire team.”

Whether it’s cheering on your teammates who are up to bat, or even throwing around a ball … this is a team sport, and Gordon loves that. 

“I don’t play a lot of sports, but softball is one that I really like,” Gordon said. “You get to know people better because it’s a team sport, so you have to work together … I also just really like the idea that it’s not always one person’s fault if something goes wrong and that it’s a team effort.” 

And they’re happy to be part of the team, even if it’s at the rival high school.