BULLARD, Texas — The Bullard Lady Panthers have once again punched their ticket to the Class 4A UIL state softball tournament.
Last season was the program's first trip to the state tournament, but it was soiled after a 4-3 loss to Liberty at Georgetown East View High School.
Even though the season ended without a championship win. the team enters this season with huge targets on their backs.
“Honestly, you know, we talked about at the beginning of season and felt like it was gonna be pressure, but honestly, it's been motivation for us really knowing that," senior Kenzie King said. "We don't have anything to lose, go out and play our best game for us not for anybody else.”
The team returned a lot of players from last season including five seniors who helped lead the team to a 30-0 start, with this season being their last hoorah.
“I mean, it's a whole ball of emotions," head coach Julie Murry said. "I was just talking to our seniors about how this is their last practice on this field. And it is, I mean, it's very much a family atmosphere. We love each other, you know. Sometimes like a family, you love each other differently sometimes. But through it all, the culture that we want to have is that we're all for one, one for all.”
The Lady Panthers' motto for this season, 'Humble and Hungry.'
"Being hungry for what's ahead of us," sophomore pitcher Anistyn Foster said. "But also being humbled to just know that this is a special place in our career.”
Knocking off teams left and right this playoff run, with huge plays from some of their star players all while being calm and collected.
“I don't think you can really, totally prepare for what it's going to feel like when you're at the University of Texas, playing in front of the largest crowd you've played in," Coach Murry said. "We're gonna practice at College Station to try to see a big field and try to prepare them for as much as we can, but some of it is just, I hope they can block it out and just lock in on what we're there to do.”
An unbelievable run from this group, especially the seniors and Kenzie King with a message to whoever will listen.
"We're not done yet. We've still got work to do.”