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Franklin
Monroe senior Cori Jeffers takes a hack at a pitch with the
bases loaded in the ninth. In her final at bat as a Lady Jet, Jeffers
hit a rocket shot to the Southeastern shortstop in a 3-1 loss in the
sectional final played at Bradford Tuesday. CNO photo by George Starks
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From worst to
first; Franklin Monroe softball on the rise
Lone Jet senior likes what she sees
By George Starks
PITSBURG- When the Franklin Monroe Lady Jets dropped a 3-1 heartbreaker
to Southeastern Tuesday, it brought the curtain down on the high school
career of senior Cori Jeffers.
In her three years in the softball program, Jeffers watched her team go
from the bottom of the pile, getting only two wins her freshman season
to a district appearance as a junior.
As a senior, Jeffers once again had a shot at the district title, only
to fall short by a run.
With a school record 18 wins, the goal was to go to Akron.
“We worked our hardest,” said an emotional Jeffers after the sectional
loss Tuesday. “We had goals this year and we fell short and as a team,
this was not acceptable to any of us. We had our chances. We hit the
ball hard but it was right at them.”
The loss meant only one thing to Jeffers.
“It’s over,” said a teary eyed Jeffers. “I’ll never get to put on a
Franklin Monroe jersey again.”
With the loss of Jeffers, head coach Mike Morris will see eight of his
nine returning starters take the field in 2015.
Jeffers said she will be the team’s biggest fan.
“I’ll be right there rooting them on every step of the way,” said
Jeffers. “We won two games my freshman year and I missed my sophomore
year then we get to districts and that was amazing. Mike has turned
this team around in a very short time. Mike is amazing. He pushes us
very hard. He told us this would be a team that would never give up and
that really got my attention. He said we were not going to be like the
teams of the past. This was a new team and a new era in Lady Jets
softball. Going to state was instilled in us from the very first day in
the gym and on the field.”
With the pitchers and catchers looking to get started working on their
own as soon as possible, Franklin Monroe will have a host of talent,
led by Carrie and Emma Baker as well as Bryanna Diceanu, Morgan Bingham
and Emily Morris, Jeffers had nothing but high praise for her team and
her coach.
“This team has everything it needs to go to Akron next year,” said
Jeffers. “Mike knows how to get the job done and next year, I will be
in Akron with the team, if only as a fan.”
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