By Jacob Heid

Sports Writer

STEVENS POINT – The Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH) softball team isn’t a stranger to postseason success. 

The Panthers haven’t lost before the sectional round of the playoffs in 13 years, giving SPASH an annual shot at a state championship. 

SPASH coach Tom Drohner has turned the Panther softball program into a state powerhouse, coaching in his 25th season. He has led the Panthers to eight state championships. 

“We’ve got really good athletes to come in year in and year out and we’ve got great feeder programs around here,” Drohner said. “And kids like playing the game. This is a town where they really enjoy playing the game of softball. It’s a family affair so that obviously helps.”

Drohner also explained that having a similar system and coaching for that long, combined with the players, mixes into having success. 

The Panthers attack the plate with patience, having the best team batting average in the Wisconsin Valley Conference last season at .363. 

SPASH also likes to work the count and look for the best pitch. The Panthers only struck out 39 times in the 12-game conference slate. 

“We lost a really good senior group, so we have a lot of very talented young people. We’re different though. I think we had some people that hit the ball out of the ballpark last year, where I think this year, not that we don’t have anybody that can do that, but what we have is tremendous team speed,” Drohner explained. “This might be the fastest team I’ve ever had. We are going to play a lot of small ball and do what we need to do.”

The pitching circle is another storyline for SPASH coming into the season.

Junior Maren Sauvageau was the ace for the Panthers as a sophomore. 

Sauvageau finished 6-1 in the WVC last season, striking out 40 batters. 

She had the second-lowest ERA in the conference among qualified pitchers. 

Drohner brought up junior Delilah Abundiz’s name as well. 

“I think they’re going to be very good. We lost a really good change-of-pace pitcher in [Zoe] Fink last year,” Drohner said. “The two we have coming this year have a lot of experience. Both Delilah and Maren pitched a lot of innings for us last year. I’m just looking for them to build off what they accomplished last year.”   

Drohner has been doing this for so long that every season is a new opportunity to have exciting moments with different players.

After losing in the sectional final last season, he is hopeful they can get back to sectionals for the 14th straight season.

“You’ve got to adjust your style of coaching in any given year, and this year I think we’re going to play a speed game,” Drohner stated. “When you face good pitching, speed is always there. All you need to do is put the ball in play and we are going to force people to make some quick decisions. Hopefully, we’ll hit some holes along the way, and if we do that, we’ve got a chance to really put up a lot of runs and create a lot of havoc this year.”