This spring season Normal West fans have much to cheer about as the Lady Wildcats of the soccer and softball teams are finding success. The girls soccer team finds themselves with 10 wins and only 3 losses to Normal Community twice and Peoria Notre Dame once. The softball team has 13 wins and 6 losses.

After making it to state last year and coming home with the state Runner-Up trophy, the girls soccer team has high hopes for the season, as they return nine starters. So far this season they have a handful of impressive wins over teams such as Moline (6-4), Richwoods (6-1), and Uhigh (1-0). Their losses to Normal Community were by 3-1 and 2-1. The final score of their loss to Peoria Notre Dame was 4-0.

Senior Emily Bangen is very positive in regards to the season, “I think it is going well. We have had some bumps in the road but we can overcome them.”

The Wildcats are led by nine returning seniors, including Keely Theobald, Carolyn Peters, and Abby Thompson. Theobald is currently in second place for most goals scored this season in intercity girls’ soccer with 14. The fourth and fifth spots are taken by junior Kate Lorenz with eight and senior Amber Helton with seven.

Girls’ soccer head coach Mr. Walker is very passionate about soccer and loves to coach the girls’ team at West, “Our program balances participation with a win, with development, with making sure all our girls are getting an opportunity out there.”

The Wildcats’ next home game is Thursday, May 7^th at 6pm versus Bloomington and its senior night!

The Normal West softball team made it to the Regional Championship last year before being defeated by Normal Community 5-2. This year they hope to advance further, as they return five seniors. This year they have wins against Normal Community (6-2), Bloomington (4-3), and Olympia (3-1). Two of their losses have been against Chatham Glenwood by 3-0 and 9-0.

Last season, senior Sara Whitely was a unanimous All-Big 12 selection and junior Reganne Camp, who posted a 14-6 pitching record, was joined by junior Ellie Sonetz as first-team all-conference picks. Junior Brooklyn Bane is a Bradley recruit who ranked among the area leaders in stolen bases last year with 15 after hitting out of both the leadoff and ninth spots in the batting order.

Softball head coach April Schermann thinks highly of all of her players and is excited for where the season is going, “Claire Ambrose does a great job. I felt like she had her confidence back so we put her back at the top of the lineup and she produced. Reganne is definitely a warrior; she works hard and fights for us.”

The Wildcats’ next home game is Friday, May 8^th at 4:30pm versus Moline.