Surprise Willow Canyon not looking ahead to making possible 5A three-peat
In Surprise, you’ll find the highest ranked high school softball team in the state and one of the top-ranked teams in the nation, according to MaxPreps.
Willow Canyon is No. 18 in their national rankings. The Wildcats are backto-back defending 5A champions looking to achieve one of the hardest things in all of team sports to attain, a threepeat.
However, despite the lofty expectations, Willow Canyon (5-0) is not thinking about their potential postseason success, but rather taking the season in one step at a time.
“We really don’t talk about it (threepeat) a lot, or as much as people think,” said assistant coach Michelle Bowers. “We take it one game at a time, one inning at a time, we expect them to come out here every day and work hard and take nothing for granted.”
The one game at a time mentality can be seen in the past few seasons for Willow Canyon. According to the Arizona Interscholastic Association, they’ve only lost one in-state game in their two championship-winning seasons (2021 and 2022.) It’s easy to see that the team treats every game like it’s their last.
“We always say that the team in the other dugout is the best team in the state,” said senior pitcher Marissa McCann, one of the state’s top pitchers who is having a dominant season. “We’re going to play them like they’re the best team in the state, and we’re going to have energy like they’re the best team in the state. When we step on the field, we’re out there to do business.”
McCann is one of six seniors on the Willow Canyon team. For any high school team in any sport to achieve greatness, they must have senior leadership. According to McCann, being a role model for the younger players on the team is crucial.
“You’re the example for the younger girls behind you,” said McCann. “However you act as seniors, the juniors are going to see that and act the same way you are. If you’re leading the team and you’re being the teammate you need to be, then the juniors and the sophomore and the freshmen coming in will see what the program is all about, which is working hard and leadership.”
McCann currently is committed to Missouri for softball. She’s one of the standout pitchers in the state, ranking second among 5A pitchers this season in earned run average (0.64), third in strikeouts (87) and third in wins (7). McCann knows how important it is to go out on a high note in her final season.
“It’s important to us (seniors) because this is our last year and we want to go out with a bang and we want to do the best we can,” said McCann. “You want to leave high school on a high and make the most memories you can.”