Old Quarry Softball Team Heads To State Final Tournament

LEMONT, IL — The Old Quarry Middle School girls softball team will play in the first round of the IESA Class 3A state tournament on Friday.

Lemont defeated Woodridge's Jefferson, 15-1 on Saturday to take the sectional championship crown, according to IESA. Old Quarry's record is now 11-2-0.

Coach Alyssa Hansen told Patch that the team has won the regional championship three times in the past four years since joining the Illinois Elementary School Association. This year's sectional championship is the team's first.

"This is such an incredible group of girls; seven of the 20 have been with me for the past three years and I also had the privilege of coaching several of them for basketball the past two years, Hansen said. "As a result, I'd like to think that our bond has grown stronger than the typical team."

Now, the team will face Chatham Glenwood (11-3-0) at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at the state final tournament in Normal. The winner of that match-up will face the winner of Charleston and Frankfort's Hickory Creek on Saturday morning in the semifinals.

Hansen said this year's team includes the largest group of eighth graders in the past nine seasons.

"From day one, they set their sights on the State Tournament as their goal, and every step they've taken since then has been deliberate in making that goal a reality. Their infectious energy is truly inspiring, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of their journey," she said.

The third-place game and the state championship game will be played on Saturday afternoon.