What will likely be a lasting memory for the rest of their lives is something that the Lady Tigers don’t talk about anymore.

The team finished 21-3 last season and won the Colonial League championship with a two-out, bases empty rally in the bottom of the seventh inning last year to down Bangor for its first league title in 15 years.

It was a great game and a great memory, but it has been relegated to the mental files of the players and the coaches because they have a new season to focus on.

“I think we mentioned it once or twice the first couple days of practice but now we just don’t even bring it up,” said Tiger head coach Josh Zimmerman. “Being league champions is great, but it doesn’t do us any good for this season. The only difference is that teams are going to really be gunning for us.”

Another reason that last year is not in the conversation is that many of the players from that team have moved on and younger, less experienced players have taken their places, leaving a lot of work to get done.

Novalie Duffy, Adana Funk, Molly Mitman, Sam Sisco and Kylie Zentz are off to college leaving this year’s seniors – Brynn Balliet, Morgan Farthing, Olivia Stofflet, and Izzy Teprovich to pass along the winning attitude.

“We missed out one year (2020) because of COVID, so it feels like something is missing for me,” said Farthing, the team’s shortstop. “For me, personally, I want to get championships in leagues and in districts and make that final push because we (this year’s seniors) got cut short and we all want to finish strong.”

Farthing led the team in hitting last season with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and a .506 average while scooping up anything that heads toward short. Balliet was a force both on the mound (17-2, 2.72) and provided some pop at the plate with four home runs and a .319 average. Stofflet hit .354 and was fourth on the team in RBI with 25 and handled the difficult task of working behind the plate.

With the normal holes created by graduation, Zimmerman has some decisions to make before the season opener on Friday. He knows that his battery of Olivia Stofflet (catcher) and Brynn Balliet (pitcher) are both back and he has an experienced left side of the infield with Farthing and junior Marissa Christman at third.

The pieces of the puzzle have come together nicely and as usual, Northwestern has a pipeline of good young players to draw from.

Last year’s left fielder, Sage Toman, is moving over to center field. Izzy Akelaitis seems a likely possibility at second base with Izzy Teprovich taking over the first base duties. Riley McGinley will likely claim the right field spot, although there is a lot of competition for all the open positions on the team.

“It’s the type of situation where we will pick a girl to play a spot and the girl that we don’t pick would probably be starting at a lot of other schools,” Zimmerman said. “We’re at a point at Northwestern – in most sports – where we don’t rebuild, we reload.”

Teprovich played in 19 games last season and hit .364 for the Lady Tigers and could be somewhat of a hidden weapon for the team this season. She fills a need at first base that was created by the graduation of Sisco and gives the team a solid bat to help round out the lineup.

“I’m really looking forward to the season,” Teprovich said. “The younger girls are really working hard, and they have all fit in really well with the team. I think we are all dedicated to winning the league and taking that next step to win districts.”

A senior season is always special for a student-athlete, but Stofflet is using this season as a bit of an escape and to pay tribute to her dad. William Stofflet passed away this past January and his daughter is dedicating this season to him.

“I’m excited for this year but it is definitely going to be a challenging year,” said Stofflet. “I am definitely playing for my dad, who I lost in January, so this season is going to mean a lot.”