Sharks Win USSSA Women's Class D State

Fifteen Teams Participate At Forest Hills Diamonds In Rockford

2007 Illinois / Wisconsin USSSA Women's Class D State Champions - Sharks

ROCKFORD: The Sharks from Waukesha, WI went a perfect 4-0 to win the 2007 Illinois / Wisconsin USSSA Women's Class D State Tournament held at the Forest Hills Diamonds in Rockford on August 4th & 5th over a field of fifteen teams. Mood Swings (5-2) from Schaumburg finished in second place with LPH Softball (3-2) from Rockford finishing in third place and Walsh Electrical Consultants, Inc. (3-2) from St Charles took home fourth place. Round out the top eight finishing teams were both Culver's (3-2) from Brownstown and Double D's (3-3) from Godly finishing in a tie for fifth place and a seventh place tie between both the Benchwarmers (3-2) from Ottawa and WTMI (2-2) from Streator.
The Sharks were led to the state title by the play of the tournament's MVP Lisa Dawson. Dawson was joined on the 'All-State' Tournament team by three of her Shark teammates; Gwynne Robert, Melissa Quella and Lisa Marshall.
The champions to be Sharks opened tournament play with the top seed based on most USSSA points earned through tournament play this season and received the only first round bye before taking on Anderson Blaze from Braidwood with the Sharks winning by a 6-3 final score. Anderson Blaze had opened play with a first round win over Someplace Else II from Freeport 11-6 in the first round of play to advance into this second round contest against the Sharks.
Later on Saturday afternoon the Sharks and Mood Swings squared off in a semifinal game of the winner's bracket with the Sharks using their smothering defense to post an 11-1 win onto the bracket board advancing them into Sunday afternoon's winner's bracket finals.
On Sunday the last two remaining unbeaten teams took the field to play fro the first spot in the championship game with the Sharks edging out LPH Softball in a close one run game winning 4-3. LPH made it to this championship ship game of the winner's bracket by opening play on Saturday with a first round win over Double D's 15-4. In their second game on Saturday afternoon it was LPH Softball stopping Dilligaf from Lansing 13-6 to move into the semifinal of the winner's bracket where LPH Softball met and defeated Walsh Electrical Consultants, Inc 14-3 to earn the right to play in the winner's bracket championship game on Sunday against the Sharks.
Now the Sharks had to wait until the loser's bracket had complete all of its games before knowing which of the teams would emerge to challenge them in the title game and when that last out had been written down in the official scorers book a rematch of their semifinal game with Mood Swings awaited the Sharks in the championship game.
In a much closer game the Sharks prevailed winning 10-8 to wear the crown of the 2007 Illinois / Wisconsin Women's Class D State championship home to Milwaukee.
Tournament runner up Mod Swings were led to the championship game by the defensive play of Megan Gibson who was named as the 'Defensive MVP' of this years state tournament. Joining Gibson on the 2007 Illinois / Wisconsin USSSA Women's Class D 'All-State Tournament' team were her Mood Swing teammates Jessica Starr, Vicky Zarembka and Jennifer Glonke.

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