Never Say Die Savages! Fineran Finds A Way to Lift Savages to First State Title

FORT DODGE—Friday Night Lights, Miracle, Rudy. These are the picture perfect endings that we remember when someone thinks of heroic sports tales. The 2024 Sigourney Savages softball team will join that list after capturing the Class 1A State Title with a 3-2 win over #1 ranked Martensdale-St. Mary in the championship game.

The Savages set the tone early, as senior Carly Goodwin gave her team the lead with a solo home run in the top of the first inning.

“I knew she was a good pitcher, so I had to attack early. I just had to step up for my team. I wasn’t trying to do anything outside of my comfort zone. So being able to get that hit, I think really lifted my team’s spirit up and helped us build some confidence,” explained Goodwin.

The lead did not last long as the Blue Devils scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning.

The innings passed by, and the Sigourney offense was unable to put anything together.

The top of the seventh had come, and the Savages still found themselves down a run and with only three outs to get it. Senior Carly Goodwin led things off with a single to get the tying run on base.

Two batters later, Amiya Smallwood stepped into the box with two outs and needing to save the season. She ripped a single as well, and put two runners on base now. 

Sigourney found themselves down to final strike, a familiar place because they were there a week earlier in the Regional Final. This time senior Ava Fineran was the hero of the night, as she smacked a two-run single to shift the Savages from down 2-1 to up 3-2 in a matter of moments. 

Fineran described the moment when she bolted to first base  as, “I got to first and thought I was going to pass out. When I hit it, it was just electric, like let’s go get it!”

Fellow senior Amiya Smallwood described her bolt from first to home after the Fineran hit as, “I caught Shelly’s eye. I made sure I got it. I made sure that arm was swinging. I scored. I put the wheels on, and did what I needed to do.”

Before the Savages even stepped into the batter’s box in the top of the seventh, seniors Carly Goodwin, Ava Fineran, Erin Dawson and Amiya Smallwood spoke with Head Coach Shelly Streigle on the importance of this inning.

Goodwin described the sentiment from the meeting as, “We knew we had to stay within ourselves. Do what you can do. We have confidence in each other with all four of us right there. So being able to do that with them is really special. Having Ava come up with that big hit. Two outs is not easy, there is a lot of pressure. She stayed calm and came through with the biggest hit of the game.”

Erin Dawson spoke on the meeting with, “Coming in from the three outs, we were telling (Head Coach ) Shelly (Streigle) that we were not satisfied with the hits. We want more, and we just have to keep hitting. We strategized on how we are going to get our hits in, and get our girls home.”

This wraps up a prolific career for senior Carly Goodwin. Not only did she secure the first state title in school history, she was named the Class 1A All-Tournament captain for her performances in the Savages three wins.

Goodwin described wrapping up her career on such a high note with, “This was our goal all along, so being able to go out on my senior year with this accomplishment is awesome. It hasn’t really set in yet. I think the car ride home with all my teammates is going to be fun. Being able to celebrate with all my teammates is just awesome.”

The Savages faithfull could be heard throughout the duration of the game. Head Coach Shelly Streigle spoke on what it meant to her to see that community support for her team with, “We could hear them. Part of the time, I was trying to yell to my team. I knew they couldn’t hear me, but it was incredible. They were awesome!”

After the game seniors Ava Fineran, Erin Dawson and Amiya Smallwood spoke on finishing their careers in Sigourney as champions.

Fineran described her emotions with, “It was one team, one dream from the start. We all wanted that. When it came to that seventh inning, it was like, ‘Oh God, this is it.’ I didn’t want to go out in a bad way, so I knew it was on me. The first one came, and I just daddy hacked it, then it went. I was like, ‘Let’s go, games not over yet.’ When it came to the field, it was pure focus. It was everyone coming down to the last minute putting everything we had in.”

 “It was just amazing. Ava getting that big hit really motivated us to keep pushing through and to get those three outs. Carly’s home run definitely got us going from the beginning. It was hard getting bats on, but we know we are a great hitting team and we came out with the win,” said senior Erin Dawson.

Amiya Smallwood elaborated on her emotions in the moment with, “I mean it feels so good. We faced so much adversity in the tournament. There are so many people here supporting us, it just feels so good.”

Coach Streigle expressed her thoughts on her seniors final performance with, “Just exactly what I knew they could do. I knew what they were capable of it from day one. I knew what their goals were. I just wanted to do whatever I could to get them to that position and accomplish their dreams, and they accomplished them.”

Lastly, Coach Striegle described what this victory meant to her, and the program as a whole, as, “It means everything. These girls have worked so hard, it means everything to them. It is all theirs. They earned it. They deserve it because they have worked so hard. Our community, administration, students, staff and just everybody has been so supportive. It just means everything.”