Just you play the game how you are supposed to play it. “Just working really hard all the time, and I think that’s a big focus for our team, too. “Staying confident and staying calm and relaxed in the circle when things aren’t going my way and always not taking a batter off,” she added. “One big focus for me over the winter was the mental aspect of the game. “Last year was really when I was like, ‘OK, I love softball, I need to get on my horse and I need to start working harder,’” Livesay said. While Newton has talent throughout the roster, Livesay’s dramatic improvement puts her on the short list for 5A Player of the Year – and for the best player in Kansas, all classes. It would be nice to see how we match up against somebody like that.” But they are well-coached, they are very talented. Bishop Carroll, like them or not, I know they play in a weak conference, but they are just legit every year. “…I wouldn’t mind playing Basehor-Linwood, some of the Kansas City teams, get a shot at Bishop Carroll. “I want to get through regionals, and I want my girls to have a chance to see state,” Park said. Newton has not reached the state softball tournament since the mid-2000s. Newton has one state softball title, an all-classes crown in 1985. Those squads could tilt of power throughout the classifications. However, a major theme of the 2022 season is teams with limited to no state tradition, specifically softball, enjoying the best seasons in school history. B-L has multiple stars, including Ohio State commit Taylor Cruse. BC has returning 5A Player of the Year Kadence Brewster and a state-best 43-game winning streak. Throughout the season, the 5A hegemony is clear with defending champion Bishop Carroll and returning runner-up Basehor-Linwood. Wednesday marks the second of two days for the bulk of regional softball and baseball competition throughout Kansas. We just really work well together, and that’s a big turning point from last year.” “It doesn’t matter if we are winning 10-0, the fight that this team has, just everybody gets along. “The team chemistry that this team has, like it doesn’t matter if we are down 5-0,” Livesay said. On Wednesday, Newton will host a regional that includes Maize (5-13), Hays High (13-7) and Andover Central (13-10). 450 team average and has girls throughout the order with both power and average. Kenzie Cusick finished 7-of-7 in the Maize doubleheader. On May 10, Newton beat Maize 11-1 and 14-4 to close out the regular season and clinch the title. That included a 14-0 victory against a 17-win McPherson club. The Railers reeled off 12 straight victories to complete the regular season. “We were like, ‘OK, we can be down in games and still come back and win, so that’s when I felt like we could have a title on our hands.” “That was definitely a turning point,” Livesay said. The Railers had not won the ACVTL Division I championship in more than 15 seasons.

Livesay drove in three runs, worked three innings and struck out six.Īfterward, both Park and Livesay believed an achievement was possible for Newton. This season, Newton scored three in the fifth, two in the sixth and one in the seventh. Veteran coach Danny Park believed past Railer teams would not have come back. In the 9-7 game, Newton trailed 5-0 after two and 7-3 after four. Newton pounded out 15 hits, including three from Sandoval against Maize South’s solid pitchers. In the 10-run victory, Livesay had three hits, six RBIs, worked 5.2 innings and struck out 14. This time, the Railers earned 16-6 and 9-7 victories. Newton had split with Maize South in 2021 with a 14-4 loss and 6-3 win. Livesay started to play with the Stewarts entering her sophomore year.

A Maize graduate, Kelsey is one of the most famous softball players in the world with two national titles at Florida and a member of the US Olympic team. The 5-foot-11 Livesay had shown big improvements through the Blitz organization headed by the Stewart family: Kelsey and her parents Chris and Lori. Three of the four have signed to play a college sport – Kennah to NOC-Enid softball in Oklahoma, Sandoval for Hutchinson Community College softball, Rains signed with Fort Hays volleyball. Newton returned multiple key seniors who had played since their freshman year, including half-sisters Kennah and Kenzie Cusick, Olivia Sandoval and Gracie Rains. Tegan Livesay earned first team all-conference pitcher honors. After COVID cancelled 2020, Newton improved to 11-11. The Railers had ended a 35-game losing streak in 2019. Newton entered its April 8 doubleheader against league rival Maize South with a 6-2 record. She has led Newton on a huge turnaround this year. Newton’s Tegan Livesay has a strong case for Kansas’ best player.

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