Whitko Friends Duggins, Snep Get One Last Game As Teammates
June 15, 2019 at 2:32 a.m.
Whitko Friends Duggins, Snep Get One Last Game As Teammates
By Mark Howe-
Then they got the news they’ll get one more game together, in a place quite a haul from South Whitley.
The duo will represent the Wildcats in the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association’s all-star doubleheader June 22 at Andy Mohr Stadium on the campus of IU-Bloomington.
The ladies have been close friends as well as teammates, and to have one last, unexpected chance to play together was a pleasant surprise to say the least.
“We’ve been playing travel ball together since we were 8, so softball really brought us together, and we’ve always been really good friends,” Snep said. “So getting to play together one last time means a lot; it shows our hard work has paid off in getting to play in this game.
Duggins added “it’s like our last go-round, but it’s a game where the pressure’s off. We can just enjoy ourselves. We can just enjoy playing together this one last time.
“Even playing travel ball; it’s less pressure than a sectional game, but there’s the pressure to not let your team down. This is a way where we can just enjoy it, one last time.”
The friends are aware of the importance and honor of being selected for the game, and that it means a lot more than adding a line on a resume.
“I can remember after our sophomore year, when Kennedy Krull found out she was going to get to play in it, we were both there when she got the call that she was going to have the opportunity to play in that all-star game,” Duggins said. “It was such a big deal to not only her, but the whole team, to be able to play with someone who gets that opportunity.
“Having both of us in it is going to be really cool and a lot of fun.
Snep said “it sets an example that the hard work does pay off. We’ve talked about that a lot over the years: you have to want to win, not only in games but in practices as well.
“By the younger girls getting to see us experience this, they can know that ‘hey, we are doing this for a reason, and it’s good to work hard toward this end-goal.’ I think that’s super-big for for continuing to build this program.”
The athletic moments have had some highs and lows. As freshmen, they were on the basketball team that lost a sectional title game in overtime. Duggins had a knee injury that forced her to miss almost all of her sophomore basketball season, and Snep helped push her through the rehab process.
With Snep pitching and Duggins catching in their sophomore year, the softball team made a long postseason run that ended in a semistate championship game loss. The next year the Wildcats returned to semistate before falling in the semifinal, two games short of a title shot.
With Duggins moving to the infield for their senior seasons. their careers ended with a come-from-behind effort to force five extra innings in the sectional title game before the end of the line came.
In that moment, the friends weren’t thinking of the end, but of another run to see if they could play on the last possible weekend of the season.
“It’s something that was always in the back of my mind, but the more you start to think about it, the less you are able to enjoy the moments you’re in,” Duggins said. “Until that last hit by (Oak Hill senior) Kaela Robey in that sectional game, it didn’t cross my mind that this was almost the end.
“And yeah, we’ll always remember her name.”
While they like to say the one last game in Bloomington will be relaxed, once they get on the field they realize it might not go exactly like that.
Duggins said, “I’d like to say I’m just going to go out there, play and have fun. But since we were 8 years old, we’ve been told that once you step on that field, it’s time to play.”
Snep added, “And we’re going to be out there playing with the best in the state, and we want to prove something.”
After the 22nd, Duggins will continue her athletic career without her best friend. She will play softball at IUPUI, while the game Saturday represents Snep’s softball swan song. Snep is headed to Ball State with an eye on becoming a nurse.
Both realize the 66 or so miles between campuses isn’t that far, especially in the 21st century when commuications over distances has never been easier. But both realize autumn will change more than the color of the leafs this year.
“It still hasn’t really hit me yet that it’s coming to an end, but it’s kind of a relief in a way. I’m going to miss it a lot,” Snep said.
Duggins said while it wasn’t due to lack of options that Snep has decided to end her softball career, she cares enough about her bestie to respect her chosen direction, knowing that care works both ways.
“It was definitely super-hard when she made the decision that she didn’t want to continue. We’ve been together for so long that I support whatever decision she makes,” Duggins said.
“I know she’s going to be by my side through all that I go through.”
Then they got the news they’ll get one more game together, in a place quite a haul from South Whitley.
The duo will represent the Wildcats in the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association’s all-star doubleheader June 22 at Andy Mohr Stadium on the campus of IU-Bloomington.
The ladies have been close friends as well as teammates, and to have one last, unexpected chance to play together was a pleasant surprise to say the least.
“We’ve been playing travel ball together since we were 8, so softball really brought us together, and we’ve always been really good friends,” Snep said. “So getting to play together one last time means a lot; it shows our hard work has paid off in getting to play in this game.
Duggins added “it’s like our last go-round, but it’s a game where the pressure’s off. We can just enjoy ourselves. We can just enjoy playing together this one last time.
“Even playing travel ball; it’s less pressure than a sectional game, but there’s the pressure to not let your team down. This is a way where we can just enjoy it, one last time.”
The friends are aware of the importance and honor of being selected for the game, and that it means a lot more than adding a line on a resume.
“I can remember after our sophomore year, when Kennedy Krull found out she was going to get to play in it, we were both there when she got the call that she was going to have the opportunity to play in that all-star game,” Duggins said. “It was such a big deal to not only her, but the whole team, to be able to play with someone who gets that opportunity.
“Having both of us in it is going to be really cool and a lot of fun.
Snep said “it sets an example that the hard work does pay off. We’ve talked about that a lot over the years: you have to want to win, not only in games but in practices as well.
“By the younger girls getting to see us experience this, they can know that ‘hey, we are doing this for a reason, and it’s good to work hard toward this end-goal.’ I think that’s super-big for for continuing to build this program.”
The athletic moments have had some highs and lows. As freshmen, they were on the basketball team that lost a sectional title game in overtime. Duggins had a knee injury that forced her to miss almost all of her sophomore basketball season, and Snep helped push her through the rehab process.
With Snep pitching and Duggins catching in their sophomore year, the softball team made a long postseason run that ended in a semistate championship game loss. The next year the Wildcats returned to semistate before falling in the semifinal, two games short of a title shot.
With Duggins moving to the infield for their senior seasons. their careers ended with a come-from-behind effort to force five extra innings in the sectional title game before the end of the line came.
In that moment, the friends weren’t thinking of the end, but of another run to see if they could play on the last possible weekend of the season.
“It’s something that was always in the back of my mind, but the more you start to think about it, the less you are able to enjoy the moments you’re in,” Duggins said. “Until that last hit by (Oak Hill senior) Kaela Robey in that sectional game, it didn’t cross my mind that this was almost the end.
“And yeah, we’ll always remember her name.”
While they like to say the one last game in Bloomington will be relaxed, once they get on the field they realize it might not go exactly like that.
Duggins said, “I’d like to say I’m just going to go out there, play and have fun. But since we were 8 years old, we’ve been told that once you step on that field, it’s time to play.”
Snep added, “And we’re going to be out there playing with the best in the state, and we want to prove something.”
After the 22nd, Duggins will continue her athletic career without her best friend. She will play softball at IUPUI, while the game Saturday represents Snep’s softball swan song. Snep is headed to Ball State with an eye on becoming a nurse.
Both realize the 66 or so miles between campuses isn’t that far, especially in the 21st century when commuications over distances has never been easier. But both realize autumn will change more than the color of the leafs this year.
“It still hasn’t really hit me yet that it’s coming to an end, but it’s kind of a relief in a way. I’m going to miss it a lot,” Snep said.
Duggins said while it wasn’t due to lack of options that Snep has decided to end her softball career, she cares enough about her bestie to respect her chosen direction, knowing that care works both ways.
“It was definitely super-hard when she made the decision that she didn’t want to continue. We’ve been together for so long that I support whatever decision she makes,” Duggins said.
“I know she’s going to be by my side through all that I go through.”
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