Kee softball team’s 9-7 season record during abbreviated 2020 season includes deep run into postseason tournament play
Despite a 7-6 regular season record and 9-7 overall record, the 2020 Kee softball season was anything but close to being an average season. Like all other Iowa high schools, the Hawks’ recently completed summer diamond campaign was much different than all its others by being delayed and shortened by COVID-19 to just over a month in length from its first practice allowed June 1 to the beginning of postseason play in mid-July, but there were also some unique twists and turns along the way that ultimately resulted in that 9-7 overall record that included a mark of 7-5 in Upper Iowa Conference play that placed the Lady Hawks fifth in the final Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) standings.
“Being able to play this summer provided many positive outlooks - first and most importantly it allowed the team to work together toward a common goal,” Kee softball coach Liz Hill said as she reflected on her team’s 2020 campaign. “Ladies were able to improve their softball skills while being able to interact with each other. The ability to come to practice/games and work hard to improve or play as best as we could be was essential for our players. This is something that was deeply missed when we were shut down, as the social interaction within peers is critical for our students.”
Once the season was able to get underway, Coach Hill said her girls were eager to get back on the diamond, no matter what mitigation requirements they had to meet. “When we were given the green light to practice together we were able to have a routine (that did require us to be super flexible) as the ladies missed being busy and having things to look forward to,” she explained. “It was unfortunate we had a shortened season as the ladies made huge gains in the little time we had for the season. COVID provided new challenges and requirements that altered how we ran practices/games, however, all individuals were willing to work together to ensure the safety and well being of our athletes were a top priority.”
Despite that eagerness and excitement to return to the field, the Hawks were nearly dealt the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 threat near the end of this 2020 campaign. The Hawks were forced to cancel their final three playing dates of the regular season totaling five games while they awaited the results of COVID-19 testing for some team members, with those tests ultimately coming back negative and allowing the Hawks to complete their season.
The team overcame that additional hurdle together just in time to begin what amounted to another deep postseason run for Kee softball. That run included a 19-10 regional quarterfinals triumph at undefeated UIC season champion Turkey Valley, a team that had swept the Hawks in a doubleheader during its single-loss regular season.
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