By Danielle Tsao and Elodia Honigstein

The EVHS Softball Team’s 2026 season came to an end on May 20th, but not without historic successes. The team started off-season practices with only four returning players from last year and therefore low expectations for the incoming season. However, with the addition of new players who showed outstanding talent and a strong work ethic, despite having never played softball before, this team reached monumental heights with double digit wins for the first time in program history.

Going into the playoffs, the team teetered on the edge of Division 4 (D4), but earned the honor of being placed in Division 3 (D3). The Lady Falcons went into the playoffs as underdogs, ranked 20th out of 20 teams, but quickly proved themselves by winning the first round against 13th-seed Community Charter, in a mercy game of 14 to 3, securing the program’s first-ever win in Division 3 playoffs.

The Lady Falcons, still 20th seed, then went on to face 4th-seed Maywood Academy in a riveting game with emotions on high. East Valley struck first with a 3-run homerun by Jaz Rodriguez in the top of the first inning. With two more runs in the second inning, the Falcons were up 5-0 going into the third. Despite this lead, the Falcon’s bats went cold at the wrong time, and Maywood jumped to a 5-6 lead going into the seventh. That’s when Science Academy’s Kate Casillas hit a lead off double and was brought in by Danielle Tsao, the team’s ace pitcher, with a single in the right field gap. With no more runs, the game continued to the bottom of the seventh, where Maywood hit a walk-off single, ending the game with a score of 6-7. It was East Valley’s relentless spirit and inspiring energy that kept them in the game until the seventh inning. Despite a tough loss, the Lady Falcons are looking to maintain these characteristics for next season and to further their successes.