Preble closes conference season in style

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- Entering Tuesday's battle with Ashwaubenon, Green Bay Preble already had wrapped up the conference title, but the Hornets were not about to let their foot off the gas.

Looking for its 17th win in 18 Fox River Classic Conference softball contests, Preble completed a season sweep of the Jaguars with a 10-0 five-inning win, showing no matter what's at stake the Hornets will be ready to play.

"You can't just achieve one of your goals and decide that's good enough," coach Ron Metzler said. "You have to keep pushing yourself, keep challenging yourself against the teams you're going to play. That felt really good, because that's a great team and a great program and we just didn't have a letdown."

"We like to play together and we like to win together, so it was real important to keep the energy, even though we knew we had conference we still wanted to bring what we had to offer to the field," senior pitcher Brooke Hock said.

Preble (18-4) rode the arm of Hock, who struck out 10, and an offense that totaled at least 10 runs for the eighth time this season, including three in a row. This is a combination the FRCC has been challenged to solve.

"There's always a lot of good teams in our conference," Hock said. "This year, we played some tough teams, so we always knew we had to be on our game as well. Great defense helps.

"We've had great defensive moments and some great clutch hits, so I think we're just really coming together as a team and figuring out everything as we go."

Preble looks to have much figured out entering the postseason. A year ago, it fell short of reaching the Division 1 state tournament as it fell to eventual state champ Kaukauna in a sectional final. Hock says that 6-1 loss has not been forgotten.

"I think that definitely drives us," she said. "Being that close and not getting it has made us push ourselves a little more."

Metzler feels this year's team has more to offer than the 2021 team. He's not guaranteeing anything, he just likes what he sees.

"We maybe have a more well-rounded team than maybe we had in the past," he said. "A little more speed, a little more types of hitting; the little hitters and the big hitters. I like the overall depth of this team a lot."

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay