‘Pressure is a privilege’: Lady Orange embracing the target on their back, after state title season
BEATRICE, Neb. - It’s hard enough to complete a 30-win season and go on to win a state championship, but it might be even tougher to go do it again the next season.
But that’s what Gary Lytle’s Lady Orange Softball team is working for ahead of Thursday’s first pitch.
“I’m really excited,” Senior pitcher Layla Boyko said. “That’s been my goal since I was a freshman and I’m just trying to repeat my junior year.”
“We have a senior heavy group.. Seniors, juniors, leaders. I’m hoping with that leadership we’re able to handle stuff,” Head Coach Gary Lytle said.
As Beatrice returns almost every crucial piece from last years 30-5 state championship team, players like senior Brooke Gleason and junior Karrigan Henrichs aren’t losing sight of the high level talent the Lady Orange possess in 2025.
“We’re so skilled,” Gleason said. “I’ve seen so many different levels and played against different levels and there’s so much potential on this team… Especially with some of those girls playing for national level teams.”
“We have the talent of none other… It’s so unrecognizable when you’re here as a team because we play so well as a family,” Henrichs said.
Last years state championship hero was Tatum Tempelmeyer. She drove in the winning run, leading Beatrice to the crown. According to Tempelmeyer, one of the strengths for the Lady O last year, is present again this year - depth.
“We have a lot of players who not only specialize in on position, but can play in a lot of different sports,” Tempelmeyer said. “We can bat so many kids and play so many kids in different spots.”
But now 2024 is in the rear view mirror and the mission to repeat is set to begin. The Lady O are embracing having a target on their back, as they look to go back to back.
“What’s done is done,” Lytle said. “We’re 0-0 like everyone else in the state starting Thursday. We have to go earn everything we get.”
“We see pressure as a privilege,” Henrichs said. “We earned the privilege to have that target on our back and that’s one of the things we have to understand… The targets on our back, we’re the ones being hunted now, and we’re now the team that makes people think we have to be at our best for this game.”
Beatrice begins a tough slate to start the year on Thursday when they visit Lincoln Pius X, before a tilt with Grand Island Northwest and a state title rematch with Hastings.