Staff photo / Brian Yauger Mathews senior Olivia Matheny fires a pitch during Monday’s tune-up game with LaBrae. The Mustangs and their eight seniors look to make a return to state.

VIENNA — Over the weekend, the eight seniors on Mathews’ softball roster achieved something no other group has across the program’s history.

Saturday’s 10-0 victory over Badger marked the program’s fifth consecutive district championship, and the seniors became the first class in program history to take the district crown in all four of their high school seasons.

“It always feels great,” Mathews coach Jim Nicula said. “Especially what makes it feel even better is because of the five that we’ve strung together. I’m sure there have been some teams that have done it in the past, but I mean, I know we’re probably one of a very few that have done that. For them, to go to regionals five years in a row and the senior classes to do it all four years makes it that much sweeter.”

Coming off of last season’s state final four appearance, there’s a hunger in the Mathews dugout to make it even further this season.

Each year the seniors have been in school, the Mustangs have gone one step further in the tournament.

As freshmen, they reached regionals. As sophomores, they were regional runners up. As juniors, they reached the state semifinals. As seniors, time will tell, but they want more.

“It’s special that every single one of us who worked extremely hard to get here,” senior catcher Maddy Hufford said. “We’re going to keep pushing until, hopefully, we win it all.”

The team’s 5-3 loss to Monroeville in the state semifinals last season has served as fuel and a source of confidence in the group. One bad inning sunk them against Monroeville, so they know they’re able to hang on the big stage.

“I think it really shaped our attitudes, knowing that we could make it that far and knowing that we could go farther,” Ava Shugart said. “We didn’t get to experience the whole (tournament), but I think that just pushes us to work harder to get back to that stage.”

This time of year for a senior is pretty jam-packed. The excitement of summer vacation looms along with prom, graduation, family vacations and college preparation. With all that going on at once, it’s easy for softball to get lost in the shuffle. But with eight seniors on the roster for Mathews, that hasn’t been the case.

Despite all the excitement, the Mustang seniors have made time for both.

“Everything that goes on with proms, graduations and year-end things, these kids have not skipped a beat with anything regarding that,” Nicula said. “They’ve been where we need them to be everytime we need them to be. The coaches were very sympathetic to that, and we want them to experience all of it. I’ve told them all along, ‘I want you guys to have everything. I want you to have that great graduation and have that magnificent prom and the end of the year activities and stuff like that, and get as far as you can in a tournament and have wonderful memories of that as well.”

And luckily for Mathews, the team has a pretty tight bond, which starts at the top with the eight seniors.

“We spend every day together, in classes, lunch, and it has really helped our bond on and off the field,” Shugart said. “We’re all very close as most of us have gone to school for a while together. Softball takes a lot of our time too, so we are forced to be with each other, whether you like it or not, and it’s just really made us closer and like a family.”

The Mustangs (24-5) have the double-edged sword of familiarity in their regional semifinal matchup, as they’re set to face league rival Chalker on Wednesday.

Mathews took the first meeting, downing the Wildcats, 4-0, but they’re expecting another battle in the rematch.

“When you went to regionals, you barely ever (knew the team you were playing.) Usually they’re from a different location, but the last couple of years with the expanded districts and different things, there’s been the opportunity to play somebody you know,” Nicula said. “This is the first time we’ve had to do it. We’re ready to go. They’re a very, very worthy opponent, and we know that they’re going to come out swinging. We got the first round with them there, and I know their kids will be ready and I know our kids will be ready. Hopefully the game will be great.”

For the girls, the key to the game comes down to one word: hits.

“We just need to go out and hit,” Kennedy Newsome said. “We need to go out and get hits in the first inning and runs in the first inning, and that (will set the tone) for the whole game.”

First pitch is set for 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Avon Lake High School.