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Posts Tagged ‘Ashley Heilig’

Birthday

Birthdays for everyone. Everyone, I said!

The birthdays, they are raining down today.

CHS assistant baseball coach Chris Chan (bottom, with son Drew and wife Bev in the photo above), Wolf seniors Marisa and Lucas Etzell (top, left and right) and the superstar of superstars — Ashley (Ellsworth-Bagby) Heilig (she gets two photos).

All have made a positive impact on Cow Town and the sports world therein, whether playing or coaching or doing some of both.

Coach Chan is one of the true class acts, both in the dugout and on the school board.

The Etzells, while different in nature (Lucas is a born politician, glad-handing and smooth-talking everyone in sight while Marisa has a softer, quieter, but no less out-going personality) are smart, talented and full of drive.

And then there is Ash, the Queen of everything.

Her athletic accomplishments on the volleyball court, the basketball court and softball diamond are legendary.

She is among the best the red and black has ever seen, or will ever see.

But it’s the pig-tail rockin’ girl who used to work the counter at Videoville with me who was even more impressive. And has never stopped getting more impressive with each passing year.

As she sits (possibly mere hours away) on the edge of becoming a mom herself, I hope Ashley knows how truly amazing and wonderful, such a vibrant lil’ firecracker, we all think she is.

Her son or daughter will be blessed to have a mom whose mere presence makes the world infinitely better.

Pretty good way to start their journey.

To all four, may your joint birthday be an awesome one. And, if Ashley’s first-born wants to join the party today, so much the better.

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Ashley (Ellsworth-Bagby) Heilig, still feisty.

Ashley (Ellsworth-Bagby) Heilig, still feisty.

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!!" (Amy King photo)

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!!” (Amy King photo)

Twelve years ago, Coupeville shocked the world.

Led by the feisty, pigtail-rockin’ Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby, the Wolf softball squad traveled to the state tourney and almost won the entire thing in their first go-round.

Four wins in five games later (the only loss to eventual champ Adna) and the 2002 team was forever immortalized, their third-place banner hanging prominently in the CHS gym. It’s the best finish by a team in school history.

Now, led by the triple threat trio of seniors Breeanna Messner, Madeline Roberts and Haley Sherman, who were in first grade back then, Coupeville is headed back to state this weekend.

Win or lose, the trip through the playoffs has been electric, filled with epic home runs (Maddie Big Time is dialed in), gut-check pitching from McKayla Bailey, who has thrown 99.2% of the pitches this season, and contributions from every girl on the 13-member squad.

As David and Amy King and their miracle squad get ready for the trip to Richland, the star of the 2002 team, now going by Ashley Heilig after her recent marriage, stopped by to deliver a few words unto her successors.

The feisty one speaks:

Congratulations, ladies!

You have worked so hard, you deserve this!

I can remember back in 2002 what an exciting time it was for us to make it to state.

It was the first year we switched from slow pitch to fast pitch so there was a huge learning curve, so we were shocked to even have made it that far.

We were lucky to have such a talented team of girls and so are you!

Now that you have made it this far, this is where the real work begins. Don’t let up. Play from the heart and make some amazing history for Coupeville Softball.

Let’s see if you can do better then 3rd place!

Ashley Heilig

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