Amid the echoes of cheers and the scent of freshly cut grass, a passion unfolds centered around junior Ava Kersanti and the softball diamond.

From the moment she could walk, she had a ball in her hand, and as soon as she could swing a bat, she was hooked on the game. Ava's love for softball began with her father, Michael Kersanti, who played t-ball in the backyard and continued at 10-years-old with SCS machine pitch.

As the years went by, Ava's love for the game only grew stronger. She practiced tirelessly, honing her skills and pushing herself to new heights with each passing season. She played travel softball with the SCS Steelers, Marine City Heat, and SCS Sharks. Whether she was fielding grounders in the backyard with her dad or spending hours in the batting cages perfecting her swing, softball was always at the forefront of her mind. She currently plays travel ball with the Phantom 18u team.

Despite facing setbacks and challenges along the way, she enjoys picking her teammates up and having the "still can come back" attitude. This led to a strong finish last year as they won both districts and the Bay City tournament.

LSHS Class of 2023 graduate Aly Senish is a role model in Ava's life. Ava described, "Aly strives for academic excellence. She's such a great player." Aly plays for the University of Olivet and Ava was fortunate to play travel ball with her over the summer.

"I have a lot of hope for our team even with a lot of new faces. We are all ready to learn." From scraped knees to broken hearts, she has faced each obstacle with determination and resilience, fueled by the belief that one day, she will make her mark on the softball world.