GAMES
RANKINGS
Bridgeland Coach Candi Weige speaks with her team, following their appearance in the State Semis
SENIOR SEND-OFF: Bridgeland stars establish legacy in historic season
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
Senior OF/P Haylie Stum
“Our chemistry is uncanny,” said senior OF/P Haylie Stum. “We just trust each other, and when we go down, we’re never out. The resiliency of this team is crazy and I hope that continues after I leave. To go out like this was great–we fought to the very end.”
Even more so, the culture and mentality of the composite group is what distinguished this Bridgeland team as one of the most watchable in the Houston area, if not the state.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
“There’s only one word that comes to mind when I think about what it was like to coach this group: Blessed,” said Candi Weige. “We are blessed, I am blessed. These girls have fought time and time again to be able to get here [the State Semifinals]. They did, and they showed out. I could not be more proud of them.”
During their playoff run, the major players--Stum (.439 BA, 19 RBI, 3 HR), senior 3B Trinity Allen (.378 BA, 10 RBI, 3 HR), and senior catcher Lilli Piersons (.447 BA, 12 RBI, 3 HR)--helped to elevate the Bears to new heights, serving as the “big sisters” of the young group.
Senior Catcher Lilli PiersonsMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“I loved being able to be a leader to these girls,” said Piersons. “They’ve helped me grow in so many aspects of my life–not just as an athlete, but personally as well. We’ve been through so much together and it’s such a blessing to have had a season like ours.”
Piersons’ soon-to-be teammate at McLennan, Trinity Allen, takes that one step further.
Both Trinity and her younger sister Chayne (Jr. OF) have played alongside one another for their entire softball careers. It seems only appropriate that the pair made history in their final season on the same field.
Senior 3B Trinity AllenMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“It’s been incredible,” said Trinity. “We’ve just fed off each other’s energy and when one of us has been down, the other would pick us back up. But, playing with Chayne--I’ve learned a lot from her because she leads in her own way. Bridgeland is going to keep thriving with her in the program.”
“Playing with Trinity has been wonderful,” Chayne said. “I continue to see her set an example, on and off the field–holding people accountable. I can’t wait to see what she does at McLennan.”
Chayne and junior RHP Sydney Jackson--2.04 ERA, 82 Ks in the playoffs--will be the next in line to step up as the leaders of the program, moving forward. Both understand they’ll have some big shoes to fill.
Junior RHP Sydney JacksonMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“The seniors were great role models, and I want to help keep that legacy going on,” said Jackson. “There’s a great group of younger classmen here, and we’ll have several of them starting next year. I think anybody on this team can stand up and become a leader moving forward.”
Count on the next generation of Bridgeland Softball making another run, a year from now, with the intention of breaking more barriers.
“This team has set something in stone that nobody will ever be able to take away from them,” said coach Weige. “The standard has been set for all these classes to come in, and now we know what it takes to make it to this point.”
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
2022-23 Bridgeland High School Softball
THE WIND UP: VYPE Softball Rankings, No. 9 Bridgeland Bears
This team is loaded. Count them up, there are 10 college-bound softball stars on Candi Weige’s roster as she enters 2023. This squad won more than 30 games, won the District 16-6A Championship a year ago, and went on to the Regional Quarters for a second straight season.
Now, the Bears want to make history in 2023.
Sydney Jackson (Syracuse) will be the “dominating factor” in the circle for Bridgeland after going 13-4 with a 2.47 ERA and 100 strikeouts.
Trinity Allen (McClennan CC) was the District 16-6A Defensive MVP and drove in 41 runs with six home runs.
Haylie Stum (East Texas Baptist) is the savvy veteran and is one of the Bears’ “most consistent hitters” after hitting .427 a year ago with 34 RBIs.
Other names to remember include Lilli Piersons (McClennan CC) and Chayne Allen (University of Louisiana-Monroe).
Also watch for Mariel Medrano (Hill College), Molly Swisher (Southern Arkansas University Tech), Ellen Shull (Colorado School of Mines), Mia Landry (Texas Lutheran), Katie Stiba (LeTourneau University), Dani Lopez, Carley Melton, Madysen Taylor, Chelsey Swisher, and Brooke Gonzales.
The motto for this year’s team is “Greater than We."
CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER THE BASEBALL SOFTBALL CITYWIDE MAGAZINE
CLICK HERE TO ORDER BASEBALL/SOFTBALL PHOTOS
Sydney Jackson
