AKRON — As Boardman senior pitcher Tori Strines started to speak at the OHSAA’s postgame press conference, she struggled to hold back tears.

The realization that her and the rest of the Boardman seniors’ high school softball careers were over had started to set in after the Spartans’ 3-1 defeat at the hands of Holland Springfield on Friday in the Division III state semifinals at Firestone Stadium in Akron.

But even overcome with emotion, she managed to get out the words to convey her feelings on what she and the Spartans had accomplished this season.

“It’s felt like a dream the whole season,” Strines said, choking through her words. “I’ve been here four years, and it just feels great to go out (in our last year) in the state semis.”

What Boardman has done this spring is nothing to scof

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