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Another memorable spring on the softball fields came to an end for the South Fork Cubs over the weekend, but it was an impressive campaign for a program that has established itself as the best in the Little 4.

In 2025, the Cubs ended a 35-year wait for a conference title, and they quickly added to their tally with a second straight pennant this spring.

And with just three seniors on a talented and deep roster, there’s every reason to expect the Cubs can make it three straight titles a year from now.

Especially considering that two of the team’s best players — Hailey Shepherd and Mackenzie Coleman — are juniors and should only continue to improve ahead of 2027.

Both of the standout juniors closed out the spring with strong showings in their season-ending 9-2 loss to Moreau Catholic in the North Coast Section Division-5 tournament.

Shepherd has played at an MVP level all spring and finished 2-for-3, while Colemen, who has been a force both at the plate and in the pitcher’s circle, finished 1-for-3 and hit an inside-the-park home run in the first inning.

For the season Shepherd averaged an incredible .586 at the plate with 31 RBIs, seven home runs 11 doubles and three triples.

Coleman had the second best average at the plate for the team (.484) with a team-high 15 doubles, as well as 27 RBIs.

The standout pitcher also was 9-1 in the circle with an ERA of 3.21.

Coleman’s home run gave the Cubs the early lead on Saturday, but a high-scoring Moreau Catholic team would score three runs in the third to take a lead it would not relinquish, before adding six late runs to pull away.

The Cubs, a Division-5 program with 217 students, according to the NCS, faced a pair of far larger schools in the NCS playoffs, matching up against Division-3 Kennedy (1248 students) and Division-4 Moreau Catholic (809 students).

The South Fork girls defeated Kennedy 10-3 in their playoff opener.

“The girls played hard but we didn’t produce a lot of hits today and left girls stranded on base,” South Fork head coach Lisa Todd said after Saturday’s loss. “I’m proud of them for holding their own on these Division-4 schools. We are outnumbered by these schools but we are competing.”

Makenzie Brewer also had a good game at the plate for the Little 4 champs on Saturday, finishing 2-for-4, while Kendall Kercher and Molly Perkins each was 1-for-3.

Sophomore Leila Coleman pitched all seven innings in the loss, striking out five and walking one.

The Cubs closed out 16-10.