You ain’t seen nothing yet.

The Blue Hawk softball team has a not-so-subtle message for the rest of Western B-C after completing season play at the divisional tournament in Anaconda last weekend, and they have now sent the first warning shots. You had best get ready for the Thompson Falls-Noxon Blue Hawks, they are going to be around for quite a while, and will never go down without a fight.

Coach Jared Koskela’s scrappy young Hawks, who count 17 eager eighth graders and freshmen among the 23 on their roster, lost to Florence 11-0 Friday and Ennis 12-2 Saturday. The Blue Hawks complete season play with a 10-15 record and a few battle scars to show for it.

The Hawks might have acquired a few of those scars in the Western B-C divisional tournament play-in game with Eureka in Thompson Falls, Tuesday before the tournament. The Hawks won that tough conference contest from a revived Lion team (Eureka recently changed coaches) 6-5 to earn the right to fight another day.

The Hawks had to scratch out the win in the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking a 5-5 tie by loading the bases and scoring the winning run on an infield single by Sydnie Eichert.

“We were pretty beat up by the season’s end. One had a bad knee, another a bad arm,” he said. “Annalise (Fairbank, a team captain) has been playing hurt with a bad back all season.”

Koskela took pains to praise the resolve and leadership of Fairbank, the team’s first baseman and only senior. “She played through a lot of pain and played well, was one of our better hitters,” he said. "The other girls respected her and looked up to her, we will really miss her next year.”

Fairbank was also clutch at bat in the Eureka game when it really counted last Tuesday, smacking out three hits in four at-bats and driving in a run. Kassidy Dana also

went three for four and scored a run, and Marley Robinson was two for four with a double and a run scored.

Kaydence Pavlik had a hit, a run and an RBI, Nevaeh Christensen a hit and an RBI and Audrey Fairbank and Kylee Borgmann a hit and a run each. Eichert added her game-winning hit and RBI.

Addie Traver added an RBI and Kaylie Mercer a base hit for the Hawks.

Against Florence Friday, Annalise Fairbank, Christensen, Mercer and Borgmann all hit safely to lead the Hawks in that game.

Dana was two for three with a run scored to lead the Hawks against the Ennis Mustangs Saturday in Anaconda, Audrey Fairbank one for two with a run scored and Traver drove in a run.

Annalise Fairbank, Christensen, Robinson and Pavlik all added base hits versus Ennis.

Coach Koskela remains hopeful for the future. “We toughened up a lot, exceeded my expectations this year,” he said. "These girls know better what it is all about at this level now. We are looking forward to what the future brings.”

    TIMING HER SWING perfectly, Thompson Falls eighth grader Kaydence Pavlik hits a pitch as Eureka catcher Harley Neesvig and umpire Joe McElmurry react to the play at Pirk’s Place in Thompson Falls May 19. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)