Friendship’s big trip

The North Idaho College softball team was in the process of doing something it had never done before, but there was a definite feeling of deja vu for three Cardinals.

Earlier this month in St. George, Utah, the Cardinals rallied past Dixie to earn the Region 18 championship and the school’s first trip to the national tournament, which begins Thursday in Plant City, Fla. It is Christine Shollenberger’s and Jessica Keeton’s second year in the program and Angie Boardman’s first.

When the trio teamed up at University High to help the Titans win the 2003 State 4A championship, it was Shollenberger’s and Keeton’s second year in the program and Boardman’s first.

“We were talking about how weird that is,” said Boardman, a freshman shortstop.

Different years, different teams, similar results.

“I actually watched their (state) title game,” NIC coach Don Don Williams said. “They knew how to win. They’ve just been huge for our program.”

Shollenberger, who is hitting .351 with a team-high 61 hits and 38 runs scored, was named NIC’s offensive player of the year. Boardman, who has eight homers and a .344 average, was honored as the defensive player of the year. Keeton, a sophomore who has .329 on-base average and a pair of homers, received the coach’s award, symbolic of her “great attitude” and leadership, Williams said.

The trio met back in middle school when they played for the Spokane Invasion summer team, shortly after Boardman relocated from California and Keeton moved in from Kansas.

“They were my only real friends at the time because I’d just moved here and they were some of the first people I met from Washington,” Keeton said.

They made separate decisions to play at NIC, but, as Boardman said, “it helped that I knew somebody.”

Shollenberger bats leadoff, Boardman hits fourth and Keeton usually is fifth or sixth in the order.

At the regional tournament, the three combined for 12 hits and five RBIs.

“Sholly’s very intense,” Keeton said. “Angie is naturally talented and works hard so it makes her twice as talented. You can tell both of them really love playing the game and that’s why I enjoy playing with them so much.”

Shollenberger and Boardman both called Keeton the “team mom.”

“Jessica is probably the heart and soul of the team, in my eyes,” said Shollenberger, who carpools daily with Keeton from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene. “Angie’s probably the backbone of the infield. If something is hit to her, there is no doubt in your mind she’ll get it.”

NIC has the best record in school history at 34-18, but the season didn’t start too smoothly. The Cardinals were 6-8 and also suffered a four-game losing streak in conference. NIC was 1-7 versus Dixie during the regular season, but the Cardinals used a couple of stirring comebacks to knock off the host Rebels at regionals. NIC had a four-run seventh in the semifinals and a six-run sixth in the championship.

“There was something down at Dixie that was just totally different,” Boardman said. “Even in our practices before those games we were totally on.”

NIC is seeded eighth in the 16-team tournament. If NIC wins its opener, it will face No. 1 Temple (52-3), provided Temple beats No. 16 Louisburg.

The Cardinals are familiar with the underdog role, claiming the regional title as a No. 3 seed.

“I think we’ve had success because so many people are team players,” said Keeton, who plans on attending Eastern Washington University next year. “It’s not about themselves and I think that’s had a lot to do with our season.”

Keeton’s playing days will end after this weekend. Boardman will return to NIC for her sophomore season while Shollenberger has signed with Idaho State, which is starting a new program.

“It’s been fun growing up with them,” Shollenberger said. “My parents have enjoyed getting to know them and it’s great having familiar faces in the stands. It’s just been nice being together.”