Four years ago Becca Blyth, Katelyn Yoho, Sara Falotico, Lindsey Scialdone and Ciera Damon helped Ellwood City reach the WPIAL title game as freshmen.

They lost to Ambridge, 2-0, in the the final and many softball experts expected the group of five freshmen to return to the title game the next season.

Now as seniors the group of four-year starters has continued its success in the regular season but has been unable to win a playoff game. The five seniors have accumulated a 63-13 record in their time at the school and the way they have been playing this year the Wolverines seemed determined to return to the title game.

Ellwood City came into the season ranked No. 1 in Class AAA by the Post-Gazette and it continues to hold that ranking after reeling off 15 consecutive wins. It has already clinched the Section 1-AAA title with a 13-0 mark.

"The girls have a lot of confidence," said Wolverines coach Gary Rozanski, now in his fifth year at the school, three of them as head coach. "They are not too confident though. The main group of seniors has been starting since they were freshmen and we have a tremendous amount of experience."

Ellwood City returned all but two starters from last year's team that started the season similar to this one. It went 16-0 before being upset in the WPIAL quarterfinals by Belle Vernon.

"It left a bad taste with us over the offseason," Rozanski said. "Don't take anything away from Belle Vernon, they were playing great ball.

"The girls used that game as motivation through the offseason. They don't want to have that same thing happen again this year."

Two years ago as sophomores, they fell to McGuffey, 2-1, in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Catcher and right field were the only holes to fill from last season because of graduation. Two freshmen have stepped in and earned starting jobs. Allison Marshall starts in right field and Samantha Santillo is the starting catcher.

The team has been riding the arm of Yoho who has won all 15 games for her team after being one of the top pitchers in the WPIAL last season. Blyth is a capable backup pitcher, but they have not yet needed to go to her.

"We mainly stay with Katelyn because, as a senior leader, she wants the ball, but if we need Becca, we could go to her," Rozanski said.

Falotico, the center fielder leads the team in hitting with a .480 batting average. Damon, the shortstop, leads the team with 19 RBIs just ahead of Yoho's 16.

"Everybody has been contributing. One game somebody leads us and the next game it is somebody else. Our lineup, one through nine have all been hitting," Rozanski said.

Playing in left field junior Kaycee Bradosky is batting .340. Another junior, Rachel Shuster, starts at third base.

The Wolverines have continued to win decisively. Only one of their games has been decided by fewer than three runs and the most runs they allowed in a game so far was three, in a 10-3 win against New Castle.

"We need to keep playing as a team and not get complacent with what we have accomplished so far," Rozanski said. "We have to keep putting the ball in play and make the other team play defense."

The playoff loss last year to Belle Vernon may prove to be a wakeup call for this season for the team. Rozanski said he and his staff have seen a change from last year to this year, even though the record remains the same.

"We have noticed a difference. There is something different about this year's team than last year's," Rozanski said.

"I think it's because of the way things ended last year. We have met two of our goals already this year, making the playoffs and winning our section title.

"They want to make a nice run in the WPIAL playoffs this year."