Gladstone softball’s 2025 senior class poses for a photo in between games during a doubleheader against Menominee on May 21, 2025 at Gladstone High School. From left to right: Lauren Sundquist, Tia Schone, Alli Larson, Brooklyn Pendergraft. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

Let me take you all back to Friday morning this week.

I was camped out at my brother’s house in Wayland. My favorite part of visiting is being able to take off the journalist cap, It’s here where I get to take on my favorite identities as “Uncle Funny” to an 11-month-old girl named Selah.

In my last few visits I’ve been trying to teach her something every uncle most likely teaches their niece or nephew — how to make fart noises with their mouth. On this visit she was getting close. I could tell she was trying to make an effort, but it wasn’t clicking just yet.

Then, finally, Friday morning, she looked me in the eye, stuck out her tongue and made a fart noise. Man, I was so happy. She’s less than a month away from her first birthday, but she learned that putting in the effort can get her success in what she wants to accomplish.

And now, with all fart jokes now set aside, let me explain how this group of young ladies in Gladstone did the exact same thing.

When I took over the role with The Daily Press two years ago I came in somewhat blind on the sports scene. Fortunately, then Gladstone softball head coach Rick Pepin caught me up to speed. And in the ultimate small world moment we discovered that Pepin’s first job out of college was working for my uncle Mark Marlowe.

And while Pepin instantly had my pity for surviving working for my uncle (all kidding Big Mark, you know I love you), Pepin also laid down the path this particular group has gone through.

In 2019 they were Little League state champions. They were one win away from reaching the Little League World Series in Washington.

Gladstone coach Rick Pepin talks to his team during the recent district championship game against Escanaba. Gladstone will pursue a state championship starting Saturday in Van Buren Township near Belleville. (Daily Press file photo)

In 2023 they reached the state quarterfinal round with that Little League group now reaching their junior and sophomore years of High School. And if it weren’t for a spectacular snow-cone catch in right field they would’ve moved on. Instead, they lost in nine innings to Standish-Sterling.

By the time Thanksgiving 2023 rolled around the program was giddy. By Valentines’ Day 2024 there was heartbreak. Third baseman Addie Trombley’s ACL, MCL and Meniscus were all torn in one swoop during the Braves’ second game of that year’s basketball season. Less than three months later Tia Schone, who was a First team All-State pitcher as a sophomore, was not goring to throw a pitch her junior season after tearing her Meniscus in half while also tearing her ACL.

So, the Braves were down two key pieces and on the verge of another state title. Pepin laid it out for me perfectly, and also in a PowerPoint presentation, a first for me, but also showed the passion this program had.

Normally the Braves try to get 1% better each day. Not in 2024. The goal was to get 5% better. If they could get to East Lansing they knew they’d have a fighting chance at a state title.

The 2024 season ended with a loss in the state quarterfinal round to Evart, who wound up winning the state title in Division 3.

In 2025 the Braves were down to two starters from that magical 2019 run in Schone and Lauren Sundquist. Along with sophomores Emma Trombley and Maddy Sundquist, who recorded the final two outs to win a district championship over Menominee in 2024 in dramatic fashion and a crop of six emerging freshmen the Braves aimed quest for a state title continued. This time though it was Scott Herioux at the helm of the program.

Once again the Braves reached the state quarterfinal round, falling to No. 1 Clare 1-0. Clare lost to Grass Lake in the state title game.

So here are the Braves, who fell short of claiming a second state championship. The average sports fan would see it as a let down, a disappointment.

To that average sports fan I laugh in your general direction as you finally realize how much dust from Doritos has accumulated on your fingers in the middle of your video game session in your mommy’s basement.

See, the Braves aimed for another state title. They aimed for the moon with all their might. But the beautiful thing about aiming for the moon is that if you miss you still end up in the stars.

During the season I had a few conversations with Sara Trombley, the mother of Addie and Emme. During the first conversation she mentioned that she’s Addie’s Mom, the one who’s remembered by blowing out her knee.

Yeah, that’s not how I’m going to remember Addie. She was the little girl that ate M&M’s before every game and loved Harry Potter who worked so hard that Bay College paid the bill for the first two years of her educational pursuit in nursing thanks to the school’s Board of Trustees Elite Scholarship.

Gladstone senior Addie Trombley takes the field to accept Bay College’s Board of Trustees Elite Scholarship during a softball doubleheader against Ishpeming Westwood on April 18, 2024 at Gladstone High School. With the scholarship, Trombley has her tuition, fees and textbooks paid for during the next two years. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

You also have Montgomery Pepin, Rick’s Daughter. She finished her freshman season as a pitcher at Wayne State University, earning a Varsity Letter as a freshman.

Gladstone senior Montgomery “Gummy” Pepin winds up to deliver a pitch during game two of a Great Northern Conference doubleheader against Kingsford on May 6, 2024 at Gladstone High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

You have Rylee Gerow. When asked back in 2019 what she’d do if she won the lottery she answered “I’d buy back my 4-H pig”. It comes as no surprise that Gerow, who finished her first season of softball a Bay College, was given a plush toy during her signing ceremony. Of course, the plush toy was a pig.

There was Reese Herioux. She finished her first year as a student at the University of Michigan. There’s Sam Drielick, the young lady that loved “Stranger Things”.

Gladstone softball’s senior class poses for a photo before a game against Escanaba on May 21, 2024 at Gladstone High School. From left to right: Joelle Jordan, Montomery Pepin, Rylee Gerow, Sam Drielick, Addie Trombley, and Reese Herioux (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

Then you have the final two. There’s Schone, who fired an immaculate inning and six perfect frames less than 15 months after her knee fixed. She will continue to her softball career at Grand Rapids Community College and will go down as my favorite competitor to watch.

Gladstone senior Tia Schone shouts after recording an inning-ending strikeouts during a MHSAA Division 3 state quarterfinal game against Clare on June 10, 2025 at Cheboygan High School. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

And finally you have Lauren Sundquist. In 2019 she said her favorite subject in school was match. Rick Pepin was quick to point out how her daily habits were something to take note of. Maybe that’s why she’s playing college softball at the best engineering school in the world, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gladstone junior Lauren Sundquist connects with the first pitch of the game against Escanaba on May 14, 2024 at Abrahamson Field in Escanaba. Sundquist hit a home run off Escanaba junior Grayson Lamarche with this swing. (“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg/Daily Press)

Did the Braves fall short of a state title? Yes.

Is that how I’m going to remember them? No.

I will remember them as a group of young ladies that put in the effort and got the most of their high school sports experience. They fought mightily to reach the goals they wanted. Some were achieved, some were missed.

Yet, for each and every young lady I mentioned (and those I didn’t mention because I only get a certain amount of words here folks) they left the program with a strong work ethic. They leave as young ladies who are now in great opportunities to succeed in life.

Despite falling short of their ultimate goal each and every young lady from that magical run in 2019 learned how hard success is to obtain. And as I learned over the last two years, it’s because of two words: Respect Tradition.