The 14U Washington Hurricanes fastpitch softball team — featuring a quintet of Bothell girls — has come a long way since the 2009 season, when it got off to an 8-21 start and lost a number of key players.

That year, the team used its adversity as inspiration to work harder, and battled back to finish fourth at the United States Speciality Sports Association (USSSA) state tournament.

After that performance, the girls committed themselves to winning a state title in 2010.

On July 10, they did just that at this year’s USSSA 14U State Championships, defeating the Diamond Dusters of Poulsbo, 13-5, in the title game.

In the back-and-forth championship final, the Dusters scored two runs in the first inning and three in the second, and the Hurricanes responded with three and four, respectively, to take a 7-5 lead that it would never relinquish.

“The team prided itself on being dangerous up and down the order, and proved many times that all were capable of delivering the hits when needed,” commented Hurricanes’ assistant coach Mitch Barretta. “The championship game was no exception.”

After a heartbreaking 4-3 loss in the championship of the National Softball Association state tournament just prior, it was a relief to finally get their first win.

“It was a really high goal so we knew we had to work hard to get it,” said team member Camille Weisenbach of Bothell. “When it finally paid off, everyone was overjoyed.”

In addition, the team also had a side goal of reaching 50 wins for the season, a feat that few fastpitch teams have ever accomplished.

Sitting with 35 wins, the team had just four double-elimination tournaments left on its schedule.

“They could do it, but it would be very challenging,” Baretta said. “It had inspired them to a new level. One beyond being content with achieving an original goal, one around ‘digging deeper.’ It was one of those moments that coaches live for, the pride in those kids was beyond compare.”

After the state win, which brought them within five victories of their goal, the girls forged ahead and notched three wins in the National Softball Association World Series, bringing them up to 48 with one tournament to go, the Amateur Softball Association Regionals, which took place in Seattle.

They got number 50, then promptly dropped a tough-luck 6-5 contest, which could have signaled the end of the girls’ season.

But instead, the girls came back the next day and won three straight to run their total up to 53, before being outmatched in the tournament finals of the double-elimination event.

The team ended the season with a 53-19 (.736) record.

“At the end of the season we played 12 out of 12 days, we just kept going and going, but we knew whatever happened there was always the next day, or the next game, and that helped,” Weisenbach explained. “It was really tiring, and you really had to push yourself from deep within to find the motivation to keep playing.”

After a 2010 season to remember, the team is looking forward to next year, as it will attempt to make a big jump up in competition, in addition to the girls playing for their respective high-school programs.

“More or less (we will stay together), and we’re going to try to step it up into 16U,” Weisenbach said excitedly. “We are going to be playing again.”