Michael T. Mondak speaks in reflection of the 2026 church softball season

What an end to the 2026 season in the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League!

Once again, the Covenant Speed/Power dominated the league and remains the league's kingpins, winning its tenth consecutive Chet Cameron Memorial Trophy.  The team only lost one game and only allowed one home run all season.

Covenant's ability to prevent runs is their defining strength even against more explosive offenses.  Opponents rarely beat the Speed/Power with the long ball in a league where home runs can often change a game quickly.  It's the kind of season people who follow the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League will likely remember for years, much like an undefeated or one loss championship team.  What Covenant did in preventing home runs forced teams to string together multiple hits instead of scoring with one single swing.  Covenant's defense turned a lot of hard-hit balls into outs.  In a one-loss season, Covenant was strong in reliable pitching (Eric Bombeck's 2.89 regular season earned run average), solid defense, timely hitting and consistent execution week after week.

For the fifth straight season, the Family Life Falcons reached the finals, but were once again the bridesmaids, losing another heartbreaking final 10-9.  Scott Stuart forcing out Lily Slater at second base secured Covenant's tenth Chet Cameron Memorial Trophy.  To reach five straight tournament finals shows the Falcons are one of the league's strongest and most consistent teams, but at the same time, finishing as runner-up the last five years means they've come up just short of that ultimate goal.  Nobody associated with Family Life wants to bring up the 2023 finals where they needed one win to become the new champions only to lose two games to Covenant.  But five straight finals appearances demonstrate sustained excellence.  They consistently put themselves in position to be championship contenders.  And a team with that kind of track record is usually only a few key plays or timely hits away from finally breaking through.  Maybe they're still missing a few pieces to their puzzle.  Maybe they're about three bricks shy of a load.

But one of the best stories of the season belonged to the Genesis Chiefs.  By capturing the program's first trophy, albeit a third-place trophy, they showed just how far they have come in just two short seasons.  That accomplishment sent a message to the rest of the league that the Chiefs are on the rise.  If they continue to develop and build on this past season, their glory days may still be ahead of them.  This season proved that the Genesis Chiefs will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come!

The surprise team of the tournament was the Clenbanon Aces.  Seeded seventh, they outperformed expectations with a fourth-place finish, just missing out on a trophy.  While lower seeded teams are often expected to have an early exit, advancing to finish fourth suggests they are capable of making a deep run.

Another solid tournament showing came from the eighth seeded New Wilmington Angels, who finished fifth.  This showing suggested they made the most of their opportunities.

The Truth & Grace Warriors had an up and down showing in the tournament but ended up finishing sixth.

The biggest disappointment of the 2026 tournament belonged to the New Life Saints.  Seeded fourth, they were poised to make a run but flamed out in the two games they played and lost.  Still, they managed to go away with the Sam Blake Award for Team Sportsmanship.  The Saints can look back on the 2026 campaign with two very different perspectives.  On the field, their early exit from the tournament as the four seed was undoubtedly a disappointment.  But off the field, the league recognized them for their display of outstanding sportsmanship, respect and character.

The Grace Chapel Rams and Living Word Flames had the earliest exits from the tournament.  The Flames were the first team eliminated, followed by the Rams.

The results from Super Saturday suggest that the tournament wasn't simply dictated by regular season standings.  Two lower seeded teams exceeded expectations, which proved the old adage that anything can happen in the tournament.

What's the lesson to be learned as the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League moves towards its upcoming 50th anniversary season in 2027?  The regular season earns you a seed, but the tournament gives every team a chance to write its own story.

I've always said that you don't win ten consecutive championships with just ten players.  You need a mixture of star players who lead the team by example, role players who form the strong supporting cast, and team players who motivate the team and step up when called upon.  Personally, I find myself in the latter category.

There ought to be a committee formed during the offseason to determine the 50 greatest players of all time in the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League to celebrate the league's 50th anniversary in 2027.  Definite locks are New Wilmington Angels pitcher Bob Excely (the last of the original players from 1978), Eric Bombeck and Tyler Allen of the Covenant Speed/Power, Walt Novosel of the New Life Saints, past league MVPs Scott Stuart, Jeff Newell, Jake Ramirez, Geri Hodges, Zach Cyrus, Corey Sternthal, Jake Weiser, Nate Banick and Corey Thompson, the late Kenny Stitt, and perennial all-stars Matt Durisko and Gray MacKenzie.

I have also been saying for years that the best way to determine a true church softball champion in Mercer County would be to play.  The Covenant Speed/Power should be part of a four-team tournament with the champions of the Greenville Area Coed Church Softball League and the Grove City Area Church Softball League, and the best runner-up team regardless of league competing in qualifying games with the winners advancing to a best two games out of three finals to determine the true church softball champion in Mercer County.  I want to know if the commissioners of the Lawrence/Mercer County Church Softball League, Greenville Area Coed Church Softball League and Grove City Area Church Softball League are willing to play such a series that would build excitement.