KAUKAUNA, Wis. (NBC 26) — Only five teams in Wisconsin high school history have won three consecutive WIAA state championships.
This weekend, Kaukauna can become the sixth.
"I mean you just saying that gives me goosebumps," senior outfielder Kally Meredith said Wednesday as the team departed for Madison.
"We've already made history with this team," senior infielder Paige Miller said. "We've already done some really, really great things. So (another state championship) would just be an amazing way to go out."
A group of parents, friends and other supporters gathered outside Kaukauna High School Wednesday as the team hit the road in search of that historic three-peat.
"The community has always been a big supporter of us," longtime head coach Tim Roehrig, who earned his 500th career win earlier this season, said. "This community loves fast-pitch and they love good fast-pitch. So the better we do, the more they come out."
"That's one of the reasons we're playing," Miller said of the crowd on hand, which began cheering as she answered. "Just for the support and the community behind us.
"We're really, really proud to represent them down in Madison," Miller added.
Those fans have had plenty to cheer for. The Ghosts haven't lost a single game in more than two years, racking up a state-record 78 consecutive victories.
"It doesn't seem real at times," Roehrig said. "It doesn't seem real when people bring it up because we don't talk about it. But it just doesn't seem real."
"We just try not to think about that," Meredith said of the winning streak. "We just go out there and we play our softball and we play our way and we put our best foot forward each game and we expect to win."
Behind that game-by-game approach, the Ghosts are somehow getting even better.
They put together a complete performance in their last game, taking down Green Bay Preble 10-0 in the sectional final.
Since then, confidence has soared.
"We had some unbelievable practices," Roehrig said. "The last two or three practices we had were really, really good. They looked sharp. So now it's just time to showcase what we've been doing all year."
As his team heads to the biggest stage in Wisconsin high school softball, Roehrig's message is simple.
"Everybody's 0-0 right now," he said.
"We've been everybody's state championship for the last 78 games," Roehrig added. "I would imagine that we're going to see everybody's best stuff and I don't think we'd want it any other way."
The Galloping Ghosts play a quarterfinal game Thursday at 12:00 p.m. against No. 8 seed Waterford.
They are one of six local teams to qualify for the state tournament. FVA rival Oshkosh West is also in the Division 1 field.
