John Marshall’s Blake Gets Her Shot at State
After Watching Sisters Play, Now It’s Her Turn
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GLEN DALE -- John Marshall freshman Ava Blake remembers watching her sisters play in the state softball tournament in 2017 and 2018 and how badly she wanted to follow in their footsteps.
Blake is about to do just that as the Monarchs (21-5-3) are heading back to the state tournament next week and will play St. Albans (30-1) on Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. in Game 1 of a double elimination event.
Although it's just a game to some, Blake has had her eyes on this moment...
"Since I was born," Blake said with a laugh. "I started playing when I was 4 and it means the world to me. It's more of a lifestyle than a sport to me. I fell in love with the sport at a very young age. I've always been around it.
"When my sisters made state I was down there with them and I watched them have so much fun.
"It just gets me motivated and makes me want to do the same and have the same experience as they did."
In only her first year at the varsity level, Blake has been crucial to the Monarchs' lineup and has made quite an impact from the leadoff spot.
She will certainly be ready for that first pitch of the tournament.
"She is like a spark plug and she has that same fire and desire that her sisters had," John Marshall coach Ed West said. "Sometimes we have to calm her down because she gets so amped up and wants to perform so well. She'll make four or five good plays on defense a game and on offense she's been a good leadoff hitter.
"She is batting around .360, she's scored about 30 runs, she finds a way to get on base, she has two home runs so she can hit for power and she has good speed."
Ava takes great pride in her duties as a leadoff hitter and setting the table for the rest of the lineup. She also thoroughly enjoys bringing enthusiasm to the field and in the dugout.
"As a leadoff hitter I just want to try to bring the spark to the team," Ava said. "If the leadoff hitter gets on, I know the rest of the team will follow and they feed off that energy. So I think it's pretty awesome that as a freshman I get to lead off and be that energy for the team. It makes me want to do better when everyone is feeding off of each other."
Her sisters were both first team all-state members in high school.
In 2018, Abby earned first team honors with a .470 average, 10 home runs and 40 RBI and in 2019, it was Anna collecting first team accolades, hitting at a .411 clip with 41 hits, 27 RBI and eight doubles.
Now, it's Ava's turn to leave her mark and create her own legacy.
"Watching my sisters play really motivated me to just be the best version of myself," Ava said. "Whenever I go on the field, I just feel good.
"I've always been told I'm the energetic one and I'm definitely the more rowdy one of the group."
Along with her sisters, Ava looks up to all of the players who she enjoyed watching in the Women's College World Series, as well, and even has her own hopes of playing there one day.
"Those girls are absolutely amazing," Ava said. "They all set the bar very high and I just want to be able to meet that one day and keep on working to be there."
For now, however, she is focused solely on accomplishing one goal at the state tournament.
"I want to win," Ava said. "This team is filled with some amazing and athletic people and to see us all put it together and win together would be amazing."