HOLTON – Coming into his seventh season as the Holton varsity softball coach, Kirk Younts has experienced plenty of highs.

But there’s one low that crosses his mind every so often as he drives back and forth from practice.

“That was gut-wrenching,” Younts said about the Red Devils’ 9-8 nine-inning loss to Rudyard in the Division 4 state semifinals last season. “I’m still not over it. I have moments where I just sit there and it’s frustrating. We had it. We just missed out.”

The Red Devils do not hide from the fact that they lost a great opportunity to make the state finals after leading Rudyard 7-1 through four innings.

“We talk about it all the time,” Younts said. “We only have four starters returning that were a part of that, but they understand and they want to get back.”

One of those returning starters, senior third baseman Gianna Reed, said her offseason workouts were motivated by the pain of that defeat.

“It was a big motivation,” said Reed, who had two hits and three walks while also driving in a run in the loss. “We’ve worked so hard in the offseason, and we know we were so close. It pushed me personally to get better. I still watch that game.”

Getting close to the top – but not quite making it – has become a familiar feeling for Holton.

In Younts’ six seasons at the helm, the Red Devils have won six district championships, five regional titles and played in three state semifinal games.

Getting so far in the state tournament so many times is a huge feather in the Red Devils’ cap. They have one of the most successful programs in West Michigan and are considered title contenders just about every season.

But every time they’ve inched close to a state championship, something has gone wrong.

In 2019 Holton lost 10-0 in the state quarterfinals to Coleman. In 2018 the Red Devils lost 5-4 to Frankfort in the regional finals. In 2017 they lost 5-0 to Coleman in the quarterfinals. In 2016 they had had a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Indian River Inland Lakes in the state semifinals. In 2015 they lost 4-1 to Unionville-Sebewaing in the semifinals.

That’s a great record and a frustrating one, all at the same time.

“I’m very proud of that,” Younts said about his program’s annual tournament run. “I think sometimes it gets taken for granted, or is lost at this point. I get more phone calls when we lose now and people wanting to know what happened. The bar is set high, so everyone expects these kids to win. They support us like no other, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I love it here.”

Reed believes the lofty expectations that the team has every year it makes her and her teammates even better. They have a legacy to live up to, and they work hard to do it.

“It’s very special,” she said. “It makes me a better player to just have those tough goals. It pushes the team to be better. It’s a very special program.”

While the Red Devils lost a majority of their 2021 starting lineup to graduation, they’ll return sophomore pitcher Abigail Fowler, sophomore pitcher/first baseman Ryann Robins and senior shortstop Alanna Cregg, along with Reed.

Fowler and Robins left big impressions with huge freshmen seasons last year, on the mound and at the plate.

A lot of new girls will have to mix in and play well this season for the Red Devils to get back to where they’re used to being in the state tournament, but that remains the goal.

“We talk about goals and the girls want to get back,” Younts said. “I want to, too. The difference is some people think we’re rebuilding. We’re as young as we’ve ever been, with two seniors and seven freshmen or sophomores in our lineup. That’s a lot of inexperience, but we have some talent that just needs game experience.”

Younts isn’t worried about the team’s record right now, which is 0-2 after they lost a season-opening doubleheader to Ravenna on March 29.

“Winning isn’t everything right now,” the coach said. “I know we need game experience. Our young girls will have their hands full, but I believe by the end of the season, they’ll surprise some people. They won’t get down, and it’s not how you start, it’s how you end.”

Reed says there is only one goal – making the state final four again in June at Michigan State University.

“We talk about it every practice,” she said. “We’re just looking at what we need to work on. Even mentally, we’re working on being strong. We bring up getting back there a lot.”