Sterling celebrates third-place finish

STERLING - Friday night was one of those rare occasions when fans at Roscoe Eades Stadium cheered a team that ran on the field wearing green and black. The town was celebrating the 11- and 12-year-old all-star girls softball team, which finished third at the Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Ore., this week. The Central Region champions switched from their traditional blue and gold Warrior uniforms to the green and black assigned by the Little League organization. Before their party, the police and fire department took the girls on a 13-mile, hourlong parade. Fans applauded as the team traveled past Newman Central Catholic High School and through the west end and the downtown, went down East Lincolnway, up LeFevre Road and ended up back at Sterling High School. "These girls deserve it," Sterling Fire Chief Arlyn Oetting said. At the rally that followed, which was attended by about 350 people, the girls received keys to the city and an Illinois Department of Transportation road sign. It commemorates their third-place finish and will be installed at Westwood Sports Complex. "I had no idea this many people would be here," said pitcher Jennifer Rahn, who also plays third base. "It shows what our town is made of." "It's heartwarming; it takes your breath away," head coach Noel Aponte said. "I feel like I'm still sleeping." Michelle Virtue of Sterling, aunt of first baseman McKennna Pearson, followed each of the games, traveling to Rochelle and LaSalle-Peru and listening to the others on the radio. "It's awesome; they gave us something to look forward to," Virtue said. "I'm just sad the year is over." As the girls arrived at SHS at the end of their parade, they jumped off the hay wagon into a cheering crowd holding signs and taking pictures. The girls had one cheer for them. "Thank you, fans."