“I felt like we had unfinished business,” Cunnigham said. “Everyone knows what happened last year and it was weighing on us. We wanted to prove everyone wrong and exceed our own expectations.”

So far things have gone well for the Hawks. After a strong showing in district they earned wins in both the bi-district and area rounds of the playoffs, qualifying for the regional quarterfinals in the process. The playoff wins included a 10-0 thrashing of Marshall last week in a game that, because of inclement weather, spanned almost six hours and two different fields before finally concluding.

“We were definitely pumped up,” Cunnigham said. “We had the one-game series so we felt the pressure, but we weren’t really worried. We wanted to prove their coach wrong and I think we did.”

While Cunningham is an ace on the mound for the Hawks she also plays first base for the team. While she enjoys her time at first, she says her heart lies on the mound.

“I like pitching better,” she said. “That’s my job. First base is fun but I’m a pitcher. That’s who I am.”

Cunningham began playing softball when she was four-years old when her father signed her up. She says her love for the game was not instant.

“My dad wanted me to do it,” she said. “I didn’t really like it but after a while I fell in love with it and I’ve been playing ever since.”

She says her favorite thing about playing is the bonds she forms with her teammates.

“I love being on a team,” she said. “The team becomes a family. That’s the best way to describe it.”

Cunningham recently announced she would continue her softball career at the University of Texas at Tyler, signing a letter of intent a few weeks ago. She explained her decision to go to Tyler came about after a chance meeting with the team’s coach.

“I was playing with my select team and their coach saw me play,” she said. “He talked to me and I fell in love with everything the school had to offer. It’s a great program, a top-notch program, and I wanted to play for a top team. He told me they needed a freshman pitcher and I’m going to be that pitcher.”

If Cunningham’s high school career is to continue past this weekend then the Hawks will have to get past the No. 1 team in the state, Ennis. The team’s ace believes her squad has what it takes to do just that.

“We have to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” she said. “We can’t over-do anything. I believe we have the talent and if we utilize that talent we don’t have to worry about anything else.”

Editor’s note: Cunningham no-hit Ennis to lead the Hawks to victory in the first game of their series. However, Hendrickson was unable to win either of the next two games and their season ended Saturday.

The series started on a high note for the Hawks. Senior ace Alexa Cunningham no-hit the Lions, propelling Hendrickson to a 4-0 victory Friday night. The loss was the first loss in 25 games for Ennis. However, Hendrickson could not keep the momentum and they dropped the second game of Friday’s double-header 3-1 forcing the winner-take-all showdown on Saturday afternoon.

“It was a great series, to no-hit the No. 1 team in the state in game and to be in a position to win game number two says a lot about the heart of our team,” Hawk coach Douglas Harrigan said. “In that game two we had bases loaded on one occasion and numerous runners on base but just couldn’t get the big hit like we were able to in the first game. Just a good piece of pitching by the Ennis pitcher. Proud of the girls for being able to stand toe-to-toe with the number one team in state and who knows if a break that went Ennis way would have actually come ours, maybe we make a run at Austin.”

The Lions got to Cunnigham first in the finale. Julia Hollingsworth led off the third inning with a slap single to right field. She came around to score thanks to two Hawk throwing errors on a bloop single by Courtlyn Benitez. Cunningham reached down and stopped the rally before any more damage was done thanks in part to a great play by left fielder Jordan Banta who caught a fly ball then fired a strike to catcher Cierra Davis to double up Benitez at home plate.

The Hawks finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Davis led the inning off with a double then moved to third on a base hit by Ashley Elicerio. Ennis pitcher Taylor Maliska hit the next pitcher she face, Courtney McCoy with a pitch, loading the bases. Taylor Rivera followed McCoy to the plate and had an epic battle with Maliska, running the count to 3-2, then fouling off four pitches before finally getting the pitch she wanted to hit and singling to score Davis to tie the game. But, just when it seemed the Hawks were going to break the game open, Maliska settled down. She retired the next two Hawk hitters on fielder’s choices that saw Elicerio and McCoy thrown out at home.

“I didn’t think Cunningham got tired, more that Ennis adjusted to her timing,” Harrigan said. “We were only down one run when the Ennis player, Ashley Deutsch, hit the grand slam on a pitch that just didn’t break. Still felt Alexa pitched a good game.” Jayme Prinz finally put Hendrickson ahead with a base hit to plate Rivera, but the 2-1 lead was all the Hawks could get out of the inning.

Hendrickson’s lead was shortlived as the Lion hitters went to work in the top of the fifth. Cunningham walked the first hitter she faced, then gave up back-to-back singles to Hollingsworth and Benitez to load the bases. Cunningham walked Riley Fira, forcing in a run and tying the game at 2-2. After recording the first out of the inning, Cunningham made a mistake to Ashley Deutsch who made her pay, crushing one of her offerings over the left field scoreboard for a grand slam, putting Ennis up 6-2. Cunningham was able to get out of the inning without giving up another run, but the damage was done.

Elicerio replaced Cunningham on the mound to start the sixth inning and gave up two more runs on a two-run single by Deutsch which pushed Hendrickson’s deficit to 8-2.

The Hawks tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth. Base hits by Rivera and Kennedy Coffin put runners on the corners with two outs, but Maliska retired Prinz on a comebacker to end what would be the final Hawk rally of the season.

“We still had our chances, had runners in scoring position a couple of times but Ennis just played good defense,” Harrigan concluded.

The loss marks the end of the line for the Hendrickson seniors. Cunnigham, Elicerio, McCoy and the rest of the Hawks who are graduating saw their careers come to an end with the loss. Harrigan says they will be missed.

“Losing the seniors will be big” he said. “Alexa and Ashley Elicerio, replacing their pitching is going to be a tall task but I have already put the challenge to my sophomore Taylor Rivera to get to work on her pitching (which she is doing by going to an instructor). Losing my left side in shortstop Brooke Bishop and third baseman CoCo McCoy is also going to be a challenge, that was a very solid left side and now its up to transfer Sami Williams (from Pflugerville High) and Julianna Valdez (freshman who will move up to varsity) to fill those shoes.”

While the Hawks do lose some talented seniors, they will have plenty to build around next season.

“I still have a good core to in Kennedy Coffin, returning at second, Cierra Davis, returning at catcher, and Jordan Banta, returning in the OF, along with Rivera, Williams, and Valdez so it won’t be a total rebuilding year, just going to take a lot of hard work,” Harrigan said. Plus we had a very successful JV squad and there are some kids I think can step up from that squad and keep what we have going here at Hendrickson going so to speak. Will it be easy moving to 5A after losing this group of seniors? No, but are we up to the challenge, yes.”

Alexa Cunningham pitched a no-hitter to lead the Hawks to victory over the state’s top 4A team in the series opener. It was Ennis’ first loss in 25 games but Hendrickson could not keep the momentum and dropped the nightcap to the Lions.

The series will resume Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the region semi-finals.

Trainer Fred Extra Tip of the Week:

The next time you head to the gym to lift weights or go to the pool to swim laps, make sure your body is fueled up with the complex carbs, protein and fiber it needs for energy and stamina. And after your workout, replenish the lost energy.
Do not feed your fat by consuming a pre- or post-workout containing:

• Simple carbohydrates
• Sugar
• Large amounts of fat

By Fred Sassani
Special to the Pflag

What you eat before and after exercise has a huge impact on your results.

Think about that. You could be doing intense workouts, pushing yourself hard in the gym, but then eating all the wrong foods, keeping your body looking the same.
I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to put in all that effort in the gym, I certainly don’t want my results hijacked by poor nutrition.
Transforming your body comes down to two simple parts: 1. consistent, challenging exercise and 2. balanced, proper nutrition.
When you skip on the balanced, proper nutrition, you cheat yourself out of the sculpted physique that you should have.
The food you eat prior to and following exercise plays a key role in the overall success of your workout. What you eat and when you eat can either help you burn more calories and build more muscle or it can hinder your weight-loss and muscle-mass goals.
Here’s how it works. Your body gets energy from the carbohydrates you eat. Carbohydrates are converted to glucose, and unused glucose is then converted to glycogen, which is stored in your liver and muscles.
During intense exercise, your body uses up this stored energy. Not having a store of energy, your body can’t function at its potential.
Healthy pre- and post-workout foods provide your body with the glycogen needed to fuel your muscles during aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

Pre-workout fuel

Many people find that exercising first thing in the morning works best for their schedule. For some, this means heading to the gym on an empty stomach. Unfortunately, when you exercise with your body’s “gas tank” on empty, your body will start to take the amino acids from your muscles and convert them to the glucose you need for energy.
Therefore, instead of burning fat, you may actually break down your muscle!
This is the opposite of what you want to do.
In order to burn fat, you need to fuel up with something nutritious an hour to an hour and a half before working out. This gives your body enough time to digest the food and make the energy available for exercising.
Good examples of healthy pre-workout meals or snacks to give your body the energy it needs to exercise include two- to three-ounce turkey breast with small sweet potato, poached egg with brown rice or oatmeal and grapefruit, or a lean turkey burger.
Don’t have time to eat a meal before exercising? You still need to eat something. A quick way to give your body immediate energy is to eat a simple carbohydrate such as a protein drink or shake 15 to 30 minutes prior to working out. And avoid heavy meals before exercising, as these large meals may slow you down and make you feel sluggish during your routine.
The combination of food to eat before a workout should contain complex and simple carbohydrates, fiber, and low-fat protein to give you energy, keep you feeling full and help regulate a normal blood sugar level.

Try to make sure each pre-workout meal or snack contains this combination of nutrients. Not having the right amount of carbs for energy will hinder your ability to burn calories, build muscle and exercise to your full potential.

Replenish post-workout

The goal of post-workout nutrition is to help muscles rebuild and strengthen following the stress and loss of glycogen they experience during exercise. To replenish energy stores, your muscles need protein and carbohydrates within a half-hour to an hour-and-a-half following exercise.
Examples of a post-workout snacks and meals include a four- to six-ounce turkey breast and brown rice, a green salad with grilled chicken, or a smoothie with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt.

Fred Sassani is founder of Bodies By Design Personal Training Services, nationally certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist in Pflugerville. For comments or questions you can reach Fred at getfit@trainerfred.com or visit his website at trainerfred.com

“Dark Shadows”

A playboy is turned into a vampire and then buried alive, awaking more than 200 years later.

COMING SOON

“The Dictator” (May 16)

“Battleship” (May 18)

“Men in Black 3” (May 25)

“Snow White & the Huntsman” (June 1)

“Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” June 8

“Prometheus” June 8

VIDEO:

“Joyful Noise”

“New Year’s Eve”

TheMay Pflugerville Chamber of Commerce Ambassador brown bag meeting takes place May 15 at 11:30 a.m. at the chamber office.

The chamber will host a lunch and ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon May 17 for First Choice Emergency Room, located at 15100 FM 1825.

The chamber will host its B2B Showcase at 5 p.m. June 20. The after-hours networking event will feature new chamber Investors, with complimentary displays, food, beverages and door prizes. Those who joined the chamber since July 2011 are invited to RSVP to Melissa Call at pcc5@att.net to reserve tables.

Mother’s Day is Sunday, but common sense tells us mothers were celebrated long before Americans came to mark it annually on the second Sunday in May.

Our American Mother’s Day tradition has English roots, traced back to what the Brits call “Mothering Sunday.”

But the basic idea for this special day predates even that, going back to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Reverence for one’s mother is a timeless and universal trait – though one doesn’t have to be an historian or scholar to instinctively know that. Just like a mother’s love, it is in our hearts.

So, in modern times, Mother’s Day celebrations (although not always on the same date everywhere) literally run the gamut from A to Z. Mother’s Day is celebrated everywhere from Australia to Zimbabwe.

In our country, President Woodrow Wilson officially established Mother’s Day in 1914.

Other sources – as varied as the Bible and the late humorist Erma Bombeck – give us much to consider.

In the Ten Commandments, we are instructed to honor our mothers and fathers.

Bombeck, meanwhile, once imagined a conversation between the Lord and an angel, when mothers were created.

“I’m so close to creating something so close to myself,” Bombeck has God saying. “Already, I have one who heals herself when she is sick, can feed a family of four on one pound of hamburger and can get a 9-year-old to stand under a shower.”

Perhaps the hand that rocks the cradle does not literally rule the world, but there is no way of overestimating the influence mothers have. There is no way of overstating their importance.

They come to us biologically, or by way of adoption, and sometimes they are a grandmother or an aunt.

They instruct us in the right way to grow, sharing our pride and our pain, our joy and sadness.

These are the women who cleaned our faces with Kleenexes and spit.

These are the women who cried at our weddings.

Their kisses – as if from the lips of the Almighty – can mend broken limbs and aching hearts.

Our mothers are always with us, in flesh or in memory.

Bombeck had it right. When God made mothers, he did indeed create something very close to himself.

- Brad Stutzman, Austin Community Newspapers

Tana Ruckel, Delco Primary School principal, in a May 4 Pflugerville ISD electronic newsletter