KHS softball players earn regional recognition
Kellogg players Rylee Noto and Piper Rainio were recently named to the All Inter-mountain League softball team. Courtesy photo
The Kellogg Wildcat softball season ended a few weeks ago, but they did land two girls on the All Intermountain League team.
Senior Rylee Noto and freshman Piper Rainio were absolute pillars for the Wildcats this season both offensively and defensively.
Noto (formerly Riekena) was Kellogg’s ace pitcher and maintained the team’s best batting average.
Rainio played catcher for the Wildcats, boasted the second best batting average on the team, and was also the defensive player of the year and team most valuable player.
“We won more games than we did last year, which was definitely a positive for me,” Noto said. “We didn’t have any drama, we worked hard, it was just a good year for us.”
And while this was the final chapter in a solid career at Kellogg High School for Noto, the freshman Rainio is looking to build off her impressive opening act as a Wildcat.
“The end came too fast for me,” Noto said. “I think I was able to make an impact on this team and this group though. Piper is going to lead this team going forward and she’s is going to be great for them.”
Rainio was also complimentary of her departing teammate.
“She was so amazing for us,” Rainio said. “Playing Rylee for one year was great. We are going to need some people to step up for us in the pitching department.”
This Wildcat team was up against it all this year, from a schedule that was short to begin with that got even shorter as the weather kept them from doing just about anything, they really saw it all.
Even with all of the struggle, Noto found a way to make the season a positive.
“We had 57 practices before we played a game and only one of them was outdoors,” Noto said. “Even when you lose a game, look for the positives and don’t give up. Everyone needs to keep their heads and keep working.”