Cipriano Stays Busy Despite Shortened Season
By Wes Johnson
NICEVILLE, Fla. – Spring cleaning came a bit earlier than Northwest Florida infielder Ariana Cipriano would have liked. But, like softball, she's become really good at it.
The sophomore from Addis, La., was in the in the midst of a monster year. The Raiders were 27-8, had one of the best offenses in the nation, and Cipriano was doing her part at the plate batting .384 with 22 runs batted in.
Then, it all ended.
On March 11, Northwest Florida had a scheduled doubleheader against Shawnee and Mississippi Gulf Coast. Shawnee was already in Niceville to play a round robin against NWF and Carl Sandburg on March 10, which went ahead as planned, but Mississippi Gulf Coast, as many teams were beginning to do, called and cancelled their trip.
The Raiders defeated Shawnee, but by the end of the day, it was apparent that things were about to change.
"We had just finished playing the game when coach told us that there would be a delay in the season," Cipriano said. "We were shocked, but still kind of expected it. We were just going to take it day-by-bay. We had plans to come to the cages and get extra work, we were ready and hungry to start conference play."
After players began to depart for spring break, news came down from the NJCAA that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all spring athletic seasons would end immediately.
"We were heartbroken," Cipriano said. "There were lots of text and calls, we were all crying. We were just so upset for each other because this team had so much chemistry. I think what hurts the most are the what-ifs. We never got to find out if we could reach what we expected."
So, instead of hitting doubles, driving in runs, and anchoring second base, Cipriano has been cleaning out closets, reorganizing dresser drawers, and hunting for anything that will keep her busy, including creating a little sidewalk art.
"I saw some kids across the street chalking on the sidewalk, so I asked my mom to pick some up the next time she went out for groceries," Cipriano said with a laugh. "My sister and I have been chalking on the concreate and on the fence and having a lot of fun."
With her room and closets in pristine condition, Cipriano often thinks about what might have been for the Raiders.
"It was just the chemistry," she said. "To have 19 or 20 different personalities and have things run that smooth, you hardly ever hear of that. It just worked. Not because we forced it but because we truly loved each other. We always had the expectation at practice to get better and that's what we did. It showed on the field, it showed in the stats, and showed in our record."
Her season might not have ended on an ideal note, but Cipriano along with her teammates always looked at things in a positive light. One of the many reasons the future of Northwest Florida softball looks so bright.
--NWF--