The past two years a team from the West side of the state has taken home the 6A slowpitch state championship. In fact, both champions have come from the Moore school district with Westmoore in 2007 and Moore this season.

However, in Saturday’s 2008 All-State slowpitch softball game, the East really didn’t seem to care to much about that. They held off the West 8-6 to earn the victory at the University of Oklahoma Softball Complex.

“Can’t win them all,” Westmoore’s Brittany Burge said.

Unlike last week’s All-state fastpitch game, Moore was well represented. Burge was joined on the West lineup by Jaguar teammate Samantha Childers and Moore High’s Chelsea Garcia and Rachel Bushong.

Yet, even with all four in the lineup, the East got off to a big lead and made less mistakes than the West.

With the East leading 1-0 in the bottom of the second, Norman North’s Vicena Carson and Childers each singled to get on base. Garcia came to bat and knocked both of them with a double to center. Garcia attempted to stretch into a triple but was tagged out with the West leading 2-1. That would be the last time the West would hold a lead.

The East posted three runs in the third and two in the fourth as they spread their advantage to 6-2. In the eighth the game looked to be over with the East leading 8-4. But then Childers and Garcia each knocked in a run to close the gap to 8-6. But they could not get any closer.

“I think we did pretty well,” Childers said. “We all had a lot of time off. We came out here and had fun. It was a lot of fun to come out here and see everyone you haven’t seen in a while for one last time.”

For all four players the All-State game was their last prep contest before they head off to college where they continue to compete athletically.

“I am just ready to move on to the next level, play in college and have some fun there,” Burge said. “Get my life started.”

“It went by too fast,” Childers said. “Just a few years ago we were freshman. It went by too fast but I had a good time. Before the game we all kind of talked about it and we were kind of sad about it. But we are moving on and going to college, so it’s fun.”