Silver Lake softball has enjoyed amazing success under a variety of coaching combinations for the past 30 years.
Thirteen state softball championships and four runner-up trophies later, Silver Lake ranks second behind Bishop Carroll's 14 state titles for the softball capital of Kansas.
Softball enjoys the highest winning percentage of any Silver Lake sport.
Silver Lake graduate Lexi Cobb currently plays softball at North Texas University and power-hitting Daryn Lamprecht stars at Northern Iowa.
The Eagles' softball tradition started in 1989 under legendary Silver Lake football coach C.J. Hamilton.
"From the time the program started under C.J. Hamilton to the present, this softball program has been special," said former coach Brad Womack. "I had the opportunity to coach softball, have two sisters compete and watch it grow with daughters of former players. That's a feeling that is hard to describe. The trophy ceremonies that so many young ladies have experienced will never be taken away. The memories made and the life lessons learned will be some of the best memories of my professional career."
Head coach Bob Craig and assistant Jess Adams ignited Silver Lake's softball tradition in 1992 with started a string of five consecutive state championships. Craig served his first season as an assistant to C.J. Hamilton, who would eventually lead the Eagles to eight state football championships.
"C.J. took a year off as a baseball assistant coach to help start the softball program," Craig said. "C.J. was a pleasure to work with, a man dedicated to the players and community. They love their sports programs at Silver Lake. C.J. taught fundamentals and coached the right way."
Craig played Little League baseball as a youngster in Minnesota and coached Pee Wee and Little League baseball in Wetmore, Kan. He played high school basketball at Shawnee Mission South, and had to learn softball on the run.
During one memorable trip to a national coaching clinic, Craig befriended Arizona coach Mike Candrea, unaware of Candrea's eight NCAA softball championships He brought back softballs signed by UCLA pitcher Lisa Fernandez, a three-time Olympic and two-time NCAA champion as a motivational tool.
"Showing the girls the softballs gave them an idea of what was possible," Craig said.
Craig learned to emphasize the art of hitting.
"Our biggest focus was the mentality of batting - simply making contact," Craig said. "We worked on bunt drills and slap-hitting drills to always put the ball in play. Our one-pitch drill helped because you had to put the ball into play."
The Eagles qualified for Class 6-1A state tournament in 1989 and 1990. It started a streak of nine consecutive state trips. The inaugural softball team featured Washburn Hall of Fame basketball standout Rhonda Matzke, who played her senior year. The Eagles' first championship in 1992 followed a third-place finish in 1991.
"Silver Lake was the first 3A school that placed or won against 6A and 5A schools," Craig said.
Silver Lake surprised defending state champion Bishop Carroll in the opening-round 1992 state tournament game.
"Carroll featured a fast leadoff batter, who got on base, but our catcher Mendy Semecka threw her out stealing," Craig said. "At that point, we knew we could compete. Carroll never scored and we won that game in a shutout."
After the Eagles beat Spring Hill for their first championship, Craig still recalls the girls playing the tunes of "Another One Bites The Dust" and "We Are The Champions."
Pitchers Stacey Davis (92-93) and Kathy Mohler (93-96) anchored the Eagles' top-notch pitching staff during a stretch of five consecutive state titles.
"We ended up winning 18 consecutive state tournament games, but you're pretty fortunate to win five championships in a row," Craig said.
During the run, the Eagles featured 10 four-time state champions – 1B Wendy Adams, LF Tammy Brungardt, SS Jenny Fletcher and 3B Kristine Hogle from 1992-1995; and SS/IB Nikki Butler, OF Kristy Grimmett, OF Alicia Phelps, P Kathy Mohler, SS-P Lacey Robison and 1B Danielle Huske from 1993-1996. OF Sianna Beethe, OF Melissa Boelling and C Stacy Haverkamp were three-time champions from 1993-1995.
Craig said an unsung hero was Bob Mohler, who coached Silver Lake's finest on summer softball teams in the Topeka area.
Brad Womack guided Silver Lake to championships in 1999 and 2009 after helping Craig on three titles. He is a 1990 Silver Lake graduate who won his first state title as head coach in 1999.
"Silver Lake had a number of players who were playing competitive softball for years before high school softball started," Womack said. "It was a tremendous advantage that Silver Lake had players who were some of the best traveling team players in Kansas. Other communities knew that summer softball and competitive leagues were necessary to catch up with Silver Lake."
Womack concedes that pitching and defense are primary ingredients for success.
"If you have a dominant pitcher, you're likely to have success. That has not changed. The strategy may have changed a little, emphasizing home runs versus the short game.
"Whether it's my old age or reality, games seem to take longer today than in the 1990s and early 2000s."
Once other towns started to compete at a higher level, Silver Lake adjusted to stay competitive as an upper-tier team.
"Silver Lake girls understood they had their hearts in that jersey. They had a willingness to work harder than others kept us near the top of the other competitive teams."
Womack started his second tenure with his second state title In 2009 when he was promoted to assistant principal/athletics director.
After winning five consecutive titles, Silver Lake sprinkled in eight more championships from 1999 to 2018.
"There have been many times when people think we'll have a down year," Womack said. "But the willingness for our young girls to work daily, year-round, to fine-tune their craft is mindboggling. The girls in our community have a tremendous track record of success that gets overlooked. You see cross country, golf, basketball, track, and now wrestling, our girls have experienced success in all of them. They've shown a relentless desire to succeed. It is unique."
Dave Boxberger led Silver Lake to state titles in 2004 and 2005 with assistant coach Stacey Clark along for the ride. Clark assisted Womack on his fourth championship in 2009.
Mark Workman kept the magic "working" with championships in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018 with current Eagle coach Nick Hamilton as an assistant.
"In the beginning before school softball started, our girls played tons in the summer," Workman said. "Coach Bob Mohler spent tons of time sitting on a bucket catching a future All-American to build the foundation. Hap Anderson was a great early coach. Silver Lake enjoyed great assistant coaches – Kathy Mohler-Herrington. Nick Hamilton. Stacy Davis-Clark. All these coaches were born into Silver Lake's tradition."
The Workman/Hamilton reign featured four three-time champions from 2013 to 2015 featuring 1B Allison Christy, P Megan Deiter, CF Kennedy Hamilton and RF Lauren Simone.
"I coached girls softball like any boys team,' Workman said. "That's the only way I knew how to coach."
Workman coached both Division 1 players Lexi Cobb and Daryn Lamprecht.
"Both are great hitters. Daryn hit 18 bombs in 2018 as a sophomore. My favorite memory was a 3-0 swing that won us a first-round game. I gave her a Green Light because confidence was never a problem."
Workman's first season in 2010 featured the only time Silver Lake entered with an unbeaten record and lost a first-round 4A state tournament game to Buhler, 2-0.
Like all great coaches, Workman recalls the one that got away.
"Chelsea Reid was our pitcher when we were 23-0 during a year we got pushed up to 4A," Workman said. "Chelsea carried us. We committed four errors all year. Reid struck out 17 batters, but we had two errors that day."
Workman credits a commitment from the Silver Lake community for success.
"There is great tradition at Silver Lake. There is unbelievable family commitment at Silver Lake,' he said. "Parents found a way to get players tons of positive experience before they came to high school. There was lots of softball experience. Winning sports helps."
The combination of experienced players and players who were supported by solid families was a perfect recipe.
"We had all-state players and many other All-Class type girls who made those championships happen," Workman said. "We seemed to find a way to win close games. I enjoyed the ride. I will never forget all the great times and people at Silver Lake. I'm very thankful."
Nick Hamilton assisted with Workman on the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2018 state champions. Hamilton's 2019 Eagles lost to Frontenac and to Cheney in 2021 in the 3A state championship games.
Hamilton served as Troy baseball coach in 2010 and 2011. He grew up with baseball and invested hours working with his son and other skills as a high school athlete. Hamilton's mother was a softball coach at his high school, so he knew a lot about softball too.
"I started in 2013, when Coach Workman asked if I could help with the program," Hamilton said. "The advantage of our tradition is the expectations are set not by a coach or community, but the athletes that came before them. The girls pass the torch to the next group to wear the maroon-and-gold."
Hamilton enjoys the yearly learning experience where players learn life's lessons.
"The challenge is helping girls focus on the process of reaching the high expectations," he said.
We are grateful to partner with WIN for KC, an organization with the mission to empower the lives of girls and women by advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports through opportunities for participation and leadership development. WIN for KC and the KSHSAA believe involvement in activities and sports lay the ground work for supporting well-rounded citizens in our communities and beyond. For more on WIN for KC visit: https://www.sportkc.org/win-for-kc