Belle Vernon softball team receives WPIAL championship rings
Dana French
Members of the Belle Vernon softball team are shown with their WPIAL Class AAAA championship medals and rings at the Leopards’ football game against Greensburg Salem on Sept. 28 at James Weir Stadium. The Lady Leopards, wearing T-shirts touting their back-to-back WPIAL titles, received the rings in a pregame ceremony before the game.
Dana French
Belle Vernon softball player Jordan French shows a close-up of the WPIAL Class AAAA championship ring that members of the team were presented with during a pregame ceremony before the Leopards game against Greensburg Salem at James Weir Stadium on Sept. 28. The “B2B” designates the Lady Leopards’ back-to-back titles they won in 2017 and 2018.
Dana French
Belle Vernon softball players and sisters Natalie French (left) and Jordan French each show off two WPIAL championship medals and rings while wearing T-shirts touting the Lady Leopards’ back-to-back titles. The team was presented with rings for its 2018 championship during Belle Vernon’s football game against Greensburg Salem on Sept. 28 at James Weir Stadium.
When the 2018 WPIAL Class AAAA softball championship game ended, the winning team had a familiar ring to it: Belle Vernon.
The Lady Leopards won their fourth WPIAL title overall, third in four years and second in a row in the spring.
Members of the team received rings in honor of their latest achievement at Belle Vernon’s football game against Greensburg Salem on Sept. 28 at James Weir Stadium.
Players and coaches, who wore “back-to-back champions” T-shirts, were presented with the rings during a pregame ceremony.
The Lady Leopards, coached by Tom Rodriguez, have been well recognized for their 2018 championship as they were also honored with a parade in July.
Belle Vernon also won softball titles in 2007, 2015 and 2017.
The Lady Leopards defeated Elizabeth Forward in the WPIAL final in May, 5-4, thanks to a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning, and finished the season with an overall record of 22-4.
Belle Vernon went 20-2 in 2017 and beat Yough in the district final, 4-1. The Lady Leopards were honored with a parade and rings after that championship as well.