Winning always makes sports more fun.

But looking at the personalities on the Spanish Springs softball team, it’s probably safe to say, even if the Cougars weren’t dominating their way to a 33-1 record, they would still be having a blast.

Spanish Springs’ focus, determination and all-around positive attitude led to much success on the diamond and earned it the distinction of being the Sparks Tribune’s Female Team of the Year.

In the nine years Spanish Spring High School has been open, the Cougars softball program has now claimed four Northern 4A crowns and three 4A state championships.

SSHS coach Jeff Davidson has either played or coached for 48 years and he believes this group has been one of the most enjoyable to be around.

“It’s tremendous. I had a lot of fun. Every year you have different personalities of course,” he said. “This year’s group was one of the most fun groups I’ve been around in all my years of coaching. I told them it was one my most enjoyable years coaching because they all have great attitudes and great leadership. We didn’t seem to have any problems or issues this year. Everyone accepted their roles. Nobody complained.”

It was just easy to coach this group since the core of seven seniors, who are all going on to play college ball, practically coached themselves and squashed any drama before it became a major distraction.

Leadoff hitter Ashley Decker, the only starter on all three of the school’s state championships, was happy to go out a winner with the girls she grew up with.

“This was the best year to win it because we had the closest group I’ve ever been on. To win state your senior year is a great feeling,” Decker said. “We’re just a talented group that plays really well together. There are no cliques. Everyone gets along.”

This year’s state championship team almost followed the same path as the last state championship team two years ago. In 2008, the Cougars ended the season with 27 straight victories, including 20 shutouts during that span.

This spring, Spanish Spring won its final 32 games in a row and pitchers Karlyn Jones and Danica Arterburn combined for 26 shutouts. The duo struck out 303 batters and walked only eight in 196 innings pitched.

In the seven playoff games in 2008, the Cougars outscored their opponents 78-5, and this year they won regionals and state by a combined 39-1 margin.

Spanish Springs showed plenty of offense during the entire season, hitting .466 as a team and winning each game by nearly a nine-run margin. The Cougars tallied 316 runs, while only allowing 18 on its magnificent run.

Davidson said while the ’08 team entered the state record book about 35 times, these Cougars entered the record book around 60 times either as a team or as individuals.

“This year’s team I thought was a little deeper. Both teams had great pitching and played excellent defense,” Davidson said. “The team from a couple years ago was a more powerful team in terms of hitting home runs. This team was more of a speed team with the occasional power … Although the teams were very similar with great pitching and great defense and obviously a great season, there were some differences with the power numbers. Other than that, the numbers are remarkably the same.”

Eleven of the 12 players on the roster earned all-league honors. The seniors: Decker (California), Jones (Pittsburgh), Karley Hopkins (Nevada), Stevie Trevino (California State University Monterey Bay), Mindy Mikkelson (Simpson University), Karly Hall (Feather River College) and Lacey Irwin (Western Nevada College) can further their softball careers knowing they achieved the ultimate goal in high school.

Trevino, one of the four captains and future CSUMB outfielder, will never forget this year.

“It was amazing. It was the best year yet. We had the closest team. We all gelled really well on the field and had each other’s back. It was awesome,” Trevino said. “Even though I was the only senior in the outfield, we did everything together. Playing with Danica in the outfield, she’s one of my best friends on and off the field.”