This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Successful high school softball teams often have a core of senior players who posses leadership, experience and talent. This year's Murray team is no exception, but what sets them apart is the number of talented seniors on the roster.

The Spartans, one of the best softball teams in Class 5A, have five seniors who have received scholarship offers to play college softball.

Madison Woodard, Tanisha Anderson and Malia Campos have committed to play for Salt Lake Community College. Braylee Butcher will take the mound for Mesa Community College in Arizona, and Sara Park will head to Ephraim to play for Snow College.

These seniors have all played for Murray since they were freshmen, and they all said they knew they were a part of something special early on.

"We have had so much fun and have been together since I can remember," Campos said. "We have all worked hard to get where we are, and that hard work is paying off."

Woodard, who leads the team in home runs, agrees.

"I'm not surprised so many girls got scholarships — we have earned it, and we all deserve it," she said.

Having teammates who were also going through the college recruiting process proved to be a big benefit for Anderson.

"The whole recruiting thing was nerve-racking. We all stayed in touch during the summer, and that really helped," Anderson said. "I think it will be really fun to have two teammates I already know at SLCC."

Murray coach Lisa Parker has led several successful teams — the Spartans won state championships in 2005 and 2007, and have not missed the state tournament in more than 10 years — but she has never had this many players receive scholarship offers.

"Usually one or two players each year go on to the next level, so having five players get scholarships in the same year is a very special thing," Parker said. "They have all been good players since they were young, and they worked hard and went after it. It has just been an awesome thing."

Although each player has a lot to look forward to, all are currently focused on what has eluded this batch of players: a state title. The Spartans came close in 2008, but they fell to Tooele in the championship game.

Park remembers being a freshman on that team and doesn't want to come up short again.

"The closest we have come to state is placing second freshman year," Park said. "We would all really like to take state this year." Big number

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11Number of runs scored by the Murray softball team in the fifth inning against Hunter.

Big game

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Murray at Cottonwood, Soccer • Thursday May 12 3:30. The last time these two Region 2 leaders met, Cottonwood walked away with a last second, double overtime victory. Since then, Murray was won seven straight games

Key player

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Hailey Jensen • Skyline softball. Jensen hit two home runs and a double to lead Skyline to a region win over Cottonwood.