[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ripping Springs Tiger senior Lexi Poehl couldn’t help but crack a smile with teammates during a post-game ceremony following Friday’s state semifinal loss to the Willis Wildkats.

Yes, Poehl and the Tigers shed bittersweet tears as they received medals that signified the end of a season that finished two wins short of the school’s first-ever softball state championship.

Amid the disappointment, Poehl and the Tigers still kept smiling, kept cracking jokes, and k...