As players huddled around him near first base Friday, Lehman Lobo head softball coach Robert Young passionately reminded them of the steep uphill climb they had just surmounted.

Such a viewpoint might have been difficult to grasp after the Lobos’ 2019 campaign came to an abrupt close in a 11-0 bi-district run-rule playoff loss to the state-ranked New Braunfels Canyon Cougarettes.

Getting to that point, however, spoke volumes about the long and winding journey Lehman’s softball program ...