There’s no easy way to open your first state tournament game — especially when you’re facing one of the top teams in Pennsylvania.

But for the Weatherly 8-10 softball all-stars, Sunday was never just about the final score.

Making their debut in the Pennsylvania 8-10-year-old state softball tournament, Weatherly fell to DuBois Minor All-Stars 12-0 in four innings. DuBois pitcher Zoey Lee threw a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts, and her team delivered timely hits in nearly every inning at the event held in Upper Darby Township.

Still, the Lady Wreckers walked off the field with their heads high — knowing they had already made history.

“This has been such a joyous moment for all of us,” said Weatherly manager Rachel Witner. “Last night at the banquet, they told us we were one of the final eight teams out of more than 300 in the state. That really hit the girls — like, ‘Whoa, we’re part of that.’ And they are.”

DuBois opened the scoring with an RBI single by Felicity Clark and added five more runs in the second inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Cali Gibson and a double from Hollene Davidson. Another six-run frame in the fourth sealed the win, with Clark adding a two-run single.

Weatherly had a tough time generating offense against Lee, who was efficient and overpowering throughout the game. It was another warm afternoon with little to no shade, and the Wreckers never quite found their rhythm.

But Witner was quick to point out that the moment was much bigger than the result.

“Our first goal was winning districts and getting a banner,” she said. “After that, it all felt surreal. These girls have exceeded every expectation. Their drive and determination — it’s something you can’t teach.”

Weatherly reached the state tourney after capturing the District 18 title with a 4-3 walk-off win over Carbon, then defeating Northwest 5-4 in the Section 6 championship. That win came in a winner-take-all final on Wednesday, a night after the team dropped a 7-3 decision to Northwest to force the second game.

It’s been a postseason run that’s energized the town and inspired the team to believe in each other and themselves.

“This group knows how to bounce back,” said Witner, whose team returns to the field Monday for an elimination game against Southern Tioga at 1 p.m. “They’ve done it before. And no matter what happens, they’ve already accomplished something incredible.”

Witner, along with assistant coaches Kayla Durham and Autumn Gilbert, is part of an all-women coaching staff — something she said has resonated deeply with the players and those around the program.

“These girls are seeing strong women lead,” she said. “They’re learning to be confident, to be resilient, to believe they belong on any field, in any room. That’s the culture we’re trying to build.”

It’s already paying off in how the players carry themselves — on and off the field.

“They’re not just good athletes,” Witner said. “They’re good people. They support each other. They lead. They encourage. And that’s the most rewarding part.”

As Weatherly’s tournament journey continues, the impact of this run is already clear.

“This is something they’ll remember forever,” said Witner. “I told the kids, like, we never even did this. We were not here. This is something so big that they won’t really truly understand probably until they’re a little bit older. But it’s such a great opportunity to showcase who they are and represent our small town. I’m just glad we get to put Weatherly on the map.”

HITTERS ... DuBois, champions of District 10 and Section 1, saw Clark go 3-for-3 with three RBIs, while Gibson was 1-for-1 with three RBIs and two runs score, Davidson doubled with an RBI and scored twice and Pfingstler had a hit, two RBIs and a run scored.

DuBois 150 6 - 12 7 0

Weatherly 000 0 - 0 0 3

Lee and Clark; Vanblargan, K. Clabia (3) and I. Durham. W - Lee. L - Vanblargan.