GRANGER, Iowa — Woodward-Granger played a gauntlet this season.
Their schedule loaded with ranked teams like Martensdale-St. Marys, Van Meter, and ADM.
That helped them get ready for the postseason and it showed in their 11-1 win over ACGC on Wednesday.
The Hawks are motivated to chase down a little school history.
When you ask Woodward-Granger baseball coach Eric Evans when the last time the Hawks were at Principal Park for state, the answer you get is never.
"We were one out away in 2017 so Reese and Bryce were part of that game so they saw it," Evans said.
This been the biggest motivation for the Hawks in their shortened season.
"When you got 11 seniors, the attitude is pretty contagious all over the place. They all know this could be it. So they're all checked in they all try to do what they got to do and it rubs off all the way down," Evans said.
Junior Colby Tague realizes to get to state would be the ultimate pay off for the seniors who have put in so much for the program.
"They've worked as hard as they can stayed together and as a junior helping them along and especially for Coach Evans he's been here a long time so to get there it'd be awesome," Tague said.
First they have to get through Panorama on Saturday, looking to keep the bats hot after putting up 11 runs against ACGC.
So as they take the field, they'll have that first trip to Principal Park in the back of their minds.
The Hawks face Panorama at 7 pm Saturday night at Hawk Field in Granger.