EDWARDSVILLE – Ella Klino was a senior outfielder who oftentimes helped set the table for her O’Fallon Township High teammates to bring in runs, and was a big reason for the steady improvement of the Panthers program.
Klino was a leader for O’Fallon during the season, hitting .478, with three home runs and 26 RBIs. She helped provide leadership and guidance to her teammates and lent support when needed.
Klino expressed much pride in helping the Panthers steadily improve over her four years, and also expressed how much the program meant to her.
“I’m really proud of how far we’ve come. We’ve done such an amazing job, we’ve upped the record in the last six years or so,” she said. “I have seen all of the improvement in every single one of my teammates, and I’m so proud of them.”
It was Klino’s final game with O’Fallon in a loss against Edwardsville, but she’s proud of how things have progressed for the team over the last few years.
“Yes, absolutely,” she said. “I”m really, really thankful for these last four years. I’ve never been happier.”
As for her future, Klino will play select softball this summer, then step away from the sport to concentrate on her schoolwork.
“I’m going to play this summer with my teammates in select,” Klino said, “and after that, I think I’m going to say goodbye to softball, but cherish all the memories that came with it.”
Klino will be going to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J., and major in cellular biology. Rutgers, of course, is a Big Ten school, and she’s planning on supporting the Scarlet Knights.
“Yeah, I’ll go to their softball games,” Klino said.
Looking back at her four years with the Panthers, Klino will always remember a game in her junior year as the cornerstone of her memories.
“My favorite memory will probably be when we beat Columbia my junior year in the Triad tournament,” Klino said. “The energy was just amazing. I was so proud of everybody for coming in and playing their position, and cheering on the team.”
There are plenty of very fond memories she’ll be taking away from O’Fallon softball as she prepares for the next chapter of her life.
