Softball is more than a game to Sydney Mengel. It is a way of life.

 That fact comes through in everything she does on the softball diamond. Mengel cares about the game almost as much as she cares about her teammates.

 Mengel was a key cog in the Northern Lebanon softball team’s drive to one of the most successful springs in program history. It was a road that ended on Friday at Lebanon Valley College, with a 6-3 loss to West Perry, in the consolation game of the District Three Class AAAA postseason.

 A day earlier, Mengel and the Vikings had endured a 3-0 loss to Eastern York at Hershey High School, in the semifinals of the District Three playoffs.

 During this spring season, Mengel, a senior, had anchored both the Vikings’ defense and offense as their shortstop and clean-up hitter. But it may have been that Mengel’s quiet leadership and presence in the dugout had an even greater effect on an up-and-coming Northern Lebanon club which realized its potential.

 The Vikings had alos qualified for the Lancaster-Lebanon League playoffs and their 18-6 campaign was the most successful season at Northern Lebanon in more than 20 years.

 – Jeff Falk