The Lawrence Mavericks, after a summer of hard work, traveled to El Dorado for the Class A American Legion state tournament, looking for a chance to come away with the title.

After a come-from-behind win to open the tournament, the Mavericks dropped two straight to earn themselves an early exit.

Maverick’s coach Brad Stoll said his team didn’t play particularly well in the tournament and defense was their biggest downfall.

“We couldn’t catch it and throw it very well,” Stoll said.

Despite the loss and the end of the summer season, Stoll said he was proud of the “fight” his team demonstrated, particularly in their first match, as they came back from a deficit to win.

The 1-2 showing at the state tournament was the result to the Mavericks’ season, a season, in which they finished with a 24-13 record.

Although the team didn’t have a strong showing at the tournament, Stoll said he was happy with his team’s summer play.

The Lawrence Mavericks played a difficult schedule during the summer season, but that was, according to Stoll, “by design.”

In order to prepare his team for the future, Stoall wanted to challenge his young team and give it a chance to get a lot of repetition in.

That repetition came this summer as the team played nearly double the games any of them would see at the varsity high school level.

“This gives them a chance to play a bunch of games,” Stoll said. “In the summer they play almost 40 (games), and in the high school season, they play 20. They have got to get better or get your hat handed to you.”

Stoll admitted his team got its “hat handed to them” at the state tournament, but there were some players who stepped up during the summer season.

“There’s a handful that we expect great things from when they play at the high school level,” Stoll said. “If they work hard, lift weights and do what they’re supposed to.”

As disappointing as the season’s end was, the outcome didn’t change the goals the team has set.

All of the Maverick players and head coach Brad Stoll are a part of the baseball program at Lawrence High, which means this year’s season is only the beginning for the team members and the coach.

The Maverick’s season, full of repetition and good competition, have perhaps laid a success which could turn into better things down the road.

“I expect to add another banner out there in our field their junior or senior year,” Stoll said.