June 3, 2025 • 9 mins
Lexington softball coach, Todd Galownia, joined WMAN's "Local Talk" on Tuesday morning to share about the teams incredible season, which has Lexington (24-3) playing in the state tournament for the 1st time since 2002. Lex plays Kenton Ridge on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at Akron's Firestone Stadium. You can hear the game "live" on WMAN.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, we're gonna jump on the telephone this morning
and a lot of excitement is here. We are in
early June and the Lexington softball team, for the first
time in twenty three years, has reached the state tournament.
They will play on Wednesday morning at ten am. They'll
be an Akron at Firestone Stadium in the state semi finals,
(00:20):
and we have their head coach, Todd Galonia, joining us
via the telephone. Todd, first of all, good morning, Thanks
for taking the time. And I'm sure when the journey
started back at the beginning of the season, you'd have
been thrilled if somebody what had said, hey, Todd, you'll
be playing in June.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
How you doing this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Going fine? Thank you very much for having me on.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, I appreciate it. So let's go there, Todd, You're
playing in June?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Boy, I mean, can you even you know, tell us
how how much excitement programs school everything right now with
this run.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
No, it's been great. The community has been great the
last couple of days, made them set up different things
for our sendoff. Just getting text emails from people I
don't even know, you know, old players coming up to
the games and being part of it. It's just it's
been a whole community thing and so much excitement around
not just the girls, but everybody around them. Had a
couple of graduation parties over the weekends and many many
(01:12):
people congratulating us and telling us they're going to be
there on Wednesday. So very excited.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Awesome to hear Todd Galonia with us to get his
sixth year softball coach at Lexington before we kind of
touch on the match up and all that. Todd, you know,
I'd love to talk to coaches, and I'll do it
in basketball. You know, Shelby went to the final four
few years ago. Meetsfield Senior Lucas and football, and I'd
love to ask coaches, did you see this coming? You
guys made the regional final a year ago and you
played Brian, the team you guys beat the other night.
(01:40):
You know, to go to the state tournament here, But
did you think this was a possibility back when the
season started.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's been our goal since the season started, so every
year we built upon what we've done before and the
players we had helped us get to where we are now.
And we learned a lot when we played Brian last
year and our first night of practice this year, we
weren't preparing to beat you know, certain teams around the area.
We're preparing to beat Brian from night one and if
we did that, it would take care of beating the
(02:07):
other teams around the area as well. So we're blessed
to play in a conference in an area that has
such good softball. That prepared us for that. But from
day one, our goal was to beat Brian and to
get through. We knew they would be the regionals again.
So did I see it coming though, But have we
worked towards it the whole time.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Absolutely, Well, that's awesome to hear.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I know another local team, Madison, they had a heartbreaker,
but that's another team that helped you guys get better, right.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Absolutely, We've had some battles with Madison over the years,
and we were definitely rooting for them the other night
so we could be an achroing together. So they had
a heck of a year. They have a good program
going over there and you know they'll be back.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
We are talking again with Todd Galonia, who is the
softball coach at Lexington High School. If you're not aware,
they will play in the state semi finals on Wednesday
morning at ten o'clock they'll take on Kenton Ridge. That's
out of a springfield, Ohio. That is, so you're kind
of near the date and near. We'll get to them
in a moment, Todd, I want to talk about the
strengths of this team. I know when you have a
really good starting pitcher, boy, that that can be a
(03:03):
thing that can can really help a team. But what
are the strengths of this softball team at.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Lexington, oh Right now? We're hitting on all cylinders that
we're hitting the ball well. Mccary's pitching and one of
the best pitchers in the state of Ohio. And our
defense has only made If I look, I don't have
stats in front of me, but I think we're only
around like twenty two to twenty three hours this year.
So our defense has been spectacular. Our hittings come through,
and when we were playing Ontario a week or two ago,
(03:27):
Mattie Taylor came up with a hit t win a
game in the bottom of the sixth inning, you know,
so we had to come up with timely hitting. And
then of course mccary's doing our job on the mound
and keeping teams down around one or two runs a game,
and you know, if we can do that and score
a couple of runs, we're gonna be successful.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Todd glonious with us against softball coach at Lexington is
they're in the state tournament Wednesday morning for the first time,
Todd in twenty three years. I think about it. You know,
I'm in my early forties. I was just graduating high
school maybe a year after that the last time Lex
went to state.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Though.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
The girls playing on this team that they weren't around
the last time Lex went to state, So this is
a first for a lot of people, right sure.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah. None of them are born, even the alumni
that actually have helped me turn the program around years ago.
I mean I think they if they were born, they
were little, you know. So everybody of the team this
year has really you know, wasn't around the first time.
So it's the first time. But we do know the
history that Lex had some great softball over all those years.
So we're just happy to be a part of it
and getting back.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Hey, Todd, I want to spotlight another another one of
your players. You told me you had a freshman I
think you said, Marianna Molten, who had a big home
run in the regional.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Title game, right yeah, yeah. And then at the top
of the first stting Marianna had a three run home
run that kind of set the tone for that game
and went a long way. And then in the bottom
I made three really good plays on defense that really
helps set that tone. So good tone setting, and then
the rest of them, you know, we're up for the
rest of the rest of the game as well.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So well, Todd, let's talk about the state semi finals.
I know everybody is really really good. When you get
this far, you take on a team I mentioned in
from spring Field, Ohio Kenton Ridge, what all do you know,
Abottom give us kind of the scouting report.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
We were actually fortunate. So we played on Friday night
and their game got moved to Saturday, so we went
down and watched them play. They played Licking Valley, and
they're a lot like us. They have a left handed
pitcher who plays at the national level and travel ball
so plays year round. And then they hit the ball
well one through nine and their defense was pretty solid.
So you know, fortunately for us, we got to see
him play for six innings and got to get a
(05:27):
bit of a scouting report. But I think we match
up well with them. I think they're pretty similar or
identical to us. So kind of have to look at
how we beat ourselves and kind of go from there.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I was going to say, Todd, when you say that
somebody that's similar to yourselves, do you feel like it
helps you prepare? I know, seeing somebody in person, A
lot of people like that, scouting report and all of that,
but similar.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
To you, does that help you a bit as you
guys prepare.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, I mean it gives you that that backwards thinking
of what we could do, you know, to beat us
and look at how we won games of our season
and know what we got to attack and we got
to get the ball in play and make our plays.
I mean that's the biggest thing. And keep the ball
in the park. You know, that's one of the things
can change a game as we free run home run
in the first inning, change a game the other night
against Brian and we just can't let that momentum start
(06:10):
or happen. So yeah, just looking at we could beat
ourselves and we just work on that couple.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Thanks real quick before we let him go, Todd Galonia
our guest six year coach Lexington softball as they're into
the state semi finals again for the first time in
twenty three years. They are twenty four and three. They'll
take on Kenton Ridge. Tonna was reading they haven't lost
yet this season, right, thirty to zero.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
They're thirty. Oh, yes, they're What all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Do you know about the league and kind of who
they play.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I don't know much about their league. One of our
assistants actually grew up out that way years ago, so
he knows some of the teams. He said, in the
league isn't as tough as ours, and some of the
softball down there is not as tough as ours. But
they also played teams outside to play the better competition.
So if you look at their schedule, they added some
other teams outside of there to continue to make them better.
They played some Division I schools down that way that
(06:57):
are actually in the final four as well. So yeah,
they've good talent out that way. I co travel out
near Dayton area for years. There's a lot of talent
out there. I just I don't know much about their league.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Well, Tata, I know, I got to let you go
everybody again once a little bit of Todd's time because
of you know, the big game, the big stage that
they're in. But as you guys go to Akron, you know,
has anybody ever been there Firestone Stadium? It's the State tournament.
I'm sure it's one of those things where, you know,
kind of the big stage we talk about, you know,
kind of look around at the crowd, take it all in,
and then then kind of lock in, you know, laser focus.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
What's kind of your message to the.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Girls, Yeah, I told them going into the regional I say,
you know, ladies, enjoy the ride, enjoy the experience, and
then going to fire so on, I'm gonna, you know,
same thing, you know, and not guaranteed to be back
to twenty three years to do this. So look around,
look at the people supporting you, think about what it's
tough to get here, and just take it all in
and then once the game starts, it's just a regular game,
(07:52):
regular seven to any game that we played twenty seven
of them this year, and we just got to be
prepared to execute. But definitely taking the experience because it's
just something that a lot of people don't get the experience.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Lex Softball against State Tournament Wednesday morning at ten last
thing Todd Galonia head coach at Lexington. You talk about
keys and you have a great starting pitcher and McCary Chapman,
is it one of those things you love to, you know,
get the lead early with her on the mind, that
kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Give me some of the keys you have as you
guys under the game.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, I mean getting the lead early definitely helps out
and also pushes you. We have to make twenty one
outs in a row too, so there's some stress on
that too. So just one of those things getting the
lead and keep adding. Our biggest key in the game
is at against Brian, we scored three in the first
and we kept adding until about fourth inning at six,
and although I wasn't one hundred percent comfortable, was nice
to have a six thousand lead in the fifth inning.
(08:41):
So our biggest thing is every inning add to what
we're doing and then just keep going out and focusing
on making your plays. So the biggest key that we
have make the plays execute and score some runs well.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
And I've covered election in sports for quite a while
and I know one thing you'll You'll have a nice
amount of fans traveling with you to act on Wednesday morning.
I'm sure they're thrilled to see you know, you know
a nice amount of fan base here from lex on
the wet Akron on Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Absolutely, they're amazing. On the before we went to the
regional game the other night, we had a send off
in the rain. As we drove through the square. You
had people that are rooting for us. There's something being
set up, I think Tuesday night when we leave the
head up the Akron. So it's just the community itself,
the administration in the school, and we have people supporting
us all over place. So it's not just us as
a program, but it's also the community, so everybody involved.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Well. We plan to carry the game live on WMA
and Wednesday morning at ten from Akron. People can hear
it on the iHeartRadio app if they can't make it.
Todd Galonia Lexington girls softball coach in the state tournament,
first time since two thousand and two. They'll play Wednesday
morning ten am against Kenton Ridge twenty four and three.
It's been an unbelievable Rod Todd, I know a lot
of people pulling for you. Go get to an Akron.
(09:48):
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
I appreciate you having us on here. Go Lex
All right, we're gonna jump on the telephone this morning
and a lot of excitement is here. We are in
early June and the Lexington softball team, for the first
time in twenty three years, has reached the state tournament.
They will play on Wednesday morning at ten am. They'll
be an Akron at Firestone Stadium in the state semi finals,
(00:20):
and we have their head coach, Todd Galonia, joining us
via the telephone. Todd, first of all, good morning, Thanks
for taking the time. And I'm sure when the journey
started back at the beginning of the season, you'd have
been thrilled if somebody what had said, hey, Todd, you'll
be playing in June.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
How you doing this morning?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Going fine? Thank you very much for having me on.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Yeah, I appreciate it. So let's go there, Todd, You're
playing in June?
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Boy, I mean, can you even you know, tell us
how how much excitement programs school everything right now with
this run.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
No, it's been great. The community has been great the
last couple of days, made them set up different things
for our sendoff. Just getting text emails from people I
don't even know, you know, old players coming up to
the games and being part of it. It's just it's
been a whole community thing and so much excitement around
not just the girls, but everybody around them. Had a
couple of graduation parties over the weekends and many many
(01:12):
people congratulating us and telling us they're going to be
there on Wednesday. So very excited.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Awesome to hear Todd Galonia with us to get his
sixth year softball coach at Lexington before we kind of
touch on the match up and all that. Todd, you know,
I'd love to talk to coaches, and I'll do it
in basketball. You know, Shelby went to the final four
few years ago. Meetsfield Senior Lucas and football, and I'd
love to ask coaches, did you see this coming? You
guys made the regional final a year ago and you
played Brian, the team you guys beat the other night.
(01:40):
You know, to go to the state tournament here, But
did you think this was a possibility back when the
season started.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's been our goal since the season started, so every
year we built upon what we've done before and the
players we had helped us get to where we are now.
And we learned a lot when we played Brian last
year and our first night of practice this year, we
weren't preparing to beat you know, certain teams around the area.
We're preparing to beat Brian from night one and if
we did that, it would take care of beating the
(02:07):
other teams around the area as well. So we're blessed
to play in a conference in an area that has
such good softball. That prepared us for that. But from
day one, our goal was to beat Brian and to
get through. We knew they would be the regionals again.
So did I see it coming though, But have we
worked towards it the whole time.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Absolutely, Well, that's awesome to hear.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I know another local team, Madison, they had a heartbreaker,
but that's another team that helped you guys get better, right.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Absolutely, We've had some battles with Madison over the years,
and we were definitely rooting for them the other night
so we could be an achroing together. So they had
a heck of a year. They have a good program
going over there and you know they'll be back.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
We are talking again with Todd Galonia, who is the
softball coach at Lexington High School. If you're not aware,
they will play in the state semi finals on Wednesday
morning at ten o'clock they'll take on Kenton Ridge. That's
out of a springfield, Ohio. That is, so you're kind
of near the date and near. We'll get to them
in a moment, Todd, I want to talk about the
strengths of this team. I know when you have a
really good starting pitcher, boy, that that can be a
(03:03):
thing that can can really help a team. But what
are the strengths of this softball team at.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Lexington, oh Right now? We're hitting on all cylinders that
we're hitting the ball well. Mccary's pitching and one of
the best pitchers in the state of Ohio. And our
defense has only made If I look, I don't have
stats in front of me, but I think we're only
around like twenty two to twenty three hours this year.
So our defense has been spectacular. Our hittings come through,
and when we were playing Ontario a week or two ago,
(03:27):
Mattie Taylor came up with a hit t win a
game in the bottom of the sixth inning, you know,
so we had to come up with timely hitting. And
then of course mccary's doing our job on the mound
and keeping teams down around one or two runs a game,
and you know, if we can do that and score
a couple of runs, we're gonna be successful.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Todd glonious with us against softball coach at Lexington is
they're in the state tournament Wednesday morning for the first time,
Todd in twenty three years. I think about it. You know,
I'm in my early forties. I was just graduating high
school maybe a year after that the last time Lex
went to state.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Though.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
The girls playing on this team that they weren't around
the last time Lex went to state, So this is
a first for a lot of people, right sure.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah. None of them are born, even the alumni
that actually have helped me turn the program around years ago.
I mean I think they if they were born, they
were little, you know. So everybody of the team this
year has really you know, wasn't around the first time.
So it's the first time. But we do know the
history that Lex had some great softball over all those years.
So we're just happy to be a part of it
and getting back.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Hey, Todd, I want to spotlight another another one of
your players. You told me you had a freshman I
think you said, Marianna Molten, who had a big home
run in the regional.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Title game, right yeah, yeah. And then at the top
of the first stting Marianna had a three run home
run that kind of set the tone for that game
and went a long way. And then in the bottom
I made three really good plays on defense that really
helps set that tone. So good tone setting, and then
the rest of them, you know, we're up for the
rest of the rest of the game as well.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
So well, Todd, let's talk about the state semi finals.
I know everybody is really really good. When you get
this far, you take on a team I mentioned in
from spring Field, Ohio Kenton Ridge, what all do you know,
Abottom give us kind of the scouting report.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
We were actually fortunate. So we played on Friday night
and their game got moved to Saturday, so we went
down and watched them play. They played Licking Valley, and
they're a lot like us. They have a left handed
pitcher who plays at the national level and travel ball
so plays year round. And then they hit the ball
well one through nine and their defense was pretty solid.
So you know, fortunately for us, we got to see
him play for six innings and got to get a
(05:27):
bit of a scouting report. But I think we match
up well with them. I think they're pretty similar or
identical to us. So kind of have to look at
how we beat ourselves and kind of go from there.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
I was going to say, Todd, when you say that
somebody that's similar to yourselves, do you feel like it
helps you prepare? I know, seeing somebody in person, A
lot of people like that, scouting report and all of that,
but similar.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
To you, does that help you a bit as you
guys prepare.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, I mean it gives you that that backwards thinking
of what we could do, you know, to beat us
and look at how we won games of our season
and know what we got to attack and we got
to get the ball in play and make our plays.
I mean that's the biggest thing. And keep the ball
in the park. You know, that's one of the things
can change a game as we free run home run
in the first inning, change a game the other night
against Brian and we just can't let that momentum start
(06:10):
or happen. So yeah, just looking at we could beat
ourselves and we just work on that couple.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Thanks real quick before we let him go, Todd Galonia
our guest six year coach Lexington softball as they're into
the state semi finals again for the first time in
twenty three years. They are twenty four and three. They'll
take on Kenton Ridge. Tonna was reading they haven't lost
yet this season, right, thirty to zero.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
They're thirty. Oh, yes, they're What all.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Do you know about the league and kind of who
they play.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I don't know much about their league. One of our
assistants actually grew up out that way years ago, so
he knows some of the teams. He said, in the
league isn't as tough as ours, and some of the
softball down there is not as tough as ours. But
they also played teams outside to play the better competition.
So if you look at their schedule, they added some
other teams outside of there to continue to make them better.
They played some Division I schools down that way that
(06:57):
are actually in the final four as well. So yeah,
they've good talent out that way. I co travel out
near Dayton area for years. There's a lot of talent
out there. I just I don't know much about their league.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Well, Tata, I know, I got to let you go
everybody again once a little bit of Todd's time because
of you know, the big game, the big stage that
they're in. But as you guys go to Akron, you know,
has anybody ever been there Firestone Stadium? It's the State tournament.
I'm sure it's one of those things where, you know,
kind of the big stage we talk about, you know,
kind of look around at the crowd, take it all in,
and then then kind of lock in, you know, laser focus.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
What's kind of your message to the.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Girls, Yeah, I told them going into the regional I say,
you know, ladies, enjoy the ride, enjoy the experience, and
then going to fire so on, I'm gonna, you know,
same thing, you know, and not guaranteed to be back
to twenty three years to do this. So look around,
look at the people supporting you, think about what it's
tough to get here, and just take it all in
and then once the game starts, it's just a regular game,
(07:52):
regular seven to any game that we played twenty seven
of them this year, and we just got to be
prepared to execute. But definitely taking the experience because it's
just something that a lot of people don't get the experience.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Lex Softball against State Tournament Wednesday morning at ten last
thing Todd Galonia head coach at Lexington. You talk about
keys and you have a great starting pitcher and McCary Chapman,
is it one of those things you love to, you know,
get the lead early with her on the mind, that
kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Give me some of the keys you have as you
guys under the game.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah, I mean getting the lead early definitely helps out
and also pushes you. We have to make twenty one
outs in a row too, so there's some stress on
that too. So just one of those things getting the
lead and keep adding. Our biggest key in the game
is at against Brian, we scored three in the first
and we kept adding until about fourth inning at six,
and although I wasn't one hundred percent comfortable, was nice
to have a six thousand lead in the fifth inning.
(08:41):
So our biggest thing is every inning add to what
we're doing and then just keep going out and focusing
on making your plays. So the biggest key that we
have make the plays execute and score some runs well.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
And I've covered election in sports for quite a while
and I know one thing you'll You'll have a nice
amount of fans traveling with you to act on Wednesday morning.
I'm sure they're thrilled to see you know, you know
a nice amount of fan base here from lex on
the wet Akron on Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Absolutely, they're amazing. On the before we went to the
regional game the other night, we had a send off
in the rain. As we drove through the square. You
had people that are rooting for us. There's something being
set up, I think Tuesday night when we leave the
head up the Akron. So it's just the community itself,
the administration in the school, and we have people supporting
us all over place. So it's not just us as
a program, but it's also the community, so everybody involved.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Well. We plan to carry the game live on WMA
and Wednesday morning at ten from Akron. People can hear
it on the iHeartRadio app if they can't make it.
Todd Galonia Lexington girls softball coach in the state tournament,
first time since two thousand and two. They'll play Wednesday
morning ten am against Kenton Ridge twenty four and three.
It's been an unbelievable Rod Todd, I know a lot
of people pulling for you. Go get to an Akron.
(09:48):
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
I appreciate you having us on here. Go Lex
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.