Many siblings play together in high school but Mission Prep softball’s duo have a unique relationship thanks to their personalities and positions.
Junior Roxanne Guerra is the ace in the circle for this year’s Royals team helping lead the team to a CIF Central Section semifinal. Her sister, Rose Guerra, is only a freshman but has become the vocal leader for the team catching for her older sister behind home plate.
“[She's been catching for me] probably since I was about nine and we've always had like a good relationship on and off the field,” Roxanne said.
However, the contentious side of a sibling relationship on the field can rear its head its head from time to time.
“When we are younger, we're definitely down each others necks and even now doing warm ups and stuff," Rose admitted. "But on the field we keep it a little bit better, but we get on each other a lot."
But as catchers should, little sister Rose is there not only to catch but be the glue for the defense and always ready to be there for her big sister.
“She always has my back,” Roxanne admitted.
“You'll hear me in the game a lot," Rose explained in regards to the chirping that is sometimes directed at Roxanne's play from opposing teams. "I'm making sure they're not talking to my sister bad.”
In their quarterfinal game against No. 2 Immanuel, the Royals went to 10 innings where the team and the sisters, had gutsy performances with Rose hitting the tying homer in the sixth inning while Roxanne tossed all 10 innings with 22 strikeouts including her own go ahead home-run that sparked a grand slam from Mikaylee Gordon to complete the upset.
“I just really wanted our season to continue and try and make it back to the championship,” Roxanne stated.
Mission Prep is back on the road May 23 in the Division IV semifinals against No. 3 McLane for a chance to get to the title game.
