Suffice to say, Bailey Leach’s senior year was a blast at Pleasant Plains.
She started off with third place in the Class 2A girls basketball state finals before rustling up second place in the Class 1A girls soccer state finals.
“I mean, wow,” Leach said, recollecting the past eight months. “I’m honestly lost for words just because it’s just so crazy how all the time and effort I’ve put in finally paid off, and I got to my ultimate goal of going to state in both of my sports.
“I keep saying how crazy it is, but it truly is just because I know many girls would love to be in the position I was in. It’s honestly just a true blessing how my senior year went and I’m very grateful for it.”
Leach makes history
Leach — reinforced by a talented senior class — ushered a stupendous reign of dominance with a combined 57-4-2 record stretching back to November.
She joined a bulwark of seniors that included Grace Sabatka, Madison Burke and The State Journal-Register’s Small School Girls Basketball Player of the Year Anna Weber over the winter.
The hardwood Cardinals (31-3) rolled to their most wins in school history and second-ever state appearance, where they dropped to eventual state champion Breese Central in the semifinals.
Leach, serving as point guard, was named to the 2A all-state second team by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, averaging 11.5 points, 3.2 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game.
As crazy as it might sound, Leach said she wasn’t sure how the soccer season would turn out due to early setbacks wrought by injuries.
But everyone stepped up, and Plains (26-1-2) barreled into its first-ever championship game undefeated before falling to Glen Carbon Father McGivney, led by a senior vanguard that also included Sabatka, Raelyn Brammer and Caroline Willenborg.
Leach, the school’s all-time leader with 162 goals and 85 assists, won her third Small School Girls Soccer Player of the Year award from the SJ-R. She is also the SJ-R’s Female Athlete of the Year.
“Only one loss is just crazy,” Leach said. “I would never have thought that our record would be like that. Coach (Greg) Bryan is a wonderful coach and he’s been around soccer for so long. He knows what he’s doing. But ultimately it was just our team chemistry, and I think I’ve probably told you this before: we call ourselves a big family, and it truly is. It’s just very surreal going to state in both of my sports.”
Leach makes the right call
Leach will resume soccer at Illinois State University. She signed with the Redbirds in November so she could stay close to home and keep tabs on her younger sisters, Jada and twins Paige and Paisley.
She joins a couple familiar twins in Normal as well, Rowann and Rylann Law. Leach has previously paired up with the former Chatham Glenwood stars on various club teams.
“Those girls are truly amazing,” Leach said. “We’re not just soccer teammates, we’re best friends.”
Leach said she originally wanted to play college basketball and briefly put club soccer on ice after her freshman year.
“I missed it a little bit,” Leach jested.
She turned to Central Illinois United and found another gear under coach Natalie Freeman. She molded the left foot into a scoring weapon and learned other nuances such as how to master the first touch as well as how to pivot around defenders.
Leach said that offseason work showed this year, and she finished with 49 goals and 25 assists despite constant attention.
She also called her dad, Ryan, her No. 1 supporter. Ryan was quite the player himself at Springfield College and University of Illinois Springfield.
“I don’t think I’d be the player I am today without him,” Leach said. “He’s coached me like every single year and every single soccer team I’ve played on. He volunteers at the school just because he wants to not only help me out but just help the team out.”
Leach said the work never ends, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’m glad I picked soccer — four more years,” Leach said.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Pleasant Plains’ Division I attacker named SJ-R Girls Athlete of the Year
Reporting by Bill Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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By Bill Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register | USA TODAY Network
