For the Sequoyah High School softball team, this season was about more than wins and losses. The Lady Indians traveled to Shawnee for the 3A fast pitch state tournament and finished as state runner-ups, but they carried the memo ry of a teammate with them every step of the way.The season was a special one because the team lost one of their teammates to a car crash the day their season started. Holli Carnes was a senior who had just transferred to the school.I spoke with Holli's mother, Claudia Carnes, who told me I was just the third person she has talked to since August 11th the day that changed her family's lives moving forward.Claudia made it down to Shawnee for the state championship, but that was also the first place she has gone since the passing of her daughter back in August. She watched the game from inside of her car, but her daughters went into the game and the team invited them inside of their dugout.When the Lady Indians won that state runner-up title, they held up a banner of Holli and gave the trophy to Holli's sister.Carnes said it's still very tough to be around people, but she felt like she needed to be there for her daughter."Anytime we can keep her name alive, like keep her in people's minds. Her sisters and her dad and I, that's what we do," Carnes said. "We will talk about her all day long. Several of her friends messaged me and some I didn't know very well, on how much they miss her."I spoke to several seniors on Sequoyah and Coach Turtle, who told me the team wore towels, wristbands and had stickers on their helmets in remembrance of their teammate.Carnes said she even got a call before the state championship game from the opposing team, asking if they could wear black for Holli. Their student section also wore black in support of her.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less