The story of Lady Pintos star Ellie Clay is a story of both success and redemption.
Clay was born and raised in Columbia, and grew up into a young girl who loved the great outdoors. Clay grew up enjoying softball, basketball and hunting in her spare time. She attended Rock Bridge High School as a freshman and a sophomore before she moved to California just before her junior year.
During her two years at Rock Bridge, Clay was a household name for the Lady Bruins in softball and basketball. In her sophomore season of softball in 2020, Clay and the Lady Bruins won third place at the Class 4 state championship. Clay also won a district championship in girls basketball at Rock Bridge.
"I loved growing up in Columbia with my mom and I have nothing but fond memories at Rock Bridge," Clay said. "I learned to do everything while I lived there from playing softball and basketball to learning how to hunt deer, turkeys, rabbits, and things like that. It was hard to leave Rock Bridge, but I know that Columbia will always be a part of me."
The Clay family moved to California just before the 2020-21 school year. And when they got there, they were welcomed almost immediately. Ellie got that same warm welcome when she arrived at California High School.
Clay wanted to continue to play high school softball and basketball. She decided that to hold off on basketball as a junior and only participate in team workouts and play for Lady Pintos basketball as a senior. But softball was a different story for Clay. Lady Pintos softball head coach Steven Stock took Clay under his wing from the first day of training camp and helped transform Clay into a more complete player by giving her multiple responsibilities on the field.
"When I first got to California, I was a little concerned about playing basketball for a new team in just a short amount of time after I moved here. But I had no problems with getting back to the softball field," said Clay. "It was a little more difficult because I didn't get to play at my favorite position of shortstop as much as I wanted to. The team was in need of pitching and they wanted me to fill that role."
Clay spent her junior season alternating between playing shortstop and pitcher. She found a great rhythm in her rotations and it greatly helped the Lady Pintos. California softball went 18-5 in Clay's junior season in 2020. But it came to an abrupt end in the district championship game with a 3-2 loss to Fatima.
While California had a difficult 2021 season, finishing at 12-12, Clay captured the headlines and the hearts of Lady Pintos fans with the best pitching season California had seen in years. Clay even threw two no-hitters with a span of two days against Osage and Marshall at the Versailles/California Turf War Tournament.
"Those two no-hitters were definitely one of the highlights of my senior year. But I would have to say my favorite moment of playing softball at California is when I was a junior and I hit a walk-off home run in our last home game of the regular season against New Bloomfield," Clay said. "We were down, I think, one or two runs in the seventh inning and a hit the third pitch as hard as a could and it went over the fence. Everyone was cheering me on and I remember running around the bases and the feeling of joy I got from the moment."
In the winter of last year, Clay chose to go back to playing basketball and Lady Pintos basketball head coach Bobby Sangster was thrilled to have Clay on board. Ellie worked her way into California's playing system and found herself in the position of starting center on most game nights.
"I knew I wasn't usually going to be the best player on the court most night. But I didn't mind it that much. Just to be able to play basketball again and to play as well as I did was very gratifying," Clay said. "Probably my favorite game of last season was when we beat Skyline in overtime at home. We were just so excited for the game and we knew that it was going to be really hard because they had been to state several times. We held on for the win in the final seconds and it was one of the best wins I've ever been a part of."
Clay averaged four points and five rebounds per game in her only season with the Lady Pintos last year and won her third district championship overall and her second in girls basketball.
Clay will head off to Maryville to major in agricultural business at Northwest Missouri State University. But she has a few thanks you to give out before she packs her bags.
"I want to thank the entire community of California who made me feel like I was always one of their own when I first got here two years ago. No matter where I was or what I was doing in sports, everyone in the town would come out and support me. It was always something amazing," said Clay. "I may not have been a lifetime resident of California like some of my other friends, but this town and this community has been so great to me and I can't wait to come back here again."
Clay gave up time at her favorite softball position, the shortstop, to lead the Lady Pintos in wins in 2021 and threw two no-hitters along the way. (Democrat Photo/Evan Holmes)
After a one year hiatus, Clay made her return to the basketball court and won another district championship. (Democrat Photo/Evan Holmes)
Clay said that one of her favorite wins last season was California's 58-56 overtime win on January 20th over former state champion Skyline. (Democrat Photo/Evan Holmes)
Clay worked her way into the role of starting center for the Lady Pintos basketball team and averaged four points and five rebounds in her senior season. (Democrat Photo/Evan Holmes)