South Charleston – Wahama and Herbert Hoover liked winning the state championship so much both softball programs decided to do it again.
Joined by Class AAA Jefferson, the trio accounted for the three state championships handed out Thursday afternoon at Little Creek Park.
In Class A, Wahama jumped out to a 4-1 lead over Petersburg, holding off a late rally from the Vikings to win their sixth consecutive state tournament game and defend their state championship with a 4-3 victory.
In Class AA the Huskies fought out of the losers bracket for the second consecutive year behind their scorching hot bats.
Hoover earned its spot in the title game by dispatching Oak Glen 7-4, avenging Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Golden Bears. Needing to win two in order to beat Winfield, the Huskies jumped out to a 3-1 lead, tacking on four runs in the final two innings to win 7-1 and force a winner-take-all title game.
They left no doubt after an inning.
Falling behind 2-0 before batting, the Huskies got both runs back and more, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first, blasting the game open in the third and fourth innings to win 21-3, securing their fifth consecutive Class AA championship.
In Class AAA John Marshall dispatched Lincoln County early in the day to advance to the championship game before falling 6-1 to Jefferson in the title game.
***
All-Tournament Teams
Class AAA – Becca Munslow, Kaylee Dalton, Lacie Lewis (Jefferson), Kadence Pettit, Megan Dougherty, Ava Blake and Taylor Presley (John Marshall), Josie Bird and Haleigh Adkins (Lincoln County) and Tayven Stephenson (St. Albans)
Class AA – Paige Maynard (Shady Spring), Maci Boggess, Kennedy Dean and Georgia Moulder (Winfield), Brooklyn Huffman, Josi Fix and Sydney Shamblin (Hoover), Maddie McKay and Lizzie Kell (Oak Glen)
Class A – Jenna Stonestreet (Midland Trail), Ella Bullman and Ella Smith (St. Marys), Emma Knapp, Lauren Noble, Amber Wolfe and Mike Lieving (Wahama), and Mikala Taylor and Sam Colaw (Petersburg)