This week’s high school softball state championship action got underway Friday night at Farrington Stadium, with the 1A and 2A title games. Here’s how the showdowns transpired:
Horizon Honors beats Northland Prep for first-ever title
Michael Corey knew from the beginning that this team was special. It didn’t matter that he only had nine players, suiting up a basketball-playing equipment manager just to have an emergency option off the bench. Even in February, when Horizon Honors first convened for preseason workouts, the talent level was different.
On Friday, Corey’s visions came true. For the first time in school history, Horizon Honors won a softball state championship, beating Northland Prep, 4-3, to claim the 2A crown.
The key blow came in the top of the seventh inning. With runners on first and second and one out, first baseman Alexa Villaverde knew she just needed to put the ball in play.
After falling into a two-strike count, Villaverde did just that, fighting off a pitch away and rolling it slowly towards shortstop. Northland Prep’s Audre Wilson came in on the ball but had no play at first base. As Wilson considered throwing to first, Nicole Topete tore towards home plate from second base. By the time Wilson spotted Topete, it was too late.
“I needed to put the ball in play to score a run,” Villaverde said. “We were tied, 3-3, so that’s what I had to do. I was on two strikes, pressure was on so that’s what I did.”
Early on, Horizon Honors jumped out to a 3-1 lead, thanks in part to a pair of extra base hits from pitcher Lucy Holweger. But Northland Prep tied it up with run-scoring singles in the third and fifth.
That set the stage for a thrilling ninth. Even after Horizon Honors took the lead in the top half, Northland Prep had life. The Spartans had a runner on first with two outs that turned into a runner in scoring position when Corey made the bold call to intentionally walk third baseman Reannan Butler.
Corey’s move, though, was calculated. He felt that first baseman Christianna Janisse was susceptible to riseballs above the zone.
“I felt pretty confident that she’d chase that high pitch,” Corey said. “She’s been doing it every year that we’ve played them.”
In an 0-1 count, Janisse fouled off Holweger’s first riseball. Then Holweger went even higher. This time, Janisse had no chance, swinging under the pitch and sending Horizon Honors into a scrum of jubilant, leaping bodies in the infield.
“I was just like, there’s no way we just did this,” Holweger said. “I was so happy.”
Williams walks off Joseph City to win 1A championship
Imagine being Williams softball in the fifth inning Friday night. You’re down, 8-3. You’ve struggled in the field all night. You’ve managed just two hits. And now, only three more chances are on the table to claw back.
It would have been easy in that moment to start mentally preparing for the three hour drive home. Up I-17, through the Prescott Valley and into Northern Arizona. All in dead silence, knowing your shot at a title had slipped away.
Instead, Williams fought. It wasn’t pretty or glamourous, but with five hits, two walks and a dash of help from Joseph City’s defense, Williams flipped the game on its head. By the end of the inning, the Vikings led, 10-8, setting the course for an eventual 11-9 win over Joseph City and a second 1A championship in three years.
“It was just, play the game as normal,” Williams coach Raul Hatch said. “Let’s just get one run at a time, just do it. And they rode the enthusiasm, they rode the adrenaline and got it done.”
The star of the explosive fifth was designated player Makaela Mackay. Mackay led off the inning with a triple and came around to score two batters later. After a fielder’s choice, single, single, walk, walk and groundout, Williams led, 9-8, by the time she stepped back in the box. With two outs, Mackay laced another triple into left-center field, driving home the 10th and final run of the inning.
“I don’t even remember the moment,” Mackay said. “It was just eyes shut and I was on third. It was crazy. But hey, same thing happened with our game yesterday. We were down and then someone comes in, does it for us. Someone’s gotta do it.”
Joseph City fought back in the top of the seventh, with a leadoff double from Staisha Murdock. When Brooklyn Petersen followed that by ripping a line drive, it looked as if Williams’ lead might fade into the Tempe night. Instead, second baseman Shaelee Echeverria was positioned perfectly to snag Petersen’s sinking liner.
As Echeverria caught the ball, a gasp spread through Farrington Stadium. Seemingly at once, both teams and both sets of fans spotted Petersen cheating off second base. Echeverria beat her to the bag, recording the second out and erasing Joseph City’s only baserunner.
“I hate to predict anything,” Hatch said. “But I figured the game was over when we got that play done.”
Joseph City still put two more runners on, via a single and a walk. But, with a groundout to second from Kate Edwards, Harch’s prediction came true. Williams was, once again, state champions.