When Maize South softball coach Cody Stucky noticed a small decline in his team’s championship level performance this season, he devised an innovative method to grab the attention of his players.
He rummaged through the school’s trophy case and removed the state championship trophy awarded to the baseball team in 2017.
“Do you desire this?” Stucky asked as he held aloft the championship trophy.
“Or this,” he remarked as he held up the small fourth-place medals that the Mavericks received last spring.
Everybody was eager for redemption following a devastating defeat in the state semifinals the previous spring, when Bishop Carroll mounted a comeback with four runs in the seventh inning, unexpectedly ending Maize South’s championship aspirations. However, before their gathering in mid-April, this driving force remained mostly unsaid as they sought motivation.
Stucky’s dramatics served as a reminder for Maize South of why they didn’t want this season to mirror last year’s outcome. In response, the Mavericks have put together their finest campaign yet, extending their flawless record to an impressive 28-0 on Tuesday. They clinched the Class 5A regional championship at home with a convincing 9-2 win against Valley Center in the finale.
Maize South will secure the number one seeding for next week’s event.
Kansas Class 5A high school softball state championshiptournament
at Wilkins Stadium.
“It certainly opened our eyes,” stated Lizzy Lassley, a senior at Maize South High School. “Our team thrives on motivation, and seeing this really provided us with a clear vision of what we’re striving towards. Last year felt devastating as we were so near yet far from achieving our goals; however, this year has brought about a fresh perspective, and we are moving forward with momentum.”
Given that all but three players returned from last year’s squad, Maize South anticipated this season might hold great promise. However, the Mavericks have surpassed every expectation up until now.
Sophie Stockham, who has signed with UNLV, has been phenomenal on the mound, boasting an impressive 15-0 record, a minuscule 0.59 ERA, and an astounding 230 strikeouts across only 94 innings pitched. At bat, she leads her team with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs, while maintaining a robust .477 batting average as one of the key hitters in their lineup.
Lassley (.570 batting average, 54 runs, 33 RBIs), Kinslee Cottner (.511 batting average, nine home runs, 42 RBIs, 13 wins, 1.42 ERA) along with Kiley Thornquist (.412 batting average, 39 RBIs, 38 runs) have made the Mavericks stand out with some of the top performers in the state. Other key contributors include Kinley Davis, Ava Jakubov, Gabby Gaither, Payton Southard, and Camren Moses who add significant power to the team’s offensive capabilities.
Throughout the season, Maize South has scored 288 points compared to their opponents’ 27 points.
We recognized early on that this team would be extraordinary, and coaching them has been incredibly enjoyable,” Stucky stated. “Last year’s final day at the state tournament was one of the most disappointing moments in softball history, which I believe has significantly fueled these players. Besides their evident talent, they’re highly driven, making it truly entertaining to observe.
On Tuesday, nobody outperformed Cottner who had an impressive game, going 6-for-6 at bat with two home runs and driving in 10 runs. This helped Maize South secure victories against Goddard with a score of 11-4 and against Valley Center with a score of 9-2.
We all discussed what occurred last year, and it motivated us significantly,” stated Cottner, who is a sophomore. “We agreed none of that was going to repeat itself this year. We’re extremely eager to achieve success for our seniors. The team is incredibly enjoyable, and we always have a blast during practices. Whenever it’s game time, we understand that everyone has each other’s support.
The squad has achieved two out of their three objectives for the season — securing the AV-CTL Division I championship and claiming a regional title. Their final target remains: winning a state championship.
The Mavericks have shown this season that they are capable of winning the championship, yet Stucky understands that this will not matter significantly once the tournament kicks off next Thursday.
(28-0) isn’t as significant right now,” Stucky stated. “We’ll savor this regional title for the moment and return to hard work in practice. They understand what’s on the line now.
Other softball squads from the Wichita area advancing to the state tournament
Ava Boden and Addison Gutzmer teamed up to pitch 12 consecutive scoreless innings, driving the team forward.
Derby
(21-7) returning to the 6A state tournament. During their regional games, the Panthers secured consecutive clean sheets, highlighted by a decisive 5-0 win against Lawrence Free State in the finale, thanks largely to an exceptional showing from Boden on the mound. Leading the charge was Karlie Demel with multiple hits and two runs scored, followed closely by Carsen Carpenter, Jersey Ramirez, and Ashlyn Hamilton each contributing RBIs during the last match.
The undefeated season of
McPherson
With a score of (28-0), they proceeded smoothly thanks to two convincing wins, securing their place in the 4A state championship match after defeating Mulvane 9-2 in the regional finals. They took an early lead in each game, highlighted by a dominating 14-4 run-rule triumph against Clay Center. Throughout these matches, Addison Chapman, Haely Hagemann, Pera Bauer, Addie Herrera, Carmin Pavlovich, and Rylie Whitfield maintained their exceptional performances, continuing their stellar campaigns this season.
Circle
(20-8) continued their impressive winning streak to 13 games as they secured a victory in the 4A regional championship held in Hoisington. They sealed this triumph with an emphatic 16-1 run-rule against the host team during the final match. Kendyl Acker contributed significantly by hitting a homerun and driving in four runs, leading all batters. Meanwhile, Lauren Swilley had three hits along with scoring three times; Brynne Bowman brought in two RBIs; and Whitney Wilbur both pitched a strong performance from the mound and also added two more RBIs offensively.
In their opening game, despite trailing by four runs heading into the fifth inning, the Thunderbirds mounted a remarkable comeback, ultimately outscoring Augusta 12-7 to finish victorious with a scoreline of 14-7. In that pivotal inning, Swilley, Logan James, and Bowman each managed multiple RBI performances crucial to turning around the tide of the game.
Following his separation from Buhler merely three weeks prior,
Clearwater
(24-4) had no doubts in a rematch during the 4A regional final, securing a 13-3 run-rule triumph against the Crusaders. Liv Miller, Makena Hampton, and Taylor Nielsen each slammed home runs, while Trista Welty contributed two RBIs at bat and claimed the win as pitcher. In their earlier game, Hampton and Camryn Carlson teamed up to bring in seven runs in a decisive 15-0 win over Hugoton to kick off the day.
Cedar Vale-Dexter
(26-1) Outperformed its local rivals with an overall score of 43-3, highlighted by a decisive 15-1 victory against West Elk in the championship game, securing a spot at the 2-1A state tournament. This season, the squad has been spearheaded by Edee Boatman, Zoe Davidson, Gracie Webb, Kylie Hedgecock, and Kendall Graham.
In a clash between two one-loss squads where each team was responsible for handing the other their sole defeat this campaign,
Inman
(22-1) secured the rematch victory against Bennington with an 8-1 score at their home field, clinching a regional championship and securing a spot in the 2-1A state tournament. Led by Lyla Levin’s outstanding performance on the mound, the Teutons also benefited from RBIs contributed by Maddi Parsons, Marlee Ballard, Allison Schrag, and Alexis Noone.
Scores from the Kansas high school softball regional tournament
Class 6A Derby
Derby 5, Lawrence Free State 0 (end)
Derby 10, Dodge City 0
Lawrence Free State 16, Wichita Northwest 7
Class 5A Maize South
Maize South 9, Valley Center 2 (end score)
Maize South 11, Goddard 4
Valley Center 6, Kapaun Mount Carmel 5
Class 5A Great Bend
Topeka Seaman 7, Great Bend 6 (end score)
Great Bend scored 13 points, Andover Central scored 1
Topeka Seaman 7, Goddard Eisenhower 3
Class 5A Salina Central
Salina Central 15, Salina South 8 (end score)
Salina South 16, Newton 1
Salina Central 8, Emporia 0
Class 4A McPherson
McPherson 9, Mulvane 2 (end result)
McPherson scored 14 points, while Clay Center managed only 4 points.
Mulvane 15, Larned 0
Class 4A Chapman
Chapman 5, Andale-Garden Plain 3 (end)
Chapman 6, Concordia 2
Andale-Garden Plain scored 10, while Pratt had 7 points.
Class 4A Clearwater
Clearwater 13, Buhler 3 (end)
Clearwater 15, Hugoton 0
Buhler 13, Rose Hill 3
Class 4A Hoisington
Circle 16, Hoisington 1 (concluded)
Hoisington 8, Ulysses 5
Circle 14, Augusta 10
Class 3A Halstead (Round One)
Wichita Trinity 10, Chaparral 0
Kingman-Norwich 4, Cheney 3
Halstead scored 3, while Conway Springs-Argonia scored 1.
Haven 7, Hesston 0
Class 2-1A Inman
Inman 8, Bennington 1 (end score)
Bennington 17, Sterling 3
Inman 13, Salina Sacred Heart 2
Class 2-1A Moundridge (semifinals)
Bluestem 7, Sedgwick 6
Remington 3, Moundridge 2
Class 2-1A Flinthills
Central Heights 16, Lebo-Waverly 6 (end score)
Central Heights 9, Southern Lyon County 0
Lebo-Waverly 15, Flinthills 5
Class 2-1A Sedan
Cedar Vale-Dexter 15, West Elk 1 (end)
Cedar Vale-Dexter 13, Oxford 2
West Elk scored 12 points, while South Sumner County scored 8.
