Since 1995, only three Nebraska Class A softball programs have won state titles, and all three of them played their way into Nebraska's big school state championships this week following district title wins a week ago.
After securing its bid to the 2015 state tournament with an 11-0 Class A-1 district title win over Bellevue West, MaxPreps top-ranked Papillion-LaVista (28-4) will begin its quest for a 14th Nebraska big school state title Wednesday at 9 a.m. when the Monarchs face No. 8 seed Lincoln North Star (25-11) on Field 1.
Five-time champion Millard South (24-4), ranked third in MaxPreps' latest computer poll, captured the A-3 district title with a 9-6 win over Columbus, and begins play Wednesday at the Bill Smith Softball Complex in Hastings at 9 a.m. on Field 2 against Millard West (19-9).
With a 5-4 triumph over Grand Island, MaxPreps No. 4 ranked Lincoln Southwest (28-8) secured the A-6 title and prepares to battle Omaha Marian (25-3) on Field 3 Wednesday at 9 a.m., while No. 6 Millard North (24-6) and No. 5 Kearney (29-8) will compete against each other in the other Class A opening round match at the same time on Field 4.
The Monarchs may be the winners of the most state titles in Nebraska's largest classification, but Millard South owns the past four state championship trophies and has to be considered a championship contender.
In Class B, York is considered to be the odds-on favorite to lasso its first state softball title and in Class C, Conestoga enters its first state tournament with the expectation of winning a state championship.
They said it"To say we were nervous would be an understatement," Kearney coach Natalie Madsen told the Omaha World Herald after having to wait for all of the results to come in before learning her Bearcats had earned Class A's wild card berth. "After about an hour of waiting, I told the girls, ‘This is what happens when you leave your fate in someone else's hands.'"
"It's like the streak to state," Papillion-LaVista coach Todd Petersen told the Omaha World Herald after his program kept its streak of 23 straight state tournament berths alive. "We don't talk about them until we get it. All of them are part of the tradition and history of the program, and we want them to know about it."
"We know it's going to be a dogfight every time we play them simply because of how good they are," Gretna coach Bill Heard said of his opening-round foe Elkhorn South. "I think they're the team that has the best chance to win the whole thing."
"Two years back, we had a group that wanted to change things," Bishop Neumann coach David Brabec told the Lincoln Journal Star. "That group of seniors showed this year's seniors what it takes and we've had some life-changing summers. Our seven seniors that we have this year have really bonded as a team and are not playing as individuals. Those things, along with our three mottos (have fun, give 100 percent and control the controllable), are something that they've bought into. And the fundamentals have brought us a long way as a team."
"We didn't perform at the plate like we wanted to in the first game, but I couldn't be more proud of the guts they showed by going four games today and coming out on top," York coach Danyel Seevers told the Lincoln Journal Star after securing a berth in the Class B state softball field. "We just had the desire to get it done. This team is competitors, they just want to compete. Couldn't ask for a better group to coach."
First round rematches and their results from the regular season
Class AMarian (Omaha) vs.
Lincoln Southwest (7-3)
Millard South (Omaha) vs.
Millard West (Omaha) (16-6, 2-1)
Class BHastings vs.
Northwest (Grand Island) (5-4, 10-3, 8-3, 5-9, 10-0)
Elkhorn South vs.
Gretna (2-0, 0-4, 2-1, 2-1)
Beatrice vs.
North Platte (11-1)
Class CConestoga (Murray) vs.
Milford (6-7)
Bishop Neumann (Wahoo) vs.
Raymond Central (Raymond) (4-1)
Wayne vs.
Guardian Angels Central Catholic (West Point) (6-9, 8-2, 6-2, 6-2, 11-6)
State tournament category leadersBatting average –
Courtney Potter, Raymond Central .602
Home runs –
Sam Dellinger,
Papillion-LaVista (Papillion) 10;
Mikaela Pechar, Millard West 10
Slugging percentage – Sam Dellinger, Papillion-LaVista 1.148
RBIs –
Kortney Keller, Wayne 43; Mikaela Pechar, Millard West 43
Runs scored – Courtney Potter, Raymond Central 56
On Base percentage – Courtney Potter, Raymond Central .699
Stolen Bases –
Markki Frazier, Hastings 23
Earned run average –
Kellyn Daly, Omaha Marian 0.67
Strikeouts – Kellyn Daly, Omaha Marian 253
Wins from mound – Kellyn Daly, Omaha Marian 21;
Caitlyn Johnson, Raymond Central 21
Fielding percentage -
Alex Hanson, Raymond Central 1.000
Double-digit MaxPreps ranked teams in the field of 24Twin River (Genoa) (22-12) Class C No. 11
Milford (18-14) Class C No. 14
North Platte (18-18) Class B No. 17
Wahoo (14-15) Class B No. 22
Highest ranked teams not in the field of 24 in each classPius X (Lincoln) (19-12) Class A No. 9
Blair (24-9) Class B No. 4
Malcolm (20-8) Class C No. 6
Top 10 teams in state tournament appearancesPapillion-LaVista – 23 (The Monarchs have competed in every state softball tournament)
Beatrice – 18
Millard South – 16
Millard North – 15
Millard West – 15
Wayne – 13
Cozad – 12
Omaha Marian – 11
North Platte – 10
Lincoln Southwest – 9
Wahoo – 9
Milford – 9
2015 state qualifiers with at least one championshipPapillion-LaVista 13 (1995-2004, 2006, 2007, 2010)
Millard South 5 (2005, 2011-14)
Beatrice 3 (2000, 2001, 2003)
Wahoo 3 (2010, 2011, 2013)
Lincoln Southwest 2 (2008, 2009)
Wayne 2 (2003, 2004)
Millard North 1 (1993)
Cozad 1 (2006)
Guardian Angels Central Catholic 1 (2014)
