By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
LAWRENCE -- After winning a physically and emotionally demanding Class 6A semifinal game against Olathe Northwest, Washburn Rural’s softball team couldn’t overcome the exhaustion in a 10-0 loss to Olathe West in the 6A championship game on Friday night at Arrocha Park.
As Washburn Rural saw its season come to a close against Olathe West in the state championship, the Junior Blue dugout was filled with tears, smiles and hugs. The Junior Blues made it to the biggest game of the year for a second straight year, but couldn’t quite get over the hump after a very long tournament.
Washburn Rural senior star Emmerson Cope and JuniorBlues softball coach Elizabeth Stover exchange a hug after Friday' 10-0 loss to Olathe West in the Class 6A championship game. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural softball huddles up after receiving its second-place trophy in Friday's Class 6A state tournament. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural poses for a team picture with its Class 6A second-place trophy Friday at Lawrence. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The seniors leave Washburn Rural with a COVID-19 canceled freshman year, a first-round exit in the state tournament their sophomore years and back-to-back trips to the 6A state championship games their junior and senior years.
Washburn Rural coach Elizabeth Stover leaves the program after five successful years, the last two as head coach. Right out of college, Stover took a job that was a dream scenario for her. Stover is heading closer to home to take a job as Shawnee Mission South, but the legacy she left behind at Washburn Rural will be remembered by everyone involved.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better place to work right out of college,” Stover said. “This was my first place, and it was my dream job that just kind of fell (into) my lap. I didn’t realize where I was applying to when I first got out there. So just to have the opportunity from Ed Raines, Penny Lane, who was the one that hired me, and Charlie Nimz this last year (was great).
“And then all of the girls and their families to put their trust in me in the last five years has been just phenomenal. So I am really proud of that, and it’s been a great jumpstart to my career.”
Washburn Rural practically played two games in one in the 6A semifinal game. The Junior Blues had to defeat an Olathe Northwest team with a 23-0 unbeaten record to make it to the state championship game.
The Junior Blues conquered the Ravens 3-1, but it was a significant price to pay. Washburn Rural’s victory lasted three hours and 10 minutes in the 12-inning game.
Washburn Rural senior Emmerson Cope helped the Junior Blues reach the 6A state championship game with a 12-inning complete-game win in the semifinal. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Nebraska signee and Washburn Rural senior pitcher Emmerson Cope won a heavyweight battle in the circle against Ball State commit and Olathe Northwest junior pitcher Breanna Severino. However, neither Cope nor Severino wanted to leave empty-handed, and they emptied the tank in the semifinal.
Cope finished the game with a win after giving everything she had for the Junior Blues. Cope threw 193 pitches, with 136 of those pitches being strikes, while striking out 14 batters in a complete-game, 12-inning performance.
“I wish we could get that COVID year back, honestly,” Stover said. “That’s the one thing that goes through my mind. She’s just a great kid, a great leader. I know she was really disappointed she couldn’t finish this (state championship). But she literally emptied the tank and gave us her all. She’s just a phenomenal kid, and I am so glad I coached her. I couldn’t ask for a better leader.”
The 6A semifinal was a defensive classic, with two teams playing at the highest level you’ll find anywhere in Kansas.
The Junior Blues don’t make it to the state championship game without a total team performance. However, three impactful and significant plays contributed to the Junior Blues’ state final berth.
Senior centerfielder Kaci Bath made terrific defensive plays in the outfield, stopping Raven runners from breaking a 1-1 tie for many innings.
Sophomore Naudia Wech also made a game-saving defensive play as she made a near-impossible catch close to its dugout on the first base line and zipped it over to third base to make a double play that helped Cope get out of a significant jam.
Senior Piper Titsworth broke the 1-1 tie with a two-RBI sacrifice fly to left centerfield in the top of the 12th inning.
“I am so proud of them,” Stover said. “We’ve been working on a lot of those defensive things in practice. We had a lot of young kids, kids that didn’t have that postseason experience before the season started. Just to see all of the things we worked on come out on the field is a proud moment for me as a coach.
“That was a phenomenal game. I wish it had a day break (before the state championship).”
Olathe West took advantage of Cope’s mileage from the semifinal to win its first softball state championship in school history.
Mizzou commit Madison Walker blasted a solo homer in the first inning before the Owls crushed the Junior Blues in the third inning with seven runs.
“We’ve played them before and won, so we knew we could win,” Olathe West coach Cynthia Adams said. “Knowing that (Cope) threw all of that before was more of a (situation) we could get to her. We knew we could get on top, and we did. Once Madison (Walker) hit that home run, we were rolling. Madison is a leader on the field, off the field, and if they pitch to her, she is going to hit that ball.”
Thanks to a two-RBI double from Ally Miller, a two-RBI double from Emma Veach, a two-RBI single from Emma Heinemann and an RBI single from Rori Hornung, Olathe West created an enormous gap, taking an 8-0 lead to end the third inning.
“Our top five hitters are tough,” Adams said. “If you’re not going to pitch to Madison, you’re going to have to pitch to Ally Miller; if you’re not going to pitch to Ally Miller, you’re going to have to pitch to Brevyn Kellepouris. And from that, we may have younger underclassmen there, but they’re still putting the bat on the ball. They are all still going to play college ball, and they are ready.”
Walker would hit her second home run in the fourth inning, helping the Owls gain a 9-0 lead, not allowing Washburn Rural any room to make a comeback before Olathe West would drive in a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth inning to run-rule Washburn Rural, 10-0.
In the 2024 campaign, Joy Marie Galliart will take over coaching duties for Washburn Rural, replacing Stover. Galliart will have many returners, including starters Layla Collins, Wech, Henley Rapp, Reagan Chapman, Gabriella Martinez and Ava Fowler.
“I am so confident in them,” Stover said. “They’re just phenomenal athletes and kids overall. It’s just something about Washburn Rural. They always have something coming down the pipe. They will be in great hands. Whether it’s this year’s freshmen and sophomores, the junior class or the incoming freshmen, it just always seems like there is something in the water.”
Bath, Cope, Titsworth, Alyssa Mastin and Chloe Carlgren are graduated seniors.
CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
OLATHE WEST 10, WASHBURN RURAL 0
Olathe West (24-1) – 107 11 – 10 9 1
Washburn Rural (21-4) 000 00 – 0 2 1
W – Kellepouris. L – Cope. 2B – Olathe West: Miller, Veach. HR – Olathe West: Walker 2.
