Champions crowned! Northview takes Class A Softball title

 

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

After coming up just a couple runs short two years earlier, the Northview softball team completed its season with the biggest crown in the TMSAA, defeating Wartburg Central 7-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga for the Class A State Championship – the first in school history for softball.

Northview Head Coach Chris Thone talked about the keys to the championship win.

“Staying focused and not losing sight of the goal that was in mind,” Thone explained. “The girls never waivered from maybe an error they committed or the other team scoring a run.

“They never let loose of that goal that was in their minds.”

The Choctaws got on the board with a big first inning. With two on and no out, Landri Stewart doubled in both runners to put Northview on the board. Harper Peery, one of two players who started in the state championship game two years ago, followed with an RBI single to help her own cause in the circle. Two batters later, the other returning starter from the 2024 title game, Berkley Childress, singled in Peery to put Northview on top 4-0.

Northview added another run in the top of the second. Braelyn Fowler reached on an error which allowed a run to score and extend the Choctaw lead to 5-0 after an inning and a half.

Wartburg got two on with two out in the bottom of the inning but Northview got out of it with a grounder to third to secure the third out and keep the shutout going.

Over the next three innings, Northview retired nine of the next 11 batters to keep a Choctaws’ six-run lead intact through five innings. Northview added a run in the fourth on a Fowler groundout to push the lead to six.

Wartburg finally broke through with two in the sixth but the Choctaws had an answer in the seventh. Peery singled with one out in the top of the seventh then scored on an Anna Reid Yates single to push the Northview advantage to five runs heading into the bottom of the seventh.

In the bottom of the frame, the Choctaw defense worked around a walk and an error to lead off the frame with three straight pop outs to end the threat and seal the win and championship for Northview.

“I think it was a bittersweet moment,” Thone said for the eighth graders like Peery and Childress. “Two of the girls that are on the team now started in that state championship game.

“They started in that game two years ago. Just to see them hoist that championship trophy up – it means the world that they got that redemption tour.”

Peery picked up the win in the circle, holding Wartburg Central scoreless through the first two innings while striking out two before giving way to Emmalee Sweat. Sweat pitched the final five innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits.

Lyla Beth Woody led the way for the Choctaws at the plate with two doubles and a single while Peery had a trio of singles with an RBI. Yates added two singles in the win.

With the season ending with a championship with a 22-1 record to also show for it, Thone talked about the future coming off this first-ever state title in softball.

“I guess the goal now is to continue the run of possibly going to state year after year,” Thone explained. “The main goal is to develop these girls into high school athletes.

“And, that whenever they leave our campus and go to the high school, that they’re ready to compete. That’s been our goal, year in and year out. This year, we just happened to get something extra special.”

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