FORT DODGE — Waukee Northwest claimed its second-straight Iowa state softball title with a thrilling 3-1 win over Ankeny Centennial on Friday, July 24.
Waukee Northwest entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and finished the week on top. The Wolves (40-4) have now won two state titles in a row in softball, and three since the school's opening in 2021.
The Wolves' coach, Carrie Eby, praised her team's hard work and dedication. "I'm just proud of the girls," she said. "They've worked hard all offseason, and it's just fun to see them come through at the end."
The Jaguars (41-4) were the first team on the scoreboard. Kori Lincicum – Centennial's leadoff hitter – was walked in her first at-bat, and a sacrifice bunt from Ava Faber moved Lincicum to second base. Jordyn Kennedy then stepped up to the plate and hit a single that allowed Lincicum to score the first run of the night.
Waukee Northwest went three-up-three-down in the bottom of the first and didn't score in the second either. But Wolves star pitcher Sophia Schlader quickly got back on track, sending Centennial's next six batters back to the dugout.
In the bottom of the third, Northwest evened the score. Maggie Allen was walked, and a sacrifice bunt from Shay Davis advanced her teammate to second base. Shortly after, Alayna Schulte drilled a base hit that drove in the game-tying run.
The scoring stopped in the fourth and fifth innings, and while Centennial put two runners on base in the top of the sixth, the Jaguars couldn't get the go-ahead run across. With both teams knotted at one run each, Northwest's Schulte stepped up to home plate and hit a single.
She stole second during the next at-bat, and then it was time for Hazel Leinen to hit. The junior third baseman knocked the ball over the fence and into the outfield stands – sending herself and Schulte home, and giving the Wolves their first lead of the game at 3-1.
"It just felt so good off the bat," Leinen said. "I wasn't even thinking about hitting it over the fence. I was just trying to do something good for the team, just try and move the runners, try and do something."
Schlader pitched all seven innings for Northwest, allowing two hits and one run while striking out nine batters. Lauren Sandholm pitched nearly six innings for Centennial, allowing five hits and three runs while striking out four. Peyten Spiegel recorded one strikeout and allowed one hit through two-thirds of an inning for the Jaguars.
Waukee Northwest athletics closes a chapter in a very successful 2025-26 academic year, claiming state titles in seven different sports: cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The win marked the Wolves' third state title in softball since the school's opening in 2021.
Source: Yahoo Sports
