Xavier downs Queen Creek for third straight 6A softball title
After falling in the losers bracket, Xavier worked its way out and took down a familiar foe for the third straight year to cement itself as a dynasty.
It’s hard to miss. In the Xavier Prep softball dugout, there’s a giant inflatable buffalo. He goes by the name “Stormy” and has become a sort of symbol for this year’s team.
“We have a running joke that we’re the buffalo, because buffalo run right into the storm,” Xavier co-coach Sydnie Steffen said. Stormy was needed during Xavier’s run to the 6A state championship after losing to Queen Creek earlier in the 6A tournament on May 8, sending the Gators to the losers bracket. Xavier won its way out of that bracket after beating Phoenix Sandra Day O’Connor and Phoenix Pinnacle.
That set up a rematch with Queen Creek in the title game for a third straight season. This time, Stormy was not needed as Phoenix Xavier Prep again defeated Queen Creek 6-0 in the 6A state championship at Grand Canyon University on May 18 to win its third straight title. Junior Sariah McNabb, the daughter of former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the second.
Junior Angie Falls added to the lead in the next inning with a two-out RBI double to go up 2-0. The next batter, freshman Sophia Jaramillo, knocked in another double to bring in Falls and go up 3-0. From there, Queen Creek senior pitcher Alexis Mendez settled in after coming on for junior Aubrey Chavez in relief.