Here is a recap of every team that won a state title during the 2017 spring sports season and will be looking to defend this upcoming season.
Softball
At a time when elite athletes often concentrate on one sport, Rancho’s Sam Pochop proved to be an all-around athlete.
A look at the Review-Journal’s Athletes of the Year from the spring season
Makena Martin and Cara Beatty each homered, and Palo Verde topped Reed 9-3 in the final of the Class 4A state tournament Saturday at Bishop Gorman.
Needles defeated Lincoln County 20-6 on Saturday at The Meadows, winning their first state championship since 2013.
After losing to Wells earlier in the tournament, Pahranagat Valley was forced to beat the Leopards twice to defend its state title, and it did just that with 14-4 and 12-5 wins at Durango to claim a fifth straight Class 1A state championship.
Championship softball often comes down to two aces squaring off in the circle.
Kaitlyn Davis went 3-for-3 and Pahranagat Valley routed Indian Springs 19-1 in three innings to move into the Class 1A state title game.
Grace Chavez lined a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth for the game’s only runs, and Taylor Askland fired a six-hitter to lead Palo Verde to a 2-0 win over Reed in the winners’ bracket final of the Class 4A state softball tournament at Bishop Gorman.
Needles will look to add another state title to its record total after winning a 16-14 slugfest against Lincoln County on Friday in the Class 2A state tournament semifinals at The Meadows.
Kessa Evans and Emilie Barraza each hit a double as Moapa Valley’s softball team fell 11-0 in six innings to Fernley in the opening round of the 3A state tournament at Faith Lutheran on Thursday afternoon.
Pahranagat Valley made quick work of Whittell in the first round of the Class 1A state softball tournament, winning 15-0 in four innings.
Raecheal Lowenthal’s pinch-hit, RBI single in the eighth tied the game, and the senior later scored the winning run on Jaycee Fragoso’s base hit to give Needles a 6-5 victory over West Wendover in the Class 2A state softball tournament at The Meadows.
Follow the link for postseason softball honors, as selected by coaches. All-league and all-region teams will be posted as they are received.
Sam Pochop hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning, and Rancho topped Sierra Vista 3-1 in the Class 4A state softball play-in game at Foothill.
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