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
Reed senior softball player Julia Jensen has been named the Gatorade Nevada Player of the Year.
The Best of Nevada Preps awards are underway in Las Vegas.
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.
McKenna Montgomery tossed a one-hitter Saturday to lead Fernley’s softball team to a 3-0 victory over Churchill County in the Class 3A state championship game at Faith Lutheran.
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.