Ark Valley News - Hornets ready to repeat as champs

The Valley Center High School softball team celebrates after winning a 5A regional tournament May 16.

Hornets ready to repeat as champs
Last Updated: May 25, 2023

By Randy Fisher

Led by eight three-year starters, the Valley Center High School softball team will play this week in its third straight Class 5A state tournament. At 20-2, the third-seeded Hornets are ready to defend their first-ever state softball championship.

"I feel like last year, it was our first year trying to win," said Alyssa Crumbliss. "We knew that we could do it last year. … This year we have the same strong mentality."

In 2022, Valley Center rolled into state at 20-2 with a 17-game winning streak. But this season hasn't been as smooth. The Hornets won their first 11 games before losing to Maize South in mid-April. They didn't regain their swagger until defeating the Mavericks in last week's regional championship.

"We were ready to play," Kennedy Johnson said of that game. "The way we had been playing, we weren't going to get there (state). We got ourselves to say we want to accomplish that goal (win state) and we want to show everyone we can accomplish that goal."

Valley Center's midseason stumble became more complicated when Sykora Smith broke the thumb on her right hand May 2. She missed three-plus games before returning to hit and field but not pitch.

The day before Smith's injury, good fortune smiled down upon Valley Center. After rehabbing an off-season injury, Crumbliss was cleared to play. She was quickly thrown into the fire as the number two in the circle.

"Coming off an ACL surgery, it was amazing how well she pitched that first game," said coach Corey Jones. "She just pitched great and realized (that) what our defense can do, can really help a pitcher. We're very fortunate to have Alyssa."

"I have a really aggressive and dependable defense such that I don't have to worry about striking anybody out," Crumbliss said. "Last game I had no strikeouts. I depended completely on my defense because I know I can trust them."

The Hornets have confidence in Crumbliss as well.

"She does a great job; her off-speed is really great," said Lucy Hooper. "If she can just put the ball in play and let us work on defense, we're going to do a good job and be on a good track still."

"She's right up there with Tori (Turner) and Sykora," said Johnson, who has caught every pitch the last three years. "She's just proving that more and more every single time she pitches."

This year's state field includes, in seed order, 1. Bishop Carroll 21-1, 2. Basehor-Linwood 20-2, 3. Valley Center 20-2, 4. Eisenhower 17-5, 5. Spring Hill 17-5, 6. Pittsburg 16-6, 7. Salina South 15-7 and 8. Shawnee Heights 15-7.

During the past three seasons, the Hornets are 9-4 against these teams. They went 1-1 against Basehor-Linwood the last two state tournaments, split six games against Eisenhower, won four straight against Salina South and defeated Spring Hill at state last year.

Valley Center and Pittsburg will square off at 5 p.m. May 25 for what is believed to be the first time ever. With a win, the Hornets would play two games May 26. The first would be at 1 p.m. against either Basehor-Linwood or Salina South. The second would be at either 3 p.m. for third place or 5 p.m. for the championship.

"I think mentally we want it even more now," Smith said of repeating. "We kind of have a fire that we didn't have last year … We're ready and we're excited for it, and we know we're going to win."

"I would say we're getting back to a state championship team right at the perfect time," Jones said. "I think everybody's got their pep back in their step a little bit, feeling pretty confident they know what to do. They've been there before. I think we're ready."