Two seasons removed from a five-win season, the #11 (1A) North Butler softball team is now poised to make a run at a Class 1A state title.
The Bearcats secured their trip to Fort Dodge with a 2-0 victory over #5 (1A) Newman Catholic in Monday’s Class 1A Region 5 championship game. The win improved North Butler to 25-5 and avenged two regular-season losses to the Knights.
Head Coach Austin Guerrero says the turnaround reflects the players’ commitment to one another.
“I’m just proud of the way they played as a team and our motto for the entire season is “together” we break most huddles with that word and our girls truly bought into that,” says Guerrero.
North Butler’s “together” motto has been reflected throughout its postseason run. The Bearcats defeated Riceville 4-2, outlasted Turkey Valley 2-1 in 10 innings and shut out Newman Catholic 2-0. Each victory required contributions from across the roster, whether it was the bottom of the order producing at the plate, the defense making key plays or the dugout providing energy.
That togetherness, Kilee Groen and Zoey Thompson say, has helped the team persevere through adversity.
“It doesn’t matter if you make just one mistake, just push it off, you got it, just next play mentality,” says Groen. “And playing together and working as a team. Everybody has each other’s backs, we’re like sisters,” says Thompson.
North Butler’s next test comes against Clarksville at 4:30 p.m. Monday in the opening round of the Class 1A state tournament in Fort Dodge. Although the state tournament will be a new experience for every player on the Bearcats’ roster, they will arrive the same way they finished regional play — together.
