Read about Wichita-area softball teams who won regional finals to advance to state

When asked what her team’s strength is this season, Derby softball coach Christy Weve chuckled.

“It probably depends on the day, really,” Weve said.

That’s not a negative. In fact, it’s the opposite. The Panthers are so well-rounded, any day could see them be an elite team at the plate, on the mound or in the field.

That consistency was on full display on Tuesday in a Class 6A regional tournament, as the Panthers easily took care of business, winning 18-0 against Wichita East and then 11-1 against Junction City, to advance to the state tournament next week in Lawrence with a sparkling 24-4 record.

“We’re going to have to make sure we continue to play together as a team and for each other and not for ourselves,” Weve said. “Honestly, just keep doing what we’re doing. We’ve been solid pitching, we’ve been getting runners in position and bringing them home and then we have to play strong defensively. Just keep taking care of all of those little things.”

On Tuesday, Derby did just about everything well: offense, defense and pitching.

Ava Boden pitched a three-inning shutout against East, then Addy Canfield struck out 11 and limited Junction City to just four hits and one unearned run. Brooke Rice, Kyler Demel and Raegan Jackson all homered against East, while Karlie Demel, Canfield, Jackson, Carsen Carpenter, Boden and Loren Sweat all had RBI hits against Junction City in the final.

Derby has also had contributions this season from Avery Kelley, Jersey Ramirez, Kelby Clingan, Makayla Gonzalez, Ashly Hamilton and Brielle Hendrick. This is the third straight season the Panthers will compete in the 6A state tournament.

“We have a good group of girls who play well together, get along well and they just play with a lot of confidence,” Weve said. “If they make a mistake, they move on. They’re just a competitive bunch and our seniors and juniors have done a good job keeping the team focused and bringing everyone together.”

Class 6A: Campus tops Topeka to head to state

A big first inning propelled Campus to a 6-3 win over Topeka in a 6A regional final played on its home field. After Topeka hit a home run for a 2-0 lead in the top-half of the first inning, Campus answered back with five runs of its own with Londyn Ysidro, Lillian Clements and Ava Strohm all stringing together RBI hits. Ava Baker settled down after the first inning and pitched a complete game to earn the win in the circle. The Colts (16-6) won 15-0 over Wichita South in the semifinal, as Abigail Araiza, Emerleigh Cooper and Kamdyn Minnick all had two-RBI games to lead the way at the plate and Baker pitched a three-inning no-hitter in the victory.

Class 5A: Maize South blanks Andover Central to punch state ticket

Sophie Stockam struck out 16 hitters in a complete-game, one-hit shutout to power Maize South to a 4-0 victory over Andover Central in a home regional final and punch a ticket to the Class 5A state tournament in Wichita next week. She also had a RBI double at the plate, while Lizzy Lassley and Gabby Gaither drove in the other runs in the victory. The Mavericks (25-3) were the top seed in the 5A West regional bracket, as they began their postseason with a resounding 14-0 win over Emporia. Jenna Sokoll drove in a team-high three runs, while Stockam, Kinslee Cottner and Gaither all hit home runs and Cottner struck out six in four innings of work.

In a 5A regional hosted in Great Bend, Goddard knocked off defending state champion Valley Center in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel. Natalie Klenda prevailed for the Lions (13-12) with a complete-game shutout, striking out eight and scattering nine hits, while Valley Center’s Emily Freebe also pitched a complete game and held Goddard to two hits. Ashley Poe was the hero for Goddard, hitting the game-winning solo home run in the top of the seventh inning. The Lions lost 5-3 in the final to Great Bend, as Klenda once again went the distance in the circle and Grace Hembree, Sariah Potter and Poe all had RBI hits.

Class 4A: Andale-Garden Plain, Circle, Clearwater all advance to state

Andale-Garden Plain knocked off No. 2 seed McPherson, 8-5, in a regional final to punch a ticket to the state tournament in Salina next week. Andale-Garden Plain (17-9) rallied late for a 5-2 opening-round win over Larned, as Emery Benson-Hladik, Elsie Johnson and Miley McKim all had RBI hits late. In the regional final, Andale-Garden Plain built an 8-2 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning and held on for the upset win. Johnson, Jayna Lies and Kaylee Altman all hit home runs against McPherson, while Benson-Hladik and Johnson each drove in three runs and Lies registered the win in the circle.

In an AV-CTL rematch, Circle rallied for a 9-6 win over Mulvane in a regional final game played on its home field. Mulvane’s Jaryn Baker and Madison Phipps each hit home runs, as the Wildcats took a 5-2 lead after the top of the fifth inning. But Circle (23-5) rallied for five runs in the bottom-half of the inning, as Kennedy Baker delivered a go-ahead, two-RBI single and the Thunderbirds capitalized on 12 walks by Mulvane pitching. In a 13-2 opening-round rout of Ulysses, Baker went 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and Ellie Randall added three hits and a team-high four RBIs with Whitney Wilbur earning the win in the circle.

Clearwater was dominant on its home field to wrap up another bid to the 4A state tournament, as it won its two games by a combined score of 19-2. Madi Clevenger led the way with three hits, while Kaylee Hampton, Elizabeth Tjaden and Trista Welty all had multi-RBI games in an 8-1 opening-round win over Clay Center. Clearwater (20-7) followed with another run-rule victory, this time an 11-1 win over Buhler in the regional final with Tjaden and Makena Hampton producing three hits, Kaylee Hampton and Liv Miller supplying a team-high three RBIs and Welty earning the win in the circle.

Class 3A: Cheney rallies to knock off Haven to return to state

In one of the toughest 3A regionals, Cheney survived the gauntlet to advance to the state tournament next week in Topeka. The Cardinals (19-2) won a pitcher’s duel in a 4-1 semifinal win over Halstead, as Peyton McCormick lasted the whole game to earn the victory in the circle and Macy Batt and Karstyn Inslee supplied RBI hits in the win. Cheney played one of its best games of the season in the regional final, knocking off top-seeded Haven (22-3) on its home field with a 14-4 run-rule. The Cardinals exploded for 11 runs in the third inning to blow the game open, as McCormick and Adele Fouquet both hit home runs and Erika Block delivered three RBIs in the rout.