North Newton and Southmont Softball Teams Progress to IHSAA Semi-State

North Newton's quest for another softball state title is on track, even without last year’s standout pitcher, Sydney Rainford. On Tuesday, June 2, the Spartans secured their spot in the Class 1A North semi-state with an impressive 4-1 victory over Kouts during the regional championship. Maria Jones was instrumental in the win, allowing only two hits and striking out seven batters across seven innings.

Although North Newton (17-8) fell behind early, allowing a run in the first inning, they quickly rebounded with a powerful four-run fifth. Caylee Oxley shone brightly with a two-run triple, while Riley Higgins contributed with a two-run double among her two hits. Tatum Cahall also had a noteworthy performance, going 2-for-3 and hitting a triple.

This Saturday, June 6, North Newton will face Class 1A No. 8 South Central (20-8) at 1 p.m. at Frontier in the semi-state semifinal. The victorious team will advance to the state championship game that evening, competing against either No. 10 Riverton Parke or Southwood.

In a separate regional contest at Clinton Prairie, the Gophers faced a challenging match against Riverton Parke, ultimately losing 12-5. After initially trailing 2-0, Clinton Prairie managed to score three runs in the first inning but struggled with errors and base-running mistakes. Kaydence Kesler had a notable game, reaching third base multiple times but failing to score.

Meanwhile, Southmont celebrated its second regional title and its first since being the Class 2A state runner-up in 2014. A standout performance from Kenzie Clark, who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, led the 10th-ranked Mounties to a 7-4 win over Monrovia. Southmont (19-5) will face No. 3 Tecumseh (26-4) in Forest Park on Saturday, with the winner moving on to the title match that night.