Two unbeaten teams win first adapted softball titles

Perfection did not come easy for adapted softball's two newest state tournament champions.

A home-plate collision knocked Anoka-Hennepin sophomore pitcher Kai France to the ground but failed to dislodge the ball from his hands. His tag clinched the Mustangs' 11-8 victory against Rochester for the Physically Impaired Division championship.

In the Cognitively Impaired Division, the Southern Stars of Chanhassen/Chaska/Prior Lake/Shakopee endured a pair of tense, one-run games before cruising to a 13-3 victory in five innings against Mounds View/Irondale/Roseville in the title game.

Each undefeated team claimed its first state title Saturday at Coon Rapids High School.

"It's something I always wanted to do, and it's so amazing that we beat everybody," Anoka-Hennepin freshman Amanda Walen said. She was extra thrilled to win it all at her school.

For Anoka-Hennepin, beating Rochester started with strong offense. The Mustangs (14-0) erupted for five runs in the bottom of the first inning and added three more in the second.

The France siblings, Hana, Kai and Stevey, were the first three hitters in the lineup, and they combined to score eight runs.

"Coach calmed us down a bit," Walen said. "He said we were still winning, so make sure and do your best."

The Mustangs' defense gave up just one additional run. Walen, Hana France and Joey Manion turned several Rochester line drives into outs.

Kai France made the game's biggest play, catching the relay to home plate and getting the worse of a collision. But he held on and ended the game: "I thought I wouldn't catch him, but I did."

Rochester freshman Toriano Dixon had five RBI.

"These kids have done everything we've asked," Kutches said. "When things didn't go well, they just hung in there and kept battling."

Their bats remained hot in the final as the Southern Stars jumped to a 7-3 lead after two innings. An additional run in the third inning plus four more in the fourth inning gave them plenty of cushion.

The defense, led by senior pitcher Dre Wilson, allowed just one Rams runner to reach base during the final three innings. Wilson ended the third inning with a one-handed snare of a ball smacked back his way.

His day concluded with a state championship that he could share with younger brother Dae.

"He is a heck of a player," Southern Stars coach Jody Tornquist said of Dre Wilson. "He's a great kid, and I enjoyed watching him and his brother [Dae] win this together."

Junior Kassidy Green's caught line drive enabled Johnny Phonphiboun to tag from third base for the Southern Stars, and his run triggered the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth inning, ending the game early.