North Star tops Omaha Marian for district title
North Star senior Brittany Coufal tried unsuccessfully Friday to hold back the tears after the Navigators earned a 4-1 win against Omaha Marian in the A-3 District Tournament at the Doris Bair Complex.
It was North Star’s first district championship after finishing as the runner-up last year.
“It’s (the championship) really just hitting me now. We never really went into districts knowing we were going to make it to state, but we expected to be here and expected to be at state,” Coufal said.
“We’re the underdog every year and we never really expected to win the games that we did (this year), but no matter what happened we pulled through every time.”
Third-ranked North Star (32-5) opened the scoring in the first when freshman Kylie Harpst doubled and came home on Stephanie Densberger’s single. Harpst also scored in the fifth off a Marian wild pitch.
The Gators scored their other runs in the third and fifth innings.
“We worked so hard for this,” senior Lindsey Cale said. “We’ve all wanted this.”
Five seniors have been a part of the growth of North Star softball: Coufal, Cale, Densberger, Jamie Peterson and Bri Steiner.
And the team has been close throughout.
“To know we came in as freshman and built this team together … all four years came together tonight,” Coufal said.
Third-year coach Todd LaVelle credited his staff for the success.
“I didn’t do this alone. I have great support from the school and my assistant coaches,” LaVelle said. “Tonight, they had them out hitting before the game. I just came to the game.
“We’ve been working for this for three years. I felt the pressure and I wanted it for the girls. It’s not every day you get a team like this. We’re going to give it our all and compete as hard as we can (at state).”
Reach Lori Griffin at 473-7174 or lgriffin@journalstar.com.
It was North Star’s first district championship after finishing as the runner-up last year.
“It’s (the championship) really just hitting me now. We never really went into districts knowing we were going to make it to state, but we expected to be here and expected to be at state,” Coufal said.
“We’re the underdog every year and we never really expected to win the games that we did (this year), but no matter what happened we pulled through every time.”
Third-ranked North Star (32-5) opened the scoring in the first when freshman Kylie Harpst doubled and came home on Stephanie Densberger’s single. Harpst also scored in the fifth off a Marian wild pitch.
The Gators scored their other runs in the third and fifth innings.
“We worked so hard for this,” senior Lindsey Cale said. “We’ve all wanted this.”
Five seniors have been a part of the growth of North Star softball: Coufal, Cale, Densberger, Jamie Peterson and Bri Steiner.
And the team has been close throughout.
“To know we came in as freshman and built this team together … all four years came together tonight,” Coufal said.
Third-year coach Todd LaVelle credited his staff for the success.
“I didn’t do this alone. I have great support from the school and my assistant coaches,” LaVelle said. “Tonight, they had them out hitting before the game. I just came to the game.
“We’ve been working for this for three years. I felt the pressure and I wanted it for the girls. It’s not every day you get a team like this. We’re going to give it our all and compete as hard as we can (at state).”
Reach Lori Griffin at 473-7174 or lgriffin@journalstar.com.
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