Buckeye softball's 'Redemption Tour' results in first Class 3A title since 2012
SULPHUR — Buckeye's high school softball season has been about redemption.
After giving up four runs in the seventh inning in a one-run loss to Iota in last year’s regional round, the Lady Panthers won their first Class 3A softball title since 2012 by defeating Iowa, 8-6, in the championship game Sunday.
“This is a high like none other,” Buckeye coach Justin Kees said. “These girls since day one have said this is a redemption season and they’ve put first every bit of effort to getting better — not worrying about what other people are doing but worrying about themselves. It’s paid off. This run we had in the playoffs is unbelievable.”
The Lady Panthers, who shared the District 3-3A title with Grant and went 28-8 this season, defeated the top two seeds in Class 3A en route to the championship, beating No. 2 Lutcher in the quarterfinals to clinch a spot in the state tournament.
After defeating Sterlington, 7-5, in the semifinals, it did not take long to make an impact against a top-seeded Iowa squad that did not allow a run in the first four rounds of the playoffs.
Setting the tone in the championship game was senior Alexis Smith, who hit home runs in the first and third innings to earn Most Outstanding Player honors. After the Lady Jackets tied the game in the fourth, Buckeye plated four runs in the fifth, beginning with an RBI single by sophomore Olivia Henry.
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“We’re a family and we’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and tough times,” Smith said. “We’ve come together and we’ve figured out a way to jell. Before this season even started during fall ball, we said that Sulphur and the state championship were our goal and that we weren’t going to stop until we got there.”
All season, Buckeye turned to Henry to deliver in big moments, as she either won games with her bat or arm.
Henry was in the circle for the final out, as she got Iowa eighth grader Alivia Singletary to ground into a fielder’s choice to secure the win. The at-bat took eight pitches, but was well worth it for Henry.
“That batter was up there for a while, but I kept telling myself, ‘One more strike, one more out,’” Henry said. “Honestly, I wasn’t was even too nervous. It just felt like another inning and it felt like another travel ball tournament. We weren’t nervous, but we were excited and came here to get the job done.”
The same can be said for Kees, who replaced longtime coach Darlene Wiley in 2020.
He had been to Sulphur before as Rapides’ coach in 2017 and 2018 but lost in the quarterfinals each year.
However, there was a calm for him this season against a tough schedule that included a loss to Class 4A champion North DeSoto in the regular-season finale.
“There were a lot of times that I put a lot of pressure on myself, but this year, I just gave all the glory to God and I saw the difference," Kees said. "I saw the redemption. I can’t speak enough about it.”
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: LHSAA Softball: Why Buckeye's Class 3A title was about redemption
