A dynasty continues in PI adapted softball; a new champ reigns in CI

Marcus Onsum, coach of the Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka adapted softball team, gathered his struggling defense for a chat just three batters into Saturday's championship game.

"I was shouting at them pretty good — more than I have all year long," Onsum said. "They just needed to realize they were really booting the ball around."

The Robins recovered, turning an early deficit into a 10-5 victory against Dakota United and winning their record fifth consecutive PI Division (physically impaired) state title.

While one familiar champion rolled on Saturday at Coon Rapids High School, a newcomer ascended to the top of the CI Division (cognitively impaired). The Blazing Cats, made up of athletes from Burnsville, Farmington, Lakeville and New Prague High Schools, beat North Suburban 12-5 to claim their first state championship.

The Robins' PI run seemed in danger early. Dakota United's Jaayson Meyer, Grayson Nicolay and Anthony Vervais each scored in the top of the first inning. Though his team got a run back in the bottom of the inning, Onsum admitted to being "as nervous as I've been after one inning."

Onsum knew Dakota United, like his Robins, entered Saturday's game undefeated. And the Hawks were determined to succeed after dropping the soccer and floor hockey championship games to the Robins (11-0) earlier this school year.

But the Robins, who beat their first two opponents by 10 runs in games stopped in the fifth inning, again had too much offense. Onsum said he,"spread the power of our bats out" throughout the tournament rather than putting all his best hitters at the top of the order.

The strategy made the Robins more consistently potent. Batters in the No. 6 through No. 10 spots scored eight of the Robins' 10 runs. Tyler Sarff, the No. 7 hitter, went 3-for-3 and scored three times.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Klein, who typically bats second but dropped to the No. 6 spot in the title game, said adding to the Robins' legacy was more important. Counting soccer and floor hockey, they have won 14 of the past 15 PI state titles.

Blazing Cats 12, North Suburban 5: Sterling defensive plays helped justify the Blazing Cats nickname.

"What we really have is team speed," coach Dave Diehl said. "We can outrun anybody. When other teams make mistakes, we're going to capitalize."

Junior shortstop Stephen Friday hustled to turn two unassisted double plays.

"I've just been trained that way by my coaches," Friday said.

Senior pitcher Brendan Wong tagged two runners out at home plate, the second time to secure the state title.

"We're state champions," said Wong, who was 4-for-4 with four runs scored. "It feels great."

North Suburban, a co-op of Centennial and Spring Lake Park, reached the title game after blanking three-time state champion Anoka-Hennepin 10-0 in the semifinals. The Cougars led 3-2 after two innings, but the Blazing Cats scored twice in each of the next three innings to pull away.