No. 2 Joseph City three-peats as 1A state champion in an 18-2 win over No. 1 Superior, where all nine starters scored Monday at Grand Canyon University – powered by a nine-run first inning.

Amber Neill, an outfielder who scored three runs with two RBIs, led the Wildcats with her twin sister Audrey – the MVP of the team's 1A girls basketball state championship in February– as the pair continued a legacy defined by five straight state championships between softball and basketball. 

Left, Amber Neill, and right, Audrey Neill hold the championship trophy for the third straight season. (Hayden Hartigan photo/AZPreps365)

“It's probably one of the greatest runs in 1A history, boys or girls,” said their father, Aaron Neill,  an assistant coach on the softball and basketball staffs. 

Audrey Neill, a shortstop, added one run and two RBIs in just five innings to help lead JCHS to its third consecutive championship. The group that has been together since 6th grade; going through countless battles – giving them the nickname “the comeback kids”. 

“I’ve played with these girls since 6th grade, so we’ve built a team over the years and it's just been very special,” Audrey Neill said. “It means everything. This is where I’ve grown so much and built my athleticism.” 

The win gave Joseph City its 11th softball title since its first championship appearance in 1998, second all-time in Arizona behind Seton Catholic's 12 championships.

Electric 9-0 1st Inning

The nine-run bottom of the first inning, which lasted nearly 17 minutes, began with a single from Amber Neill, that turned into a double on a Superior error.

The bases quickly loaded when first baseman McKenzie Jesmer stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run single that scored Amber Neill and catcher Brooklyn Peterson. Jesmer advanced to second on another error. 

Already leading 3-0, Joseph City loaded the bases once again, setting up second baseman Jaydianna Kinlicheenie for a two-run single to shallow center field. Amber Neill followed with an RBI single before Peterson added another RBI hit to extend the lead to 7-0.

Audrey Neill then drove in two runs RBI to make it 9-0 before the end of the inning. 

“Apparantely all that hitting practice we did paid off,” Joseph City head coach Daniel Huchens said. “I was telling my coaches, ‘I’d be happy with two or three runs in the 1st inning’, and next thing I know there’s a nine spot up there. … That gave us a level of cushion.”

One of the players who scored was Lorelai Sander – the game's MVP and starting pitcher, who helped Joseph City limit Superior offensively while continuing to extend the lead at the plate.

Sander’s MVP Performance

MVP award recipient and starting pitcher Lorelai Sander poses with the 1A softball state championship trophy, her third straight. (Hayden Hartigan photo/AZPreps365)

Sander, now a three-time softball state champion, served as the relief pitcher in last year’s 11-10 nailbiter championship win over St. David. 

In four at-bats, Sander recorded two runs, one RBI, a double and a walk while holding Superior to just two runs – more than 10 below its season average of 12.42, according to MaxPreps. 

The third and fourth innings were highlighted by another run from Amber Neill’s off Audrey Neill's bat, extending the lead to 16-2. Sander later added an RBI to tack on another run from Peterson. 

At the bottom of the fourth inning, Sander fielded a one-hop hit that deflected off her wrist before throwing the runner out at first base, causing the Joseph City Wildcat contingent – who traveled more than 200 miles to GCU – to roar in cheer. 

“I just kept my eye on the ball and made the play,” Sander said. “That was the coolest thing I’ve done all season.”

Sander also said that the team's ability to persevere through difficult moments while continuing to enjoy playing together is what she will remember most about her time at Joseph City.

Tough Journey Ends at Championship

Superior receives the 1A state runner-up trophy. (Photo courtesy of Aly Schmitt)

Although Superior (20-1-2) suffered a tough loss to Joseph City, head coach Al Lopez praised the group's determination.

“It's a tough loss," Lopez said. "We had an incredible journey, we had a lot of adversity we had to deal with. ... The girls kept working hard, and I'm proud of them for where they got."

Superior entered the championship with a 20-1-1 record, its only loss coming against Joseph City on April 15 by a score of 9-0. The team was fueled by last season's first-round playoff loss to Hayden, 14-8, and reached the championship game with playoff wins over Duncan, 19-0; Ray, 18-6; and St. David, 4-2. 

“Oh we'll be back," Lopez said. "It's a process that we put them through to learn and get better so we can back here. That's what we do."

Monday’s championship matchup featured two of the smallest schools in the state, with Joseph City enrolling 134 students and Superior with 90 students. Despite limited enrollment numbers and less athletes, both programs consistenly reach the postseason each year.