It started as a motivational metaphor, an applicable anecdote and it eventually led to an inflatable buffalo arriving in the dugout just in time for the state championship game.

Whatever it takes when the alternative is ending the season without what has become the annual tradition of hoisting of the state championship trophy.

Xavier won its third straight 6A state softball championship 6-0 over Queen Creek on Monday at Grand Canyon University by fighting through “the storm” of coming all the way back from the consolation bracket.

It was the third straight time the two programs met in the title game with the same result, only this time the Gators (31-5) were a heavy underdog, if a two-time defending champion can be considered such a thing.

“We came in confident, knowing we’ve been here before and have come through,” said co-head coach Tom Sahhar, who along with his co-head coach and daughter Sydnie Steffen won their second title as head coaches.

“As long as we played our game, and didn’t get outside of what we do, we had a chance.”

Back to the anecdote presented to the team after Xavier lost 9-1 to Queen Creek in pool play on May 8. Steffen told the players about the buffalo in Colorado and how the herd moves toward the storm instead of fleeing because it is the fastest way to get on the other side of it.

For the Gators, it was facing elimination after winning four of the last five state titles.

One slip up and the run was done.

The alternative? Rip off four straight wins including two against No. 2 Pinnacle in the Pool B championship bracket and then the Bulldogs, who came in with a 31-1 record and a 372-27 run differential.

The inflatable bull made its first appearance in the title game after the team bought into the idea of bulls move toward a storm and not away from it. (Jason P. Skoda/AzPreps365)

Let the buffalo, or Gators in this scenario, roam.

“We found it empowering,” junior shortstop Sariah McNabb said. “We were told they run through it instead of run away. We had to take it upon ourselves to get through the storm, which was our playoffs instead of running away from the danger.”

The danger started to fade away in the third inning when Xavier had three-straight doubles to plate two runs and extend the lead to 3-0.

Queen Creek starter Aubrey Chavez was pulled after Noelani Romo, Angie Falls and Sophia Jaramillo all hit extra base hits to build a cushion.

Falls was the starting and winning pitcher for the Gators in the previous two titles. This time around she didn’t have the double pressure of being in the circle and the box.

It freed her up to swing away.

“It’s nice to not have all of the pressure on your shoulders,” Falls said. “It was great to come to the championship with an offensive mindset. These games go by so fast and when you are pitching and hitting it is so hard. I could soak in the moments.”

Sahhar said the change in the middle of the diamond and finding a different role is indicative of what makes the program successful.

“The players role may pivot from season to season,” said Sahhar, who was a Gator assistant before taking over for Bradley Downes, who is now an assistant coach, prior to last season. “It may pivot during the season. The beginning of the season we try and figure out what combinations are working, and this was just a great combination that we ultimately landed on and we’ve had a lot of success with it.”

On the Queen Creek side, a deficit against the team that has already vexed championship dreams twice can make things feel twice as difficult to come back, but head coach Ann Pierson didn’t see it in her dugout.

“They’ve had big moments all season long,” she said. “And they reacted well to them. This was a very uncharacteristic game on our part offensively, defensively. I thought our pitching for the most part gave us a chance. We just couldn’t get runs on the board. We had opportunities to scratch some across but couldn’t get them in.

“And (Xavier) played outstanding.”

With two outs in the second inning, Queen Creek shortstop Emma Reynolds had a throwing error on a grounder from the No. 8 hitter and then Chavez, who had just nine walks in more than 97 innings on the season, gave up a free pass to the No. 9 hitter to set up McNabb’s RBI double.

“Once we scored and kept them from scoring we had a hold on them the entire game,” McNabb said. “In my head I was like - hard contact through the gap and we’re scoring these runs and we’re ahead of them.”

Queen Creek headed back southeast to its home dejected, but will regroup and prepare for another run in 2027.

“Start again,” Pierson said. “We get to celebrate our seven seniors on Thursday (graduation) and honor them. Kids will go off for the summer and we’ll start again in the fall.”

Once the lead was in place it was up to sophomore right-handed starter Sydney Root, who held the Bulldogs to three hits, struck out nine after allowing four runs in five innings in the postseason loss 10 days ago.

Root pitched to different locations this time around. In the first outing, she stayed on the outside of the zone while pounding inside with a drop ball and mixing in a rise ball to change the eye level.

The tactic work extremely well, earning her the MVP of the game.

It was cemented in the fourth inning when the Bulldogs loaded the bases thanks to a single by senior Kayla Porter, a double by sophomore Delia Marquez and grounder to third by sophomore Layla Schaeffer.

Root struck out the next two batters to end the only true threat of the game.

“I didn’t have my best day,” she said of the first outing against Queen Creek. “I knew I prepared for the (championship) moment and trusted my teammates and coaches.”

There is something about legacy, tradition, team-first play that can overcome a lot – whether it is a storm or a seemingly destined team in the other dugout.

“It’s always huge to set the tone early for your team,” Sahhar said of scoring first. “It applies pressure to your opponent, whether it is (Queen Creek) or anyone else. It lets them know even though you beat us 10 days ago, we are not shrinking in the moment. Now we have a run and it kind of frees us up a little bit.”

And soon there after, the storm dissipated and the trophy was hoisted.

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