The title “dynasty” is thrown about a lot in sports, but when it comes to high school softball you won’t find many more accomplished programs than that of Papillion-LaVista High in Papillion, Nebraska.
On October 16, 2020, the Monarchs won their 72nd straight game and completed a 36-0 season by winning the Nebraska Class A state title.
That feat, and the school’s remarkable run over the last 28 years, has earned the softball dynasty (yes, we used that word!) recognition as the Extra Inning Softball 2020 Fall High School Team of the Year.
In the title game, Papillion-LaVista, which also goes by “Papio,” took less than an hour to win the championship in a dominating 12-0, three inning run-rule victory that was the shortest Nebraska championship softball game in history.
In the title game pitcher/utility standout Jordyn Bahl, the nation’s #1 prospect in the 2021 Extra Elite 100, struck out the side in the top of the first inning and she finished her three-inning day with eight strikeouts as she threw just 34 pitches including 29 for strikes. Offensively she had three hits including a pair of doubles.
Here are highlights of the championship victory:
The 36th win of the 2022 season also gave the school its 16th state championship which set a Nebraska all-sport record. The 72-game winning streak is a state high school softball mark. And it was also the school’s 28th consecutive time qualifying for State.
It helps to have, who was one of eight seniors on the team who finished their prep careers with a 142-4 record, three state championships and a 2nd place finish.
For her Monarchs team which finished 36-0 for the fall and won a second straight state title, Jodryn went 29-0 with 22 shutouts with six no-hitters and four perfect games. She had 338 K’s and a 0.95 ERA while also batting .528 with 21 home runs, 64 RBIs, nine doubles, five triples, 42 runs scored and even 11 steals.
Bahl helped the Monarchs roll through the four-game state tournament shutting out their opponents 29-0 and signed with Oklahoma.
Here’s where and her other graduating teammates are headed:
Seniors moving on to the next level
- P/UT Jordyn Bahl, Oklahoma
- C/IF Brooke Dumont, South Dakota State
- MIF Mia Jarecki, South Dakota State
- SS/3B Maggie Vasa, Iowa
- IF/OF Jenna Hoelscher, Missouri Western State
- OF Kate Voisin, Missouri Western State
- C/1B Kaylee Wagner, Washburn University
- P/UT Bailee Lampman, University of Sioux Falls
Coach Todd Petersen is the fourth head coach in Monarchs history and finished his 13th year as head coach prior to being an assistant two years. In that span, he has led the Nebraska high school to five state titles and five runner-up finishes with another additional title and 2nd place finish as an assistant.
He admits it was hard not to be emotional after the perfect season and, especially, saying goodbye on the field for the last time with the Class of 2021.
“I’ve been very fortunate to coach this very talented and close-knit group,” he says. “They are hard-working and never got complacent; instead, they stayed focused on winning another state championship and going undefeated for a second straight year. They are also great kids who are leaders on the field, at school and in the community.”
Bahl, a four-time All-State honoree, agrees.
“Our team was special because of how tight our senior class was, and how we didn’t have one person that ever needed to carry the load,” she adds. “If one player had an off-game the others would pick her up. We all had off days, but our entire roster was able to pick up the players who were having rough days and still bring us to victories.”
With such a strong core of seniors moving on, Coach Petersen knows next year will have the rest of the state’s teams gunning for the Monarchs.
“We have a lot to replace with only one starter returning in Haley Wilwerding,” the coach admits, “but our expectations are still—and will always be— the same: make state and compete for the championship.”
“We have a number of young players who are ready to step in and play major roles next year. It will be a huge challenge but we will prepare them and they will work just as hard to give us an opportunity to reach our goals.”
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A Tradition of Excellence: Papillion-LaVista (Papillion, Nebraska) High Success Since 1992
- State Champions: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2020
- State Runners-Up: 2005, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018
- State Tournament 3rd Place: 2011, 2012, 2014
- State Tournament Qualifier: 1993, 1994, 2009
2020 Varsity Roster
Listed alphabetically
- 20 – Grace Anderson – 11
- 22 – Jordyn Bahl* – 12
- 13 – Kamira Botos – 9
- 1 – Morgan Byrd – 9
- 6 – Maddie Delos Reyes – 11
- 8 – Brooke Dumont* – 12
- 4 – Anna Fitzgerald – 12
- 10 – Eden Ford – 11
- 15 – Kloey Hamblen – 9
- 5 – Jenna Hoelscher – 12
- 1 – Peyton Hoelscher – 9
- 7 – Sofia Hurst – 11
- 2 – Mia Jarecki* – 12
- 16 – Sydney Kotz – 11
- 19 – Bailee Lampman – 12
- 14 – Emma McGrath – 10
- 18 – Kaylee Pinneo – 10
- 11 – Amaya Staehlin – 12
- 12 – Maggie Vasa* – 12
- 9 – Kate Voisin – 12
- 17 – Kaylee Wagner* – 12
- 3 – Emmie Wills -10
- 21 – Haley Wilwerding – 10
* = All-Nebraska selection in 2020
