High School Spotlight: Super Sophomore Serenity Jacoway Has Her Oklahoma Team Poised for a Playoff Run

Most states across the nation play high school ball in the Spring, but more than a half dozen like Georgia, Colorado and Oklahoma play in the Fall and for some it’s crunch time with playoffs starting soon.

In the Sooner State, for example, the Oklahoma State Regionals begin this week and one team to watch is Tecumseh High which is led by one of the top two-way players in the Southwest, Serenity Jacoway.

A talented 2024 shortstop/pitcher (or is it pitcher/shortstop? More on that in a second…), she’s had a monster season so far, batting .489 with 31 RBIs in 32 games played. She’s been equally dominant in the circle, going 27-3 with a .990 ERA and 192 K’s with only 36 walks of the 651 batters she’s faced.

Tecumseh, with a 29-3 overall record, won its Districts and will get to host the playoffs this weekend. The Daily Oklahoman predicted the Savages would make it to the state tournament and with Serenity on the field and leading the 4A Class in wins, it’s not a stretch to think the team could be playing for a while.

Ranked as the #44 overall player in the 2024 Extra Elite 100 and #30 as a pitcher/duo (plays other positions or hits well), Serenity has taken her game to another level and a no less a source than her father, Will, has seen the elevation of the teenage athlete’s play, especially in the last year.

This summer at the travel ball level, Serenity played for the Gametime Stars 2024-Spain team and helped the team go 18-8 in the tournament season with a 2.29 ERA and a team-best .412 batting average.

Now, the only question is, is Serenity a pitcher or an infielder first? Dad likes her in the circle while the daughter thinks shortstop.

“What has helped with her success this season,” the athlete’s father explains, “is her mental game, ability to hit her spots and change speeds and her game IQ. Serenity is throwing in the low-to-mid 60’s but on her tournament team she is mostly a shortstop and one of her coaches has referred to her as ‘the shortstop on the mound.’”

Whichever position she ends up playing most down the road, that topic takes a back seat to the player’s humility and appreciation for where she is today. She points to a higher source for the success she’s had on the softball fields.

“I have often been asked what makes me different from others or what makes me stand out,” she says. “One simple phrase is my game changer “GloryB2God”. Showing others God’s glory is my ‘why I play.’ Without Him, I would not have the opportunity to play the sport I dearly love. I owe all thanks to God for blessing me with the talent that I possess.”

God-given gifts aside, Serenity still has had to put them into practice and work hard to get where she is today… and that’s not just working out and pushing herself physically.

“Another thing that has helped me develop my game recently,” she continues, “is truly understanding the mental side. I practice putting myself into high pressure situations before I even step foot onto the field and that includes often doing drills that focus more on the mental side of pitching rather than the physical.”

“My pitching instructor, Nic Denes, has also helped me immensely not only with my mental preparation and confidence, but also continuing to develop my spins and movement control.”

The athlete finishes by recognizing that she’s had a lot of help to get to this point, which is being a favorite in the Oklahoma State Playoffs.

“My support system plays a huge role in my success,” Serenity adds, “and I cherish everyone who has helped develop my talents and myself as a person.”

“Whether it’s my family who are at every game rain or shine or it’s the girl that gets my helmet before an at-bat. They all make a tremendous impact on my life on the field and off.”

“I’d also like to give a huge shoutout to my school ball and travel ball coaches as well; they’ve helped develop my talents and myself as a player far more than I could ever imagine (even if it means bear crawls across the facility, or triangles in less than thirty seconds!) “

“Last but not least I would like to say a huge thank you to my teammates for the energy they always have; it always makes for the most fun environment to be in.