SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Jefferson softball waited just 364 days, not even a full year, between Class ‘AA’ state title victories. But the Cavaliers weren’t actually waiting, they were working.

“They were driven and focused like really all the time,” head coach Ed Whiting said. “We didn’t really have to get after them too much because they took care of that on their own.”

“We’ve worked all year for it,” senior Macy Bryant said. “We’ve came to practice, we’ve done extra work in the mornings and hitting and stuff like that. I’m just really proud of the team that we could do this.”

A bright spot in an already shining season for the Cavaliers has been Bryant. The South Dakota State University commit came into the state tournament batting over .800 and closed out her career at Jefferson with a two-run blast.

“If it can be done on a softball field, she does it and she does it right,” Whiting said. “If in practice she kicks a ground ball, she’s asking for another one. She leads by example and does everything a coach would ask.”

“When I go up to bat, my first thing that I really do is kind of just turn my mind off, go blank,” Bryant said. “That’s what helps me just stay focused but it’s an awesome feeling. I feel like I’ve worked towards this moment and I’m honestly just proud of myself and proud of the whole team, I couldn’t have done it by myself.”

A title team that is not only infamous for their success on the field, but their energy in the dugout too. It’s easy to celebrate when you’re winning, but the foundation of support was laid long before the undefeated season.

“They’re kind of sisters and sometimes sisters can get mad at each other but in the end they love each other and they’ve always got each other’s back and you can see that energy in the dugout,” Whiting said.

Jefferson’s back-to-back title victory marks the second in Class ‘AA’ since softball was sanctioned for the 2022-23 season.

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