Williamsburg edges Dubuque Wahlert for its 3rd consecutive 3A state softball championship

FORT DODGE -- Want to strike a chord with Adam Berte?

Bring up Jersey Metz.

“I’m really proud of her,” Berte said, his voice cracking.

Metz kept top-ranked Dubuque Wahlert off-balance, earned all-tournament captainship and led No. 2 Williamsburg to its third consecutive Class 3A state softball championship, 3-2, Friday afternoon at the Rogers Sports Complex.

“Last year, I was just as happy,” Metz insisted. “But it’s a little more meaningful to be able to finish it this time.”

The back story:

Williamsburg beat Davenport Assumption in the title game last year, 12-9. But Metz ran into trouble in the fifth inning, when she issued four walks and was lifted.

“One of the families hosted a celebration after we got back (to Williamsburg),” Berte said. “Jersey was there, and she was happy, but she was probably disappointed with her performance.”

His voice caught again.

“Before she left, I grabbed her and told her she was going to get another shot.”

She did, and she nailed it.

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“I saw my pitching coach once a week,” Metz said. “I worked out three or four times a week. My dad would wake up with me as early as I asked. It was usually 5:30 in the morning, before school.”

Metz (20-5) allowed eight hits Friday, but when she needed an out, she got it. As a result, the Raiders (36-7) became the eighth team to win three consecutive state softball titles, the first since Assumption (3A, 2017-19).

“I’m speechless, I’m so happy,” third baseman Makenna Hughes said.

Hughes and Metz were joined on the all-tournament team by Alley Gorsh and Taylor Pitlick.

It was Pitlick, the first baseman, that secured the final out on a pop-up.

“It was a rush when the ball came to me,” she said. “I was a little nervous. It’s something I’ve caught so many times.”

After that, it was a scene that has become familiar on the Rogers main diamond -- a dogpile of jubilant Raiders.

“We don’t practice it, but (Berte) does have us visualize celebrating, coming together as a team,” Pitlick said.

Williamsburg scored once in each of the first two innings, attacking early in the count. Hughes led off the game with a single, stole second base and raced home on Carly Rich’s sacrifice bunt.

In the second, Spratt singled with one out, and eventually scored on Ava Hocker’s infield single.

Wahlert (37-8) got even in the bottom of the third. Kylie Sieverding’s infield single chased home Natalie Ruba, then a bases-loaded walk to Sadie Schultz made it 2-2.

Hughes ignited another Williamsburg rally in the fifth, singling with one out. She stole second, then scored the tie-breaker on Gorsh’s single to left.

At 3-2, the job was far from finished. The dangerous top of Wahlert’s batting lineup was bound to bat twice more.

The Golden Eagles had runners on second and third with one out in the fifth, but Metz induced consecutive pop-outs.

With one out in the seventh, Berte elected to give Julia Roth (22 home runs, 60 RBIs) a free pass.

“Going through (Ruth) Tauber and Roth isn’t ideal,” Berte said.

With two on and two away, Pitlick caught with 21st out in foul territory.

And when the wave of humanity approached the center of the infield, Metz was in the middle of it.

“So proud of her,” said Gorsh, who will play at Kirkwood Community College next year. “Her movement was crazy.”

“It was moving in all directions, in and out,” Metz said. “It kept them on their toes.”

Williamsburg made only one error in three games here this week, compared to nine by its opponents.

The Raiders’ putouts ranged from the routine to the spectacular.

Hughes made a diving grab to take away a bunt attempt by Wahlert’s Natalie Ruba in the sixth ininng.

“My instincts were to go get the ball,” Hughes said.

These are the glory days for Williamsburg softball, which has reached six consecutive state tournaments, playing on the final day each time.

The Raiders were 3A runners-up in 2020, third in 2021 and 2022, and have struck gold three years running.

“Sending the seniors out with another championship, it means a lot,” said Metz, a junior. “Right now, it’s all a little overwhelming.”

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Williamsburg 3, Dubuque Wahlert 2

Class 3A State Final, at Fort Dodge

Williamsburg 110 010 0 -- 3 7 1

Dubuque Wahlert 002 000 0 -- 2 8 3

Jersey Metz and Lilly Ness. Julia Roth and Lily Oberhoffer. W -- Metz (20-5). L -- Roth (16-6).

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Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com