North Penn edged Council Rock South 1-0 in an All-SOL PIAA 6A state championship contest at Penn State University on Friday.
Action photos provided courtesy of Mike Cabrey/The Reporter. CR South photos courtesy of Robyn DeYoung. (Torresani/Nunn photo courtesy of Jenn Nunn)
PIAA 6A State Tournament final
#1-3 NORTH PENN 1, #1-5 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH 0
It’s a moment Bella Nunn and her teammates will freeze frame in their memories for a lifetime.
The called third strike on a full-count pitch for the final out of Friday’s PIAA 6A state championship game that put an exclamation point on the Knights’ third state crown in four years.
Nunn leapt in the air while catcher Sophia Orth dashed out to her batterymate before both disappeared in a dogpile of their jubilant teammates.
“I was like, ‘All right, Bella, let’s get the final strike,’ and I will always remember that feeling and the vision of striking her out,” Nunn said. “That was just one of the greatest moments ever for me.”
The strikeout was the 13th of yet another glittering performance by the UMBC-bound senior, who allowed just three hits – one a bunt single by Helen Woloshyn – while walking two in the complete game shutout win.
Last year, Nunn played in the outfield for a Knights’ squad that – behind the strong arm of Julia Shearer - rolled to a state title and a 28-0 record. For three years, Nunn bided her time behind Shearer and Mady Volpe.
“I think I pitched one inning my sophomore year,” she said. “I was ready, I was so ready. I was so excited. I love pitching so much, and I just wanted to show what I could do because I’ve been sitting behind two amazing pitchers, and I’m not upset about it. I was like – ‘It’s finally my time to show I’m just as good as them.’”
“She was unbelievable,” NP coach Rick Torresani said. “Thirteen strikeouts, and she kept the ball in play – just a beautiful game.”
It took a masterpiece by Nunn to defeat a Golden Hawk squad that was in the game until the final pitch, thanks to the standout effort of Lexi Waring. The Golden Hawks’ junior allowed just three hits and one run while striking out seven and walking three.
In the end, it came down to one pitch – Waring’s fifth of the game – that Gianna Cimino smashed high off the scoreboard in left field for a solo home run and a 1-0 lead that stood the rest of the way.
“I just hung it over the plate,” Waring said.
For North Penn’s senior leadoff batter, it was her fourth home run in four state playoff games – her second to lead off the first inning.
“She did it against Seneca Valley off the best pitcher in the state supposedly,” Torresani said of Clemson commit Lexie Hames. “She did it today, and that was critical. Bella held them in the top of the inning, we came back, and she hit the home run and Bella just pitched her butt off.”
Cimino closed out a remarkable state tournament 9-for-12 with four home runs, three doubles, five RBIs and six runs scored. She also was walked intentionally three times after smashing a home run off Hames in the Knights’ 4-0 win over Seneca Valley.
“Honestly, it’s just me not thinking up there and my teammates backing me up and cheering me on,” Cimono said. “This group of girls is amazing, and this coaching staff is amazing. That’s a big reason why I was hitting and why I play the way I do. I just love this team.”
Perhaps no one appreciated Cimino’s early blast more than Nunn.
“That was huge,” the Knights’ ace said. “It gave us momentum the whole game, and it puts them in a position where they have to scrap for runs, and that helps me immensely as a pitcher because I know they’re freaking out more than I am because we have the lead.
“It gives us the feeling we can hit her, and even though we didn’t score more runs, it still gives us more confidence at the plate and in the field.”
The Knights threatened in the second inning when - with one out – Waring walked back-to-back batters and then hit the next batter to load the bases for Cimino. Waring dug deep and retired Cimino on a towering fly ball to shortstop and ended that threat with a huge strikeout.
Waring cruised the rest of the way, retiring eight in a row before allowing a leadoff single in the fifth by Gabby Battavio, who poked a base hit to left field.
Nunn, meanwhile, took a no-hitter into the fourth when Julia Scannapieco lined a one-out single to left. She struck out the next two batters she faced.
“I think we were trying to do too much in the box at one point in the game, and that didn’t help us,” senior Avery Tumolo said.
The Golden Hawks had their best chance to get on the board in the fifth inning. Kelly Delise led off the inning with a bloop single to center, but Nunn struck out the next batter she faced, and Shannon Williams was retired when Battavio snagged a hard line drive to left field. Woloshyn wound up on second – and Delise on third – on the speedy leadoff batter’s bunt single that forced an errant throw. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Nunn collected the final out on a fly ball to center field and went on to retire seven in a row to close out the game.
“I am never going to have another pitcher that I could want to catch any more,” Orth said. “Catching for her is so fun and rewarding and makes me love softball even more.
“I know she can get her pitches in – I always have faith in her. She’s always there for us, and I’m so happy to see her here because so many people doubted her, and for her to come out on top is so amazing.”
Orth won’t soon forget the final pitch of Nunn’s high school career – her 111th of the game.
“It was right on the corner – it was perfect,” the Knights’ senior catcher said. “It was crazy. I think my mind just went blank, and I started running.”
The celebration was underway, and this state crown was hard earned for a Knight squad that graduated five outstanding seniors from last year’s state championship squad.
“I don’t want to say this is better, but I appreciate it so much as a senior because it’s my last game with my best friends,” senior Casey Sokol said. “This means a lot.
“I don’t think it’s ever going to sink in with me (that we won three in four years). I just don’t even know what to say. I just love this team and I’m happy it happened.”
Senior Izzy Tubertini was part of the team that made last year’s state title run but did not play.
“This one is so much different, especially for me,” said Tubertini. “I’m going to Bloomsburg but not playing softball, so I’m just taking the summer for myself, so this is the best way to go out. Nothing is better than this.”
For the Golden Hawks, it wasn’t the ending they wanted, but they certainly made their first ever state appearance a memorable one with a remarkable run, proving they very much belonged in a title game that was a classic battle between the two SOL squads.
“Council Rock South played a heck of a game,” Torresani said. “Their pitcher did a (heck) of a job. They’re a good team. That pitcher is a good pitcher, but these kids came ready to play.”
In the end, one hit separated the two teams.
“One hit in the first inning, the first batter,” Rock South coach Scott Molle said. “The rest of the game, Lexi was Lexi.
“You have to get a run across, and we couldn’t do it. You have to score at least one to win. We didn’t get the job done at the plate. Bella did a great job.”
Praise for Nunn was a recurring theme after Friday’s contest.
“Bella has been phenomenal,” Tubertini said. “She has proved so many people wrong this whole season, and that’s what she came to do. I know a bunch of us are just so insanely proud of her just for that.
“This is absolutely amazing, but the feeling hasn’t set in yet, but I’m sure it will soon.”
“It’s unreal,” Cimino said. “I don’t think it’s hit me yet, but it’s just amazing.”
Making it even better was the bond the players say they share.
“It’s so special Nunn said. “This will be my favorite team forever. We’ve made such friendships – we’ve gotten closer every game.
“That’s exactly why we won – because we’re so close. After our losses, it just brought us closer together as a team. I’m just so proud of everyone on the team. They’re my best friends in the world.”
North Penn closed out its memorable season with a 25-3 record while Council Rock South was 23-4.
COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH (0) – Helen Woloshyn cf 2-0-1-0; Gabby Bloom rf 3-0-0-0; Grace Stepp c 3-0-0-0; Julia Scannapieco 1b 3-0-1-0; Avery Tumolo 3b 3-0-0-0; Lexi Waring p 2-0-0-0; Kelly Delise 2b 3-0-1-0; Katie Aamland dp 2-0-0-0; Maddie McClain lf 1-0-0-0; Shannon Williams ss 2-0-0-0; TOTALS 24-0-3-0.
NORTH PENN (1) – Gianna Cimino ss 3-1-1-1; Liv Stevens 2b 3-0-0-0; Casey Sokol 2-0-0-0; Sophia Orth c 2-0-0-0; Bella Nunn p 3-0-1-0; Tallie Smink 3b 3-0-0-0; Brandi Groarke dp 1-0-0-0; Izzy Tubertini cf 1-0-0-0; Gabby Battavio lf 1-0-1-0; Cailin Halfpenny rf 0-0-0-0; TOTALS 19-1-3-1.
Council Rock South 000 000 0 0-3-1
North Penn 100 000 x 1-3-1
IP H R ER BB SO
Bella Nunn (W) 7 3 0 0 2 13
Lexi Waring (L) 6 3 1 1 3 7
Remarkable turnaround for Golden Hawks – Watching the Golden Hawks roll to the SOL Patriot title and make a remarkable run to the state title game, it’s easy to forget just how far this program has come.
“It’s crazy,” senior Gabby Bloom said. “Our freshman year we won four games, and this year, we lost four games. It’s kind of crazy to think about.”
The Golden Hawks actually won six games three years ago, but they were basement dwellers in the SOL Patriot with a 2-14 record, and there’s no denying the turnaround has been ‘crazy.’
On Friday night, the Golden Hawks – who had never so much as advanced to the state tournament before this year - lost to a North Penn squad that has made a habit of playing well into June.
Still, there was no hiding their immense disappointment.
“It was really hard,” senior Avery Tumolo said, fighting back tears. “It sucked. I wanted to win the whole thing.
“This does mean a lot. We made history for our school, and it’s incredible that we made it this far, but we wanted it so bad. We could have had it. That’s the thing, but we just didn’t.”
It didn’t take long for the players to put their accomplishments in perspective.
“We made school history,” Waring said. “No one has ever done this before, and especially with this group, we all are so close.
“I’m proud of this group. We worked so hard together – practices over the winter, everything. It’s just very special, and we’re going to miss the seniors a lot next year.”
And if someone had told them at the beginning of the season that they’d be playing for a state title on June 14 – what would their response have been?
“I would have laughed in their face,” Tumolo said.
“It’s kind of crazy to think about,” Bloom said. “If you had told me at any point that we’d be here, I would have said, ‘You’re crazy.’
“It’s really special. It’s super disappointing (to lose), but it’s amazing to say that we did it.”
And although their medals are not gold, their first trip to states was certainly an impressive outcome.
“From day one, these kids have been unbelievable,” Molle said. “They senior leadership has just been tremendous, and we’re going to miss them.”
For all the doubters – this one’s for you – The Knights have made no secret of the fact that they felt – if not disrespected – at least doubted by many heading into this season.
“I feel like last year we were expected to win, and this year, a lot of people doubted us,” Cimino said. “We showed everyone that we are North Penn, and we can still win, and that there is still talent here.”
“This year there was a different feeling coming in,” Orth said. “People were like ‘Oh, North Penn’s not good anymore. They lost all their seniors,’ and for us to come out and prove them wrong and scrap and fight our way through the playoffs and get to this point where we are able to come back to Penn State – it was just so amazing.”
Orth, Cimino, Sokol and Nunn were starters on last year’s title squad
“We set high expectations because we knew our potential from the beginning,” Sokol said. “We knew we could get here, so we set those expectations to come her, and that’s what we did.”
Almost to a person, players pointed to the significance of the team’s spring trip to the University Alabama where they notched wins over three strong Alabama squads – Hillcrest (8-5), American Christian Academy (5-4) and Bibb County High School (4-3).
“The Alabama trip helped this team, helped me find this team, know what they were and know what they needed to do, and they were just awesome,” Torresani said. “They have just worked so hard together.”
The Knights not only worked hard, they came together with a singular goal.
“I think it’s just all of the seniors came together because everyone doubted us,” Tubertini said. “We really just wanted to prove everybody wrong, so that’s what we set out to do.”
What the Knights have accomplished the last four years will be difficult if not impossible to match.
“It didn’t hit me when even in the dog pile,” Orth said. “Once we got in line (for the medal presentation), I was like, ‘Oh my god, we did it again, back-to-back.’ It was just surreal, and it was just so unexpected because so many people doubted us.
“To get back here and prove everybody wrong – it was just so rewarding, even more rewarding than last year. We had to work so much harder this year, and at the end, seeing that we did it and how much work we put in and how it paid off was amazing.”
All three state title runs were unique.
“Last year, there was a lot of pressure on that team,” Torresani said. “This team from the very first day – nobody thought we were going to do it, nobody thought we were going to be here, and we’re here, and we won it. That’s a testament to them.”
Relying on a higher power – Bella Nunn’s success story this season has been well documented, but listening to the senior standout tell it, she’s had some help. Nunn, it turns out, has a strong faith and acknowledged that she spends quite a bit of time in conversation with God during games.
“I’m praying the whole game – every single pitch,” she said. “I draw the cross, and I’m like, ‘Give me the strength to get through every pitch and every at-bat.’ I couldn’t do it without that.”
Prayer has created a unique connection with her coach.
“He prays over me every single game,” Nunn said. “Every state game he’s prayed over me.
“It means a lot that we have the same views so we can bond over that. I think it connects us more as a coach and a player.”
“She’s very special,” Torresani said of his star pitcher. “She never gives up. She has that faith that everything is for a reason, and that’s the way she is on the mound.
“She and I pray a lot, and she prays on the mound. That gives her the confidence to settle down. You need something on the mound so when things aren’t right you can refocus. With Bella, it’s prayer, and that’s what she does. We pray before every game.”
For Nunn, this year’s title run is pretty much a dream come true.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” she said. “I just can’t believe we did it. I didn’t doubt it the whole time – I had faith in us, and I knew we could do it.
“I’m just so proud of everyone on the team. It was such a team win, and it’s just amazing.”
North Penn sets the standard – The Knights have built something resembling a dynasty, winning three of the last four PIAA 6A titles and advancing to the state semifinals in the only year in the last four when they did not win the state crown.
This year’s title was the sixth in program history.
“The big thing I like about it – we were tied with five state titles with Pennsbury and Parkland, and we just broke the tie,” Torresani said. “We’ve got the most softball titles in the state, and for the school, the administration, I’m so happy.”
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