DIVISION IV SOFTBALL: Pahranagat Valley seniors Hansen, Jewett complete ‘triple crown’

Pahranagat Valley has had its fair share of multi-sport athletes, but not many of them can say they’ve accomplished the “triple crown” in two consecutive years.

Seniors Jamie Hansen and Jade Jewett took the last leg of their sports season on Saturday to complete the rare feat.

Hansen and Jewett were a combined 4-for-7 with four runs to lead the youthful Panthers softball team past Wells, 11-4, in the Division IV state championship at Desert Oasis.

“It doesn’t get old,” said Hansen, one of just three seniors on a 17-player roster. “It feels pretty amazing. I think every new state championship comes with a different feeling. Senior year, they mean more because we’re a big leader and a big part of the team.”

Hansen and Jewett, who also won two volleyball and two basketball state championships, were an integral part this season in leading the Panthers (19-6) — and their 12 underclassmen — to a third consecutive softball title.

Both provided an early boost on Saturday.

They each singled and came around to score in the first inning as Pahranagat Valley grabbed an early 3-0 lead.

Jewett finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Hansen was 2-for-3 with three runs, a walk and a stolen base.

After Wells scored a run in the top of the second inning to cut into the deficit, the Panthers answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

Brook Higbee hit an RBI double to plate Allyse Frehner, and scored on a single by Jewett that ended with a defensive error to put the Panthers up 5-1.

The Leopards pulled within 5-3 in the third on an RBI triple by Holly Seech and a sacrifice fly by Katlyn Delrio, but would get no closer as Pahranagat Valley scored runs in every inning but the third.

Freshman pitcher Ashlyn Wadsworth, who struck out five in a six-hitter, walked two batters to start the top of the seventh but retired three of the next four batters to close out the ballgame.

“This feels really good,” Jewett said. “These girls have been on most of our sports teams this year, and I think this is the one everyone really loves. Everyone’s worked really hard at it.”

Freshmen Madalyn Taylor and Kaitlyn Davis also contributed for the Panthers.

Taylor had a two-run inside-the-park home run in the fifth inning, and Kaitlyn Davis finished 3-for-4 with a double and a triple for Pahranagat Valley.

“I knew I had a young crew coming in and we had a lot of work to do,” Sparrow said. “But they believed in what we were saying, and just went to work. There’s no quit, or give up, in these kids.”

Wells’ Alexandrea Leyva was 2-for-3.

Hansen said she hopes the young group can keep the winning streak alive for next season and beyond.

“They know what winning feels like and I hope they keep that tradition going,” Hansen said. “Because that’s what Pahranagat Valley is made of.”

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson.