By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

For St. Charles to finally break through, senior Jessie Braud had to first.

As Parkview Baptist catcher Victoria Hugghins blocked the plate, Braud slid through her and – perhaps – under the catcher’s tag. The silence was deafening. Was Braud safe? Were the Comets state champions?

 Yes, and yes.

Braud was engulfed by an avalanche of Comet players and coaches at home plate as the SCC fans exploded in celebration. The Lady Comets were officially crowned Class 3A state champions on Saturday night, 2-1 come from behind winners over Parkview Baptist at Frasch Park.

It’s the first state softball title for St. Charles (30-6) since 1998. The Comets had been to Sulphur in each of the previous three seasons (one in 3A, two in 2A), falling twice in the state title game and once in the semifinals.

With the score tied at one in the bottom of the seventh, Braud with one out in the inning. She stole third shortly after. Courtney Western shit a grounder to Parkview shortstop Jacee Blades, who tried to throw Braud out at home.

But Braud was safe, and the celebration was on.

“It’s unbelievable,” Braud said. “I thought I was dead (after the collision with Hugghins). I ran right into her. My back hurt so much. But this is such a great feeling.”

Western, a sophomore pitcher, had come up big in key spots all postseason, and once again answered the call for her team in its biggest moment of the season.

“I think the pressure helps me focus a lot better,” said Western. “I just knew I had to do anything I could do to get the bat on the ball.”

St. Charles Coach Ty Monica wouldn’t have had it any other way.

“I’m not sure I could have picked a better person to have at the plate there, in that situation,” said Monica. “I knew she was going to put the ball in play.”

But to even be in that situation, Western (16-4) had to pitch lights out. She threw a 2-hitter and struck out 10.

Parkview (26-11-1) scored its only run in the fourth, on an RBI single by Rachael Hugghins that scored Abby Liberto.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth. Katie Tregre started the SCC rally with a single to right field. Lauren Coniglio walked, and Katie Reine bunted her way on to load the bases.

Parkview pitcher Kelsey Jo Smith was able to strike out Brooke Becker for the first out of the inning. But Ashley Trosclair’s sacrifice fly to center field tied the game. Stephanie Caporella flied out to end the inning.

But Western retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, setting up the game’s dramatic conclusion.

“Our team came out in the seventh feeling like we had nothing to lose,” said Monica.

In a way, the Comets came full circle with the win, particularly the seniors. When St. Charles began its run of four straight trips to the state softball tournament in 2005, it lost in finals, 12-0, to Parkview.

One of those seniors, a tearful Coniglio said that she couldn’t imagine a better way to end her run with the Comets.

“It means everything. This is such a dream come true,” Coniglio said. “This is the best day of my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

SEMIFINALS: St. Charles, 3, Winnfield, 2 – Winnfield threatened to end the Comets day early on Saturday, as it had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh inning, down by one.

But Western was able to retire the final two batters to punch SCC’s ticket to the final game.

    After Winnfield’s Caitlyn Bankston singled and Morgan Brewton reached on an error, the Tigers’ Lacey Willis laid down a bunt.

    Western fielded it, looked Bankston back to third and threw to first to record the second out of the inning. She got Bronwyn Chandler to fly out to right to end the threat and the game.

    “We finally fielded a bunt, for the first time all game,” said Monica. “Courtney did a good job holding the runner. We were able to get it done.”

     With SCC leading 1-0 in the third, Western doubled home Braud to put the Comets ahead 2-0. She advanced to third on Winnfield’s throw home. Tregre hit a grounder, and Western beat the tag at home plate to make it 3-0.

    The Tigers scored two runs in the fourth, but couldn’t tie it up.

    Western earned the save, coming on in relief for Trosclair (14-2), who started and went four innings.

    “They both give us such different things,” said Monica. “We were, hopefully, screwing them up a little with the change of pace.”

    QUARTERFINALS: St. Charles, 3, Buckeye, 1 – Coniglio’s two-run home run in the fourth inning proved to be the difference as the Comets held on to defeat the Panthers, 3-1.

    With the game scoreless in the fourth inning, Coniglio blasted a pitch by Buckeye’s Kara Simmons over the centerfield wall.

    The Comets would add another run in the top of the seventh to take 3-0 lead on a Tregre RBI single.

    The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the seventh after Lynsie Nugent took home on a passed ball. But with two outs and the tying run at the plate, Western got Kayla Tobey to fly out to end the run.

    Western struck out 15 batters to earn her 15th victory. She allowed four hits while walking two.

    Coniglio was 2-for-3 with a double to go with her home run.

    “We were comfortable out there,” Coniglio said. “This feels like home to us.”