By MATT PIKE
The Mid-Buchanan Dragon softball team made history Saturday in Springfield, bringing home the first state title in 47 years, beating Chaffee in the Class 2 title game 10-6 at the Killian Softball Complex.
The Lady Dragons last brought a title back to Faucett in May 1980, a Class 1A-2A crown won in Columbia. Now, in 2026 Mid-Buchanan has completed the journey to bring another title back, after winning six consecutive district championships, a second place finish in 2024, and a third place finish last season. A group of seniors who made three trips to state in their four seasons, won 123 games and lost just 24 during the run.
Senior Ellason Lisenbee says all through her four years at Mid-Buchanan the team has been strong.
"I think our first year we should have been here too," Lisenbee tells reporters in Springfield. "So, just to win it here in my last year is awesome."
The Dragons got on the board first in the second inning. A two RBI triple from Zuzu Kountz scored Keithley Black and Hayden Salem. Freshman Rylee Miller, the courtesy runner for the catcher Kountz, scored in the next at bat on a single by Sophia Smith, giving Mid-Buchanan a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the inning. In the bottom half, the Lady Devils cut the lead to one when Jocelyn Hanlon reached on an error by Brooklee Thomas, scoring Bailey Robertson. Later with two outs, after a single by Jordynn Brown, Kolie Morgan reached on an error, allowing Brown to score.
The Dragons would not waver however, head coach Regan Nash Archdekin crediting her leadership for not allowing the team to get their heads down.
"Our seniors and Zuzu behind the plate did a fantastic job of just making sure everybody kind of stayed level the entire game, making sure the heart rates didn't get to high, and we kind of went crazy," Archdekin explains. "So, they did a really good job of having positive communication with each other and just making sure they knew the entire time we played it like a 0-0 ball game, and we continued to have plays at the plate and play good on defense."
Mid-Buchanan's response to Chaffee cutting the lead to one, was to add six runs in the third inning. With one out, Black drove in Paisley Meyer with an RBI double, moving Thomas to third, who scored in the next at bat on a wild pitch. A bunt single by Janika Seckel put runners on the corners, and both runners scored with a two RBI double from Salem, who scored herself in the next at bat on an error in center field after a single from Kountz, pushing the Dragons lead to 8-2. A strikeout by Smith finally got the Lady Devils the second out, but Lisenbee singled driving in the courtesy runner Miller for the final run of the inning.
The Dragons added their final run in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Meyer, driving in Smith. In the bottom of the seventh, facing their last chance down 10-2, Chaffee looked to rally loading the bases to start the inning and scoring Morgan on a groundout. A two RBI double by Jersie Lynn drove in Millie Carroll and Jordan Jones, before Lynn scored the final run on a gorund out by Paizleigh Graham for the second out, before a groundout from Hanlon started the celebration for Mid-Buchanan.
Lisenbee was 3-for-5 at the plate with an RBI and a stolen base. Kountz was 2-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs. Smith was also 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored while stealing a base. In the circle, Meyer started the game, throwing 3.1 innings giving up seven hits, two runs, and a walk, before senior Dru Pearson finished it out throwing 3.2 innings surrendering four hits and four runs, while walking three and striking out one.
Mid-Buchanan will return with a good group next season, losing just four seniors. 15 players are set to be back under Nash-Archdekin next season, looking for a seventh consecutive district championship and another trip to Springfield. The Dragons end the season 23-6.
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