ELKS MAKE HISTORY: Centerville Softball Headed to State Final Four
INDIAN HILL, OH — Centerville Softball is marching into uncharted territory.

With a 4-2 victory over rival Fairmont on Saturday in the Division I Regional Championship, the Elks punched their ticket to the OHSAA State Semifinals for the first time in school history.

“I can’t describe this feeling,” said head coach Wendell Hutchinson. “These girls believed from day one, even when others didn’t. They’ve earned this.”

The Elks (17-13) have now won seven straight games, peaking at the perfect time. After edging Mason 6-5 in a dramatic regional semifinal, Centerville returned to Indian Hill High School on Saturday to take down a familiar foe. Fairmont had beaten Centerville twice in the regular season, but this time, the Elks flipped the script.

Sophomore slugger Natalie Carr opened the scoring with a home run in the third inning, followed by an RBI single from fellow sophomore Lillie Hopf to make it 2-0. In the fifth, Centerville tacked on two more runs for a 4-0 lead. Fairmont answered with two in the sixth, but the Elks defense held firm to close the door.

Now, the black and gold will travel to Akron’s Firestone Stadium to face No. 9-ranked Massillon Jackson (21-7-1) at 3 p.m. on SATURDAY, June 7th . Jackson upset No. 2 Perrysburg 7-4 to reach the semifinal. The winner advances to the state championship game against either Lancaster or Lebanon, two programs with deep tournament pedigrees.

Centerville’s surge has been powered by a fearless mix of youth and leadership. Carr, who leads the team in home runs and RBIs, has delivered clutch performances throughout the postseason. Freshman Caitlyn Belcher, who homered in the win over Mason, and defensive standouts like Hannah O’Conner have elevated the team when it matters most.

“This run is for our seniors, our school, and our city,” Carr said. “We’re not done yet.”

The Elks are heading to Akron with history behind them—and a shot at a state title ahead.