INDIAN HILL, Ohio — The Fairfield High School softball team is going to the state tournament for the first time since 1991.
"Indescribable," Fairfield coach Brenda Stieger said. "These kids had a mission this year and just couldn't be prouder of them. Just watched their fight, listen to them in the dugout root for each other and pull for each other. It's just what every coach — that's what we do this for."
Fairfield defeated Centerville 1-0 in a Division I regional final Friday night at Indian Hill.
"It's hard to put into words how proud we are of the girls and coaching staff," Fairfield athletic director Aaron Blankenship said. "This is a program that has so much rich history and such a strong tradition. To see these girls be able to add their own chapter to this legacy is remarkable."
Fairfield's victory came two days after it defeated Lakota East in a regional semifinal, the third win over its Greater Miami Conference opponent this season.
Fairfield is a very good defensive team and it showed on Friday.
"Nothing flashy," Stieger said. "We caught the balls. We fielded the outs. We just did what we had to do today and that's all you can ever ask of them."
Stieger said the team showed determination all season. This was the second straight season that Fairfield was in the regional final.
"I've been doing this a long time," Stieger said. "And it's so hard to get past this game. And I couldn't be happier that happened with these kids. Just a great bunch of kids. We just bonded this year."
Fairfield (23-3), winners of 10 consecutive games, advances to play Austintown-Fitch (21-1) in a Division I state semifinal at 3 p.m. May 31 at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The state final is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. June 1.
Austintown-Fitch, ranked No. 20 nationally by MaxPreps, is the reigning Division I state champion.
WCPO's Caleb Noe contributed to this report.
