Des Lacs-Burlington senior Logen Ystaas is batting .524 this season with 10 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 26 RBIs and 31 runs scored. The No. 3 Lakers finished runner-up to Central Cass at last year’s state tournament. Mike Kraft/MDN

For the eight softball teams who have earned the right to still be playing during the final weekend of the high school sports season by means of a region championship or a state-qualifying victory, three wins is all that separates them from the ultimate prize of a state title.

Among this year’s Class B state tournament field, some programs know how it feels to be a state champion while others have come up just one win shy of their ultimate goal. Others have gotten a taste of being a participant, but have never made a deep run, while one is making its state tournament debut.

Unlike in past years where there has been a clear favorite or two amongst the group, where the top two seeds are in a class of their own, this year, all eight teams could make a strong argument as to why they will be the one to rip off three consecutive wins and end the season hoisting the championship trophy at Lyle “Trapper” Lawrence Field in Jamestown.

“We can’t overlook anyone and we have to understand they all want to win just as much as we do,” Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark senior Logen Ystaas said. “We need to come together as one team and work together. It’s not that one person who is going to do it all for us. We all have to work together as one.”

This year’s group of eight finalists has combined for 12 of the 13 state titles awarded since the inaugural NDHSAA-sponsored season in 2012 as well as 10 runner-up finishes. The 12 championships are split amongst three teams with 11 coming from the East. Top-seeded and defending champion Central Cass has seven titles to its name, while Kindred/Richland has four. Beulah – the No. 4 seed – is the only team from the West to win a Class B state softball title, doing so in 2023. Enderlin/Maple Valley – not in the tournament field – won the first state title in 2012.

Central Cass, Velva/Drake-Anamoose, Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark and Thompson enter as region champions, while Kindred/Richland, Beulah, Glenburn and Pembina County North all won state qualifiers.

The Squirrels (19-6) have been a part of the state tournament every year but in 2023 and advanced to the state title game 11 times. Central Cass breezed through the Region 1 Tournament, pitching three straight shutouts and putting up 36 runs. Of their six losses, only one came against a Class B opponent (Thompson). They open up their tournament schedule against Pembina County North (11-4).

Central Cass defeated DL-B/L&C in last year’s state title game, as well as in 2018. Those were the closest the Lakers (16-4) have gotten to winning a state title during their string of 10 consecutive appearances in the tournament.

The Lakers are coming off a dominant run through the Region 3 Tournament, reminiscent of what Central Cass did in its region tournament. DL-B/L&C outscored opponents 48-1 and only allowed two hits in the process. Piper Feller led the offensive production and was the team’s ace in the circle. She batted a team-best .642 with 43 hits. Feller swatted a team-high six home runs. She recorded 26 RBIs and scored 41 runs. In the circle, she tossed 74 1/3 innings, allowing 34 runs on 49 hits, striking out 127 and walking 33, while sporting a 1.51 ERA.

Ystaas – one of two seniors on the team along with Elyssa Lindahl – batted .524 with 26 RBIs and 31 runs scored.

Being at the state tournament has become commonplace for Ystaas and Lindahl and they will be looked to as a calming presence for the younger players.

“It’s keeping your cool and not letting the word ‘state’ make the games seem harder than they really are,” Lindahl said. “It’s all the same thing. You have to keep cool and composed through everything. I’ve had experience in these types of situations, especially with the state championship game last year. It’s about helping them out to stay cool, calm and composed throughout the tournament altogether.”

The third-seeded Lakers draw Kindred/Richland in the quarterfinals. This is the Vikings’ 12th appearance at state. They weren’t part of the field last year for the first time since 2013. In 12 appearances, the Vikings (15-5) have advanced to the title game six times.

The Lakers’ only Class B loss was to Velva/Drake-Anamoose, who they could potentially match up with in the semifinals if seeds hold. The No. 2 Aggies (18-5) come into the tournament feeling confident after a convincing 21-6 victory over Beulah in the Region 4 championship, avenging a loss to the Miners during the regular season.

“I like our seeding,” V/D-A coach Bryce Gutknecht said. “I think it shows the depth of our region and how competitive it was. When you’re talking us and Beulah and Beulah’s had a state championship and we’ve made the state tournament a number of times, I thought the winner of our region definitely deserved that No. 2 seed behind Central Cass.”

The Aggies amassed 250 runs over the course of the season, eclipsing 20 or more runs in five games and 10 or more in 16. They hit .461 as a collective, recording 296 total hits. Four players hit above .500, led by Quincy Bruner with a .589 average. She led the team in hits (43), RBIs (33) and runs scored (40). Emma Balas hit .548 with 32 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Grace Balas led the team with four home runs.

“Overall, it’s depth,” Gutknecht said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a team that’s capable of girls 1-9 that hit the ball and we take a lot of pitches, we’ll walk a lot and just the depth we have with a full lineup that are really capable of having multiple hits, extra-base hits, key hits in a game.”

The Balas sisters are the two go-tos in the circle, led by Grace. Grace Balas threw 88 1/3 innings and had a 2.30 ERA. She struck out 173 and walked 35. Emma Balas tossed 41 2/3 innings and had a 4.87 ERA with 53 strikeouts.

While the Aggies are confident, they also know that they still have to come ready to play. They found themselves in a similar situation last season entering the state tournament and ended up losing in the opening round.

“You just have to be ready to play,” Gutknecht said. “We came in last year kind of flying high. We beat Beulah, who’ve kind of had our number and played really well and then you show up at state and play a Hillsboro team that really puts the ball in play. The biggest difference is the defensive mindset. You can’t just count on your pitcher to have double-digit strikeouts. We’ve got to be able to make the plays we’re supposed to and not rely on our pitcher to have a high volume amount of strikeouts.”

The Aggies draw Glenburn in the quarterfinals. The Panthers (13-8) are making their tournament debut after winning four consecutive elimination games at the Region 3 Tournament after dropping their opening contest.

Emma Jones and Mila Jones were their big sluggers. Emma Jones led Glenburn with a .554 average, collecting 41 hits and hitting seven home runs. She recorded 30 RBIs and scored 37 runs. Mila Jones led the team with nine home runs and batted .478. She drove in 30 runs and scored 27 times.

Callie Martin pitched 97 of the team’s 119 innings this season. She recorded a 5.41 ERA with 105 strikeouts.

Beulah and Thompson round out the quarterfinal contests, with the Miners (18-5) looking to add a second state title for the West. The No. 4 seed and runners-up from Region 4 are led by Addison Dale-Geiger, who batted .638 with 44 hits – more than half going for extra bases. She led the team in every statistical category offensively. In the circle, she finished with a 3.58 ERA, striking out 199 batters while walking just 38. She tossed 105 2/3 innings.

The state tournament gets underway with Velva/Drake-Anamoose and Glenburn at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 28, and concludes on Saturday, May 30, with the championship game at 4:30 p.m.