This year’s Class A state softball championship will be a rematch of last year’s final as West Central and Tea Area scored semifinal victories at South Players Complex on Friday.

West Central turned back Madison 11-5, while Tea Area controlled Dell Rapids 7-1.

It could not have been a more fitting finish for West Central senior Jocelyn Nilson, who delivered a bases-loaded double to break open a close game in her team’s victory.

“In the dugout, I had teammates who were like, you’ve got this, and in that moment, I had one job and that was to score runs,” Nilson said. “Honestly, I went up there and I didn’t have anything else in my head. I knew I was going to do it.”

Once she produced the key hit, Nilson was able to exhale a bit.

“It was definitely a moment where I could just take a deep breath once I got to second,” she said.

Interestingly, it was the last game in a West Central uniform for Nilson, who will miss today’s championship contest because of a family wedding.

“It’s really tough,” Nilson said fighting back emotion, “because I’ve been a part of this team for five years now, but family comes first, no matter what the situation is.”

Nilson is confident that her teammates can win another championship without her.

“It all comes down to having trust in your teammates,” Nilson said. “I know the people who are going to take my spot are going to do great.”

West Central coach Heather Harden was proud of her senior and her ability to come through in the clutch in the semifinals.

“That’s about Joce. She is a competitor,” Harden said. “She’s one of our true leaders on this team. …. She just competes and she goes hard. I’ve seen her make plays in practice that would make ESPN Top 10s, and it was so fitting and I’m just so happy she can have that for her last game.”

Madison jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, with two runs scoring on Aubri Topkin’s single. However, West Central was not about to be denied a return trip to the championship contest, responding with 11 runs over the next five frames.

“That’s what these girls are all about,” Harden said, “they know that they can trust each other and they work hard, and they know it’s never over in the first inning or the second inning. It’s not over until that last out.”

Harden said the Trojans came in from the field after giving up three runs and had a resolve about them.

“The really came in after that first inning and in the huddle just were intense, saying let’s get it, and we went out and put a couple of runs on the board,” Harden said, “and just kept chipping away and chipping away, and that teamwork and that trust with each other is really key.”

Hanna Raethz and Nilson each drove in runs on extra-base hits in the bottom of the first, Ayla Kramer had a two-run double to tie the score at 4-4, and Elisabeth Miller put West Central on top with a single before Nilson’s three-run double that helped to propel the Trojans back to the state title contest.

Raethz and Nilson each finished with three hits. Nilson drove in four and Kramer knocked in three.

Unbeaten West Central will now try to defend its state championship, even if its without Nilson in the lineup.

“She’s given words of wisdom, she’s guiding these younger girls, knowing that she wasn’t (going to be here) and she’s got them ready,” Harden said. “She will be with us in spirit and I know we’ve got kids to step up and fill that gap.”

Tea Area scored five runs in the first two innings to set the tone for its victory over Dell Rapids.

Kalli Boom had four hits and scored three runs for the Titans, who surrendered one first-inning run and nothing else en route to the win.

Tea Area scored all three of its second-inning runs after two outs. Emily Froendt drove in a pair with a single.

In consolation round action earlier in the day, Tri-Valley scored all five of its runs in the fourth inning in a 5-2 win over Elk Point-Jefferson.

Ava Christensen had a two-run double for the Mustangs, before back-to-back triples from Emery Pearson and Kadence Davey.

Laney Trometer and Paige Jacobs each had RBI extra-base hits for EPJ.

Dakota Valley defeated Beresford 14-3 in the other consolation contest.

Lexi Stusse, Mia Riibe, Brennan Trotter, Madelyn Munch, Bria Perryman, and Emma Barnett each had two hits for Dakota Valley, which collected 16 hits as a team.

Halle Livingston and Harley Koth each had a pair of hits for Beresford.

In addition to this evening’s championship, other games today have Elk Point-Jefferson against Beresford for seventh place at 10 a.m., Tri-Valley taking on Dakota Valley for fifth at 12:30 p.m., and Madison against Dell Rapids for third place at 3 p.m.

Semifinals

Madison 301 010 0 – 5 5 2

West Central 203 420 x – 11 11 1

Amanda Vacanti and Evie Lurz; Caitlyn Hoff and Hanna Raethz. 2B – Madison, Vacanti; West Central, Ayla Kramer, Hoff, Raethz, Jocelyn Nilson. 3B – West Central, Nilson. HR – Madison, Vacanti.

Tea Area 230 101 0 – 7 7 0

Dell Rapids 100 000 0 – 1 4 4

Addisyn Hansen, Emily Froendt (3) and Kalli Boom; Katie Kvigne and Rylee Halverson. 2B – Tea Area, Boom, Sehr.

Consolation

Elk Point-Jefferson 110 000 0 – 2 6 1

Tri-Valley 000 500 x – 5 8 1

Laura McDermott, Regan Rasmussen (6) and Hannah Nearman; Emry Jones and Seynna Bird. 2B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Laney Trometer; Tri-Valley, Ava Christensen, Kadence Davey, Bird. 3B – Elk Point-Jefferson, Paige Jacobs; Tri-Valley, Emery Pearson, Davey.

Dakota Valley 000 518 – 14 16 1

Beresford 020 01 – 3 10 7

Emma Barnett and Mia Riibe; Rylie Laurvick, Brynlee Mohning (4), Kennedy Merrigan (6) and Ivy Keiser. 2B – Dakota Valley, Riibe; Beresford, Capri Mullinix. 3B – Dakota Valley, Madelyn Munch, Riibe; Beresford, Halle Livingston, Merrigan.