Championship effort

To say that Delcambre sophomore Jaci Trahan was important to the Lady Panthers’ drive to the Class A state softball championship would be a bit of an understatement.

In five games from the start of the playoffs, she batted .500 (8-for-16), had two home runs, a double, a triple, scored six runs and knocked in eight runs.

But perhaps her best performance was saved for the circle as she went seven innings in the quarterfinals on Friday, then came back to pitch seven innings in the semifinals on Saturday morning.

“Everyone on the team knew she had nothing left in the tank,” said Delcambre coach Mark Suire. “Even she didn’t know how far or if she could go in the finals.”

With the score tied in the state championship game against Ouachita Christian, Trahan entered the contest in the sixth inning.

“I told her all she had to go was two or three innings at most,” said Suire. “She told me she could do that.”

Two innings became three, then four, then five, then six and Trahan was on a roll. She allowed only two baserunners and at one point retired 16 straight batters.

Finally in the 13th inning, after pitching seven innings, equivalent to a complete softball game, Delcambre scored the winning run and Trahan got the last three outs to clinch the Lady Panthers first ever state title.

“I don’t know how I did it,” said Trahan after the game. “I was pitching on adrenaline. I just knew I couldn’t let the team down.”

“She was willing to give everything she had,” said Suire.

“Jaci didn’t want to let the team down and the team didn’t want to let her down. That’s how we won the title.”

For her efforts in leading the Lady Panthers to a district title and the state championship, Trahan has been named the Most Valuable Player on The Daily Iberian’s 2008 Best of the Teche Softball Team.

The Best of the Teche Softball team is chosen by the sports staff of The Daily Iberian from players at Teche Area schools.

“She did what the rest of the team did,” said Suire. “She and the rest of the team had the attitude that they refused to lose. Her performance says a lot about her and is typical of the kind of kids we have at Delcambre.

“They are willing to work hard and they don’t not give up on their dreams.”

Joining Trahan on the team from Delcambre are senior catcher Jenny Moneaux, junior Teirrany Peltier and freshman Tailor Broussard.

Moneaux, who signed with LSU-Eunice, and Peltier were utility selections. Broussard made the team as an outfielder.

“Jenny was able to handle our pitching staff,” said Suire. “When they would get in trouble, I didn’t have to go out and clamp them down, she was able to go out and do that.

“Even when she got into two slumps this year, one of which was in the playoffs, she never let her leadership qualities suffer or get down on herself. That showed just what she is made of.”

Broussard and Peltier turned out to be the table setters for the Lady Panthers with their ability to get on base and score runs.

“Jaci doubled the team record for RBIs in a years,” said Suire. “That happened because Tailor and Teirrany were able to get on base. Their ability to be slap hitters didn’t allow them to be easy outs and put a whole lot more pressure on the defense.”

For his role in leading Delcambre to the state championship, Suire has been named Coach of the Year for the Best of the Teche Softball Team.

Also on the team this year are a couple of Westgate seniors, shortstop Megan Gaspard and third baseman Kayla Watterson, both of whom signed to play at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

“Both of them are pretty equal in ability,” said Westgate coach Carrie Landry. “Kayla led the team in defense and Megan led the team in offense.

“I just wish I had more kids like them. They were the best of the team and they are the best in the classroom.”

New Iberia Senior High had four selections to the team -- starting pitcher Erin Stutes, first baseman Lauren Trahan, second baseman Kaela Lopez and outfielder Chaney Trahan.

“They are definitely the leaders on the team,” said NISH coach Mitzi Lalande, whose team won the first district softball championship in school history this year. “They are the factors that help build the team the last four or five years and they put us going in the right direction.”

The Catholic High Lady Panthers made a return to the postseason for the first time in three years thanks in no small part to the efforts of senior Morgan Comeaux, who made the Best of the Teche team as a utility selection, pitcher Abby Henagan, who is also a utility selection, and Allison Carline, who made the team in the slot of designated player.

Two players who had a hand in leading Hanson to the 2007 state championship and also led the team back to the playoffs this year, finishing one game short of returning the state tournament, also made the team.

Pitcher Brittany Sonnier is the last of the three pitchers making up the starting rotation, and Dacia Collette made the team as a utility selection.

Rounding out the team are senior catcher Katie Daigle from Jeanerette and outfielder Jackee Roberson from Franklin.

Several other players earned honorable mentions to the Best of the Teche team, including Lanie Lissard and Kristin Ball of Catholic High; Tiffany Dugas, Megan Thomas, Brittany Dugas, Kristen Lejeune and Brittney Stein of NISH; Amber Trimble and Danice Calvert of Westgate; Linzy Landry and Jenny Bouillion of Delcambre; Ashley Falterman, Stephanie Lancon, Brooke Baudoin and Laura Miller of Hanson; Rayleonard Williams and Olivia Provost of Jeanerette; Garielle Gash and Ti’esha Abraham of Franklin; and Brittany Fusilier, Banee Madison, Anne Prentiss and Chelsea Bobbitt of Assembly Christian.