KoMets ready to defend state championship

The Kasson-Mantorville softball team will defend their back-to-back state championships beginning with the section tournament this week. Although the KoMets moved up from Class AA to Class AAA this season, their recent play suggests that they could dominate any class in Minnesota at the moment as they head into the playoffs.

“I’m very confident in the team going into the playoffs,” K-M head coach Paul Mann declared. “We are playing well and not doing things to hurt our chances. We just need to continue making the plays that we’re supposed to make.”

A powerful example of K-M’s dominance came on May 17 when it hosted a doubleheader with Cannon Falls and Goodhue. The KoMets made the team name of the Bombers look misplaced as Mackenzie Hemann and Meridith Wright would both connect to send balls over the fence in a 21-0 victory.

The scoring wouldn’t stop in the second game as the KoMets would destroy Goodhue 16-0 on the backs of strong efforts from Chante Thome (3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI), Hemann (3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Kendra Powers (3-for-4, RBI), Katie Harrington (2-for-4, 3B), Allie Schager (2-for-2, RBI) and Abi Folkert (HR, 3 RBI).

K-M would wrap up its regular season schedule by traveling to Rochester Lourdes on May 19. The KoMets would continue their stretch of hot play by getting some stong pitching from Thome as she recorded 11 strikeouts on the afternoon. That, along with home runs from Laura Kosberg and Stephanie Meyer, would give K-M a 6-3 win and a slew of momentum heading into the playoffs.

“We have a team with a lot of game experience come playoff time,” Mann said of the upcoming tournament. “This should help with the nerves and knowing that they’ve done this before and can do it again. They are ready and will do as good of a job as they can to win a fifth straight section championship.”