µÚÒ»³Ô¹ÏÍø

Jaylynn Craun leapt a good two feet into the air, then spiked the softball at the ground.

Aspen Weir screamed into the sun-drenched sky.

Seconds later, Oelwein’s starting pitcher and catcher ran into each other’s arms for an embrace as teammates celebrated around them.

Weir claimed a game-ending strikeout to cement an 8-7 Class 3A Region 5 quarterfinal playoff victory against North Iowa Cedar League East foe Sumner-Fredericksburg-Tripoli on Thursday at Oelwein Veteran’s Sports Complex.

“Amazing,� echoed Craun and Weir when asked for their feelings.

“Proud,� senior Kendra Rechkemmer said. “I’m proud.�

Joked Craun: “We made it past round one, I guess, finally.�

The punchout — Weir’s eighth of the game — obliterated years of first-round losses reaching back to July 3, 2012, when a seven-win Huskies team upended Center Point-Urbana, 6-4, in an upset.

It was Oelwein’s fifth comeback win of 2025.

The Huskies rallied back from down both 4-0 and a run (5-4) against Turkey Valley at the North Fayette Valley tournament. They also claimed their second comeback against the Cougars (trailed 3-0, won 8-3).

“We played with a lot of heart. We’ve said it from the beginning of the season — this team is dedicated,� Weir said.

“These seniors, they want to keep going on, and like …� Weir began to tear up.

“It’s OK. You just pitched a game, girl,� Craun said as Rechkemmer softly said, “No, we understand.�

Weir’s final strikeout also gave the Huskies (16-11) their best single-season win total in the Bob Lape era, their best win total since 2008 (21), and their third win against SFT, or S-F, in school history. All three have come this season.

“They just keep playing,� Lape said. “The cool thing about this team is they’re playing for each other.

“They care — they really care about how their teammates do. It’s not anything being greedy or being jealous. They want to see everyone have success, and that’s what’s made this special.�

The Cougars (25-11) led 4-0 going into the bottom of the third. Then Oelwein’s comeback began.

Macy Westendorf led off the third with a double, then moved to third on a groundout. Grace Gearhart’s groundout to second gave the host its first run off Addison Murray.

Weir and the defense put up a spotless fourth, then went right back to work.

The junior pitcher singled to lead off the bottom half, and courtesy runner June Bahe moved up a base when Emma Gearhart drew a walk.

Madelyn Michels was hit by a pitch, and Aubree Rechkemmer’s single plated Bahe (4-2) and chased Murray from the circle. Later, Westendorf’s sacrifice fly plated Michels for a 4-3 deficit.

“We do have grit. It hasn’t showed in some games, but a lot of games it has come through,� Lape said. “It would have been easy for us to give up when it was 4-0, and we started fighting back.�

Sumner jumped ahead 7-3 in the top of the fifth.

Jade Land singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch.

She scored on a single by older sister Aubree (5-3), and Jamie Jones reached on a fielder’s choice that cut down Land for the second out.

Olivia Schoonover tripled to drive in courtesy runner Sydney Zupke (6-3) and Erin Steege doubled home Schoonover (7-3) to flip momentum.

“When the score was 7-3 — oh my gosh, I could not believe that we came back and scored (five more runs),� Craun said. “We battled back. I love my team.�

SFT head coach Kevin Bergman felt his team faltering.

“You could kind of feel it slipping throughout the game,� he said. “Four-run lead, let it slip away. Got it back up there and let it slip away again.

“You’re just not feeling the best after something like that.�

Oelwein closed in again during the bottom half.

Grace Gearhart and Craun drew one-out walks off reliever Saela Steege. Weir singled to bring Grace in (7-4), and Emma was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Aubree Rechkemmer smashed a two-out single that dropped into the outfield and was misplayed. It allowed Craun and Bahe to score (7-6).

“Bob’s done a great job with the kids this year,� Bergman said. “Aspen has really upped her game a lot from where she was.�

Weir worked through a 1-2-3 sixth in which she struck out two and fielded a grounder, and Craun yelled “Let’s get the bats going� as the team walked into the dugout.

Teammates obliged.

Westendorf reached on an error and was sacrificed to second as Murray returned to the circle. Grace Gearhart walked and Craun reached on a fielder’s choice where everyone was safe.

Weir stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and ripped a two-run double for the lead. She was left at second but came into the dugout with a determined look on her face.

The fourth-year pitcher got a groundout to the circle from Jade Land, then Aubree hit a double.

Weir induced a pop fly in foul territory, then threw a four-pitch punchout to send Oelwein into the Class 3A second round for the first time in 13 years.

“I’m just proud of Aspen,� Rechkemmer said. “She put on a show the whole day. Went all out.�

SFT batted 10 for 31 (.323), with Aubree Land going 4 for 4 with three runs batted in and Schoonover drove in two with her triple.

The top of the Cougar lineup — Isabel Bernard, Jade Land and Aubree Land — went 8 for 11 with five runs scored. Erin Steege had their 10th hit.

“When you score seven runs, you should win the game,� Bergman said. “But it didn’t happen tonight.�

The Huskies took advantage of four walks and two hit-by-pitches from Murray and Steege. They batted 8 for 26 (.308), with Aubree Rechkemmer going 3 for 3 with two RBI and Weir going 3 for 4 with three RBI.

Grace Gearhart and Westendorf each had one hit, and two runs scored; Gearhart walked twice.

Weir allowed six hits and six earned runs, with the eight strikeouts.

“I feel like over the years, I’ve gotten a lot better (at) pitching under pressure,� she said. “Which is a really good thing.�

Oelwein faces No. 1 ranked Wahlert Catholic (33-7) at 7 p.m. Saturday in Dubuque.