AUSTIN — For an extended run of excellence that had seen Iowa Park softball advance to the UIL state semifinals four times since 2021, the Lady Hawks had never played in the final game of the season with a chance to lift the trophy.
The 2026 team finally kicked the door down and found a way to fight through the semifinals and advance to the title game.
One inning allowed Grandview to plate two runs, and the Zebras’ Texas-bound ace Madi Doty made it stick in a 2-0 win over Iowa Park in the Class 3A Division I state championship game at Red & Charline McCombs Field.
Though Callista Berrett went toe-to-toe with the Doty to give the Lady Hawks a chance, ultimately Iowa Park fell short in its first state championship appearance.
“She was fantastic today,” Iowa Park coach Eric Simmons said. “Gave us a chance to win — couldn’t ask for anything more from her. I don’t know how many strikeouts she had but it was a bunch against a talented lineup.”
Berrett scattered five hits across the game, walking one with nine strikeouts, but it was the first hit of the game, a bloop single that fell into shallow left center between three Lady Hawks that set the table for KJ Hubbard’s go-ahead RBI double and a two-run frame for Grandview.
The Zebras taking advantage of their lone opportunity of the game came after the Lady Hawks were unable to capitalize after Halli Kennedy and Kory McCormick each singled to open up the game and Iowa Park loaded the bases in the first.
“We wanted to jump on her early,” Simmons said. “(Doty) is good and as she goes she is going to start picking up momentum. Working out of that bases loaded first inning did help her. If we could’ve scratched across at least one to maybe change the feel of the game a little bit, that would’ve helped.”
The Lady Hawks finished 32-9-1 and will take lessons learned and momentum into the offseason from another deep postseason run after finally reaching the title game.
“I am so proud of these girls,” Kennedy said. “All season this has been the main goal. To get here after a couple of years of not doing means a lot and shows a lot about the work we’ve been putting in and who we truly are.
“We did it together and we fought, day-in and day-out. We did all the work that we could to be here. We gave it our best shot, but we didn’t make it. We got next year, though. We’re trying to push even farther and go win it next year. Be great.”
Simmons said the bond the team had along with pulling in the same direction helped the Lady Hawks reach new heights.
“Team chemistry … this team is really close-knit on and off the field,” Simmons said. “No drama and they love each other and get along. They all had one common goal as a team and we got down here but just came up two runs short.”
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Iowa Park softball sets a new bar after state title game appearance