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Jay-For the third year in a row, the Jay Lady Royals are regional champs! The 2022 defending state champions will be making their third appearance in as many years next week in Clermont.

Jay defeated Northview 8-3 in front of a packed stadium on Tuesday night. The win over the rival chiefs was the fourth time Jay defeated Northview this season. Jenna Toups got the win for the Lady Royals on the mound, striking out three. Jay’s junior shortstop Ella Nelson went 3 for 3 on the night with a homerun. Nelson recorded 2 RBI’s on the night as well.

The final four bracket has not been released yet, but who the opponent doesn’t matter right now.

“Very proud of the girls,” head coach Brian Watson stated after the game. “Being able to go back to Clermont and compete for another state title is a testament to how hard we work and the talent we have on this team!”

With regular season schedules not being set in stone as in past years due to mandatory district play out the window, the Lady Royals scheduled a tough schedule, playing schools much bigger than the 1A competition they would face starting at the district tournament and going through the playoffs. Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Milton, Gulf Breeze, West Florida, Navarre and several Alabama schools proved to be opponents that gave the 2023 squad opportunities to learn and grow as a group. Two different losing streaks of three and five games may have tested the resiliency of this year’s group, but the team came through stronger after each obstacle.

Now on a six game winning streak of their own, including wins over West Florida Tech and T.R. Miller, Jay is excited about making the return trip to compete for the school’s second state championship in school history.

“We set very high goals at Jay and are excited about competing for another state title,” Watson said.

1A state championship semi-finals will be on Monday, May 22 while the state championship will be on Tuesday, May 23.

NHS 0 0 0 0 2 0 1-3 9 1

JHS 1 0 3 0 1 3 X-8 9 1