The comeback started quietly, then all at once. 

Down four runs to defending state champion Olathe West on Tuesday and staring down one of the area’s top pitchers in Celise Kellepouris, Gardner-Edgerton chipped away, clawed back and finally cashed in on chaos — scoring twice on passed balls in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off. The kind of win that doesn’t just go in the books, but lingers. 

It’s also become a snapshot of the Blazers’ season. 

Gardner-Edgerton is off to a blistering 13-1 start, including a 8-1 mark in Sunflower League play, fueled by a mix of veteran leadership, emerging youth and a lineup that hasn’t let up. The Blazers’ only blemish came against league leader Mill Valley, but otherwise, they’ve stacked quality wins — including a 4-0 run at the Sunflower League Festival with victories over No. 6 Blue Valley West (10-2) and No. 4 Washburn Rural (5-2). 

“Our motto is ‘one game at a time’ and ‘unfinished,’” coach Joanne Calvin said. “We are off to a great start and having fun.” 

That balance — staying grounded while producing big results — starts with a 7-member senior class that has set the tone. 

“It has been a privilege to coach this group,” Calvin said. “The seniors make my job easier because they lead in a positive way and communicate very well. Everyone has a role and they embrace it.” 

The production on the field has matched the culture. 
 

Returning Sunflower League Player of the Year Charlee Latteman has been electric. The Gardner senior is hitting .692 with 27 hits, six home runs and 31 RBIs while continuing to build on her status as the program’s home run record holder. 

“Charlee is off to a great start,” Calvin said. “She’s an outstanding leader and she doesn’t have to press because of the talent around her. She’s always locked in, and it’s contagious.” 

That supporting cast has been just as dangerous. Junior Morgan Beasley is hitting .583 with 21 hits and 17 RBIs, while freshmen Bella Garcia (.464, 14 RBIs) and Aspen Walker (.435, 20 hits) have added immediate impact to an already deep lineup. 

In the circle, Gardner-Edgerton has been just as steady. Senior Ava Yokley is 6-1, while sophomore Kora Konrade is a perfect 4-0, giving the Blazers a reliable one-two punch. 

And when things haven’t gone according to plan — like Tuesday’s early deficit against Olathe West — Gardner-Edgerton has shown it doesn’t panic. 

“It just goes to show that you can be down, but the game is not over till it’s over,” Calvin said. “The grit and determination that this group has is so fun. They fight for each other.” 
 

That fight has Gardner-Edgerton thinking bigger picture. 

The program hasn’t placed at the state tournament since 2021, when it took third, and hasn’t claimed a regional title since 2022. Getting back is firmly in sight, even if the approach hasn’t changed. 

“We are taking one game at a time,” Calvin said. “Hosting regionals and the state tournament is definitely a goal.” 

If the first few weeks are any indication, the Blazers aren’t just chasing that goal — they’re building toward it — one win at a time.  

 

OLATHE NORTHWEST'S LAHA BREAKS STATE RECORD FOR RBIS IN SINGLE GAME

Olathe Northwest senior Avery Laha delivered a performance that felt more like a video game than a varsity softball game on April 11, driving in a Kansas all-class record 11 RBIs in a single game against Olathe North in the second game of a doubleheader. 

By the time the night ended, Laha had smashed three home runs, ripped a three-run double and even drew an intentional walk — a rare pause in an otherwise relentless offensive onslaught. 

It didn’t take long to see something special was brewing. 

Laha opened the game with a solo home run in the first inning, setting the tone. Two innings later, she launched a three-run shot in the third. In the fourth, she delivered again, this time with a three-run double — part of a memorable game that also featured a personal milestone for her family, as freshman sister Kinsley Laha followed with her first career home run, going back-to-back with Avery. 

Then came the exclamation point. 

With the bases loaded in the fifth inning, Laha crushed a grand slam, her third homer of the game, pushing her RBI total to a record-breaking 11 and surpassing the previous Kansas mark of 10. 

By her final plate appearance in the seventh, Olathe North chose not to pitch to her at all, issuing an intentional walk. 

“Watching Avery have a night like that was something I’ll never forget,” Olathe Northwest coach Shawn Lopez said. “You don’t go into a game expecting to witness history, but from her very first at-bat, you could tell she was locked in. Every swing had intent, every moment she stepped into, she looked completely in control.” 

Lopez said what stood out wasn’t just the numbers, but how Laha handled the moment. 

“To see her finish with 11 RBIs and three home runs in a single game—setting an all-class state record—was incredible, but more than that, it was a reflection of who she is,” Lopez said. “That kind of performance doesn’t just happen by accident. It comes from years of work, confidence, and the ability to slow the game down in big moments.” 

Even as the stat line grew more eye-popping with each at-bat, Laha never tried to do too much. 

“There was no panic, no trying to do too much—just Avery being Avery, competing pitch by pitch and trusting her preparation,” Lopez said. “Those are the moments you’re proud of as a coach, not just because of the result, but because of how it represents everything she’s built her game around.” 

The record-setting night is just one piece of what has been a dominant senior season. 

Laha is hitting .450 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs, leading the Ravens’ lineup and setting the tone each time she steps to the plate. 

“She’s not just producing—she’s setting the tone for our lineup every time she steps in the box,” Lopez said. “You can see her experience, her approach, and her leadership showing up in everything she does.” 

OTHER SOFTBALL STANDOUTS 
 

• Yates Center senior Kinley Morrison couldn’t have asked for a better start to her season and she made a little history along the way. Morrison hit four home runs in one night and became the first-ever Wildcat player to do so. On April 9 against West Elk, Morrison hit four in the doubleheader after hitting a grand slam in her season opener against Southern Lyon County. She currently has six home runs on the year.  
  
   

  

• Shawnee Mission West junior Taylor Peiker put together one of the best outings of her high school career. The Viking pitcher struck out 20 batters in their April 14 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest. She also passed 200 strikeouts for her career and is currently sitting at 229.  

• St. Mary’s Colgan is off to a blistering start to its season under new head coach Cassie Rhuems, who spent the last 18 years at Frontenac. The Panthers are off to a 14-2 start, with their lone losses to Fort Scott and East Newton (Mo.) 

• Spring Hill went 4-0 at the Sunflower League Festival, which included a walk-off home run by Haley Clark in a win over Olathe South in eight innings. The Broncos are off to a 12-5 start to the year. Pitcher Jadyn Kistner is 6-1 on the season with 48 strikeouts and a 0.75 ERA in 37 innings. Capri Olsen has a .611 average on the year with 33 hits. Olivia Fraley passed the 100 career RBI mark and has five home runs on the year. Earlier in the season. Skylar Shepard hit three home runs in one game over Louisburg. 

• Sumner Academy rallied from a 12-run deficit over Highland Park to win 27-17, which started a 4-game winning streak for the Sabres, who are now 4-1 in the Meadowlark Conference.  

• Mill Valley is out to a 12-1 start to its season as the Jaguars, with their lone loss coming in a 4-3 defeat to Basehor-Linwood last week. The Jaguars defeated the defending state champion, Olathe West, 9-7 on April 14. They rallied to tie the game in the seventh on a home run by Jordyn Johnson, who also had two doubles in the contest. Sophomore McKenna O’Leary then won it with a 2-run walk-off home run. The Jaguars have also handed Gardner-Edgerton its lone loss of the season in a 3-0 win. The Jaguars have seven players hitting over .300 and six players have hit home runs.  

• Fort Scott has won 10 of its first 11 games to begin its season, with a doubleheader split against Pittsburg as the Tigers’ only loss. Junior pitcher Kyndal Aikin recently recorded her 200th career strikeout despite missing most of last season with an injury. She has thrown four shutouts and has an ERA of 0.44.