Oak Creek Ranch School won its fourth Northern Arizona Athletic Association softball title in the last five years, beating the coed team from American Heritage Academy in Cottonwood, 15-4, May 7, in the championship at Riverfront Park.

“We’re just bringing the championship home where it belongs,” said OCRS athletic director James Herrera. “And it belongs here.”

The Wildcats finished their season with a record of 10 wins and two losses, as they gained a measure of revenge for AHA’s win over them earlier this season.

“The first time we played them, they beat us, so we were super-excited to play them,” first-year head coach Danielle Treiber, a chemistry and earth science teacher, said. “Our heads weren’t in the game then. Then we killed them.”

Senior pitcher Greg Gunlock won the last two titles with the Wildcats but didn’t play during their only loss last season — to Bella Vista Preparatory Academy of Scottsdale.

“Last year, we had a glitch,” Herrera said.

Gunlock agreed with Treiber that the Wildcats always were one of the better teams around when their heads were in the game.

“It’s more about the game you bring,” he said. “If you don’t play as a team, you don’t beat anybody.”

For the full story, please see the Wednesday, May 14, issue of the Sedona Red Rock News.