After an undefeated 2025 season crowned with a Class 5A state title, Palo Verde’s softball team is picking up where it left off.
The Panthers thumped host Centennial 8-2 on Wednesday in a rematch of last year’s state championship game. While Palo Verde got contributions throughout the lineup, senior pitcher Ava Koenig kept the Bulldogs on a leash.
The Panthers haven’t lost a regular-season game since May 2, 2024. Led by first-year coach Angelique Council, who took over for the retired Kelly Glass, Palo Verde looks well-poised to keep that streak going.
“We came together as a team and we started making adjustments when we needed to make those adjustments, and it worked out in the end,” Council said. “We just need to stay focused and keep on having great practices.”
Koenig — the reigning 5A Mountain League pitcher of the year and Boston University commit — struck out nine in the victory, sprinkling four hits across seven innings. Junior third baseman Kayleen Enriquez went 3-for-5 for the Panthers, scoring once and driving in one run. Junior left fielder Alexis Kearnes finished 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Sophomore catcher Halle Law rapped out two singles, with a pair of RBIs.
It was Law who got the Panthers (2-0, 2-0 5A Desert) started, bringing Enriquez home on an RBI single to center. Palo Verde added to its lead in the fourth inning, when sophomore right fielder Keileanna Johnson scored on sophomore second baseman Ava Cruz’s sacrifice fly. Later in the fourth, Kearnes drove in Koenig with a double to give Palo Verde a 3-0 lead.
Koenig kept the bases clear until the fourth inning, when Centennial (0-2, 0-2) scored its lone runs of the game. A dribbler along the first base line by catcher Campbell Cole plated shortstop Valeria Lopez and second baseman Leeah Ibarra.
After that frame, Koenig regained control, allowing just two hits the rest of the way.
“It showed we can persevere through tough days,” Koenig said. “It gives us momentum… and shows even on the days that we don’t have our best, we can still come out on top.”
The Panthers added another run in the fifth and put the game out of reach in the sixth, scoring four more runs to make it an 8-2 game.
Ibarra and third baseman Abigail Estrada each went 1-for-3 for the Bulldogs. Hailey Dixon took the loss for Centennial, giving up eight runs (six earned) in 5.1 innings.
