When Beecher made its run to an IHSA Class 2A state softball title a season ago, Karsyn Kasput was cheering the team on as a fan.

After making her own postseason run to IESA state as an eighth-grader, the freshman got to celebrate her first piece of playoff hardware as a high schooler after the Bobcats (31-0) picked up a 14-6 win over Manteno (20-10) in Friday’s Class 2A Manteno Regional championship.

The Bobcats now have four regional titles in a row and 11 in the last 12 seasons as they head to the Pontiac Sectional semifinals against the host Indians on May 27.

“I feel like this team is like family, and especially that I’m a part of that now, it makes me so happy,” Kasput said. “Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t expect a lot of playing time, but really just using hard work and putting everything together, it’s really helped me a lot.”

Manteno freshman Mady Dye drove in the game’s first run in the top of the first Friday, but the Bobcats pushed across seven runs in the second, and after Manteno made it a 7-4 game, five more in the third to take control.

The Panthers found more success than most teams have against Beecher ace Taylor Norkus, who had allowed just 20 total runs in 127⅔ innings heading into Friday, but she still had eight strikeouts, no walks and just three earned runs allowed.

Kasput finished 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and three runs, tying her for the team lead in hits and runs as one of several players who have stepped into big roles this year.

Sophomore Carmela Irwin, who had 21 at-bats last season, is up to 73 this year while her .479 average is second on the team. She was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and two runs Friday.

Sophomore Grace Wuest (1 for 4, one run) has seen her at-bats go from 34 to a team-high 101 this season, while senior Mia Chavez (2 for 4, two runs) and sophomore MaKenna Albert (2 for 4, one run) have had their at-bats increase by nearly 50.

“Whether it’s on offense or defense, freshman or senior, its a lot of different people that have been contributing,” coach Kevin Hayhurst said. “We have 13 kids, and just about all of them are getting out there and showing what they can do. It’s nice for the future.”

The team’s seniors have helped stabilize things with their wealth of big-game experience, but everyone in the lineup seems ready to keep the line moving after a timely hit or error cracks open the door for a rally.

Senior shortstop Elena Kvasnicka, who was 2 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs Friday, said it doesn’t take much to get everyone going when there’s an opportunity for a big play or hit.

“We just all trust each other,” she said. “We can build off each other’s energy. Even if the energy is kind of low, there’s always one person who can bring it up again.”

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 16

Class 2A Manteno Regional championship softball: Beecher vs. Manteno Beecher's Elena Kvasnicka beats the tag at home by Manteno's Ginny Kvasnicka during Beecher's 14-6 victory over Manteno in the Class 2A Manteno Regional championship on Friday, May 22, 2026. (Tiffany Blanchette/Tiffany Blanchette)

Kvasnicka, Norkus, Chavez, Makenzie Johnson and Liliana Irwin all graduated a week ago and are now keeping their high school days alive with every win.

After last year’s seniors kept their careers going all the way to the final day of the season, Norkus said this year’s group is hoping to do the same.

“We’re just making the most of every inning, every game,” she said. “We’re just trying to stay as close as we can all summer, even after all the games we play, to try and keep these friendships close and full.”

Manteno seniors Aubrie Goudreau, Alyssa Singleton, Sophie Peterson, Amiya Carlile, Lanie Young and Madeline Kvasnicka had their final season come to an end Friday. Goudreau led the team offensively, going 3 for 4 with a triple, an RBI and three runs.

Mady Dye was 2 for 4 with an RBI, and fellow freshman Hannah Stritar was 1 for 3 with an RBI triple.

While this senior class helped the program to 93 wins over the last four years, Manteno coach Josh Carlile said they’ve also done a good job maintaining the foundation of a program that hasn’t finished below .500 since 2003.

“You see the plays [the seniors] make, you see how they hit the ball, but what most people can’t see is what they do in the dugout and what they do in practice. ...” he said.

“It’s always been one of our things is making sure we’ve got the next group ready. We don’t want to be a roller coaster team, and we want to always be challenging. I feel like we’re going to have the girls again to do that next year.”