Sectional softball notes: Bureau Valley has family ties to Storm’s two regional championships

The Bureau Valley Storm won their first regional softball championship in 2006.

Eighteen years later they won their second.

There are two sets of family ties to both of the Storm’s regional championship teams. Olivia Eckberg is a senior on this year’s team following in the footsteps of her sister, Lauren, who was a sophomore on the 2006 team.

There’s also the Jamison family connection - Bureau Valley sophomore Abby Jamison and her aunt, Heidi (Jamison) Franklin, who played on the 2006 team.

Heidi (Jamison) Franklin (left) played on BV's first regional championship in 2006. Her niece, Abby Jamison (right) is a sophomore varsity member of this year's regional champions. (Photo provided)

The 2006 regional championship is a story in itself. It came as a complete surprise.

The Storm squad came in with six wins as the No. 19 seed on their home field. They upset No. 4 Princeton 4-3 in the semifinals and then knocked off No. 6 Putnam County 7-6 in nine innings for the regional title.

Bureau Valley won its first regional softball championship in 2006, upsetting Princeton and Putnam County at home. (Photo provided)

“I should have retired after that one,” former Bureau Valley coach Brian Humphrey said for the 25th anniversary series. “I think both Princeton and Putnam County were 19- or 20-win teams that year and we were like 19th out of the 20 teams rated at sectional and only had six wins going into regional. Those were two wild games.

“Christa Gonigam, one of our best hitters, had a trip planned to Florida and didn’t play sectional. Of course, they didn’t think we’d have a chance to win regional.”

Bureau Valley went on to fall 5-1 to St. Bede in the sectional semifinals.

At home in Peoria

The St. Bede Bruins certainly feel right at home at the Louisville Slugger Complex in Peoria, the sight of this week’s Class 2A Peoria Notre Dame Sectional.

They captured the Class 1A State Championship a year ago, defeating Goreville 4-1 in the state semifinals and then rallying to upend two-time defending state champ Illini Bluffs 7-6.

The Bruins opened the 2024 season with an 8-0 win over Peoria Notre Dame to run their record to 3-0 at the Louisville Slugger Complex

St. Bede (22-5-1) is scheduled to face Riverdale at the Louisville Slugger Complex and hope to continue there winning ways there.

“We started our regular season off this year back at the Louisville Slugger Complex with a win against Peoria Notre Dame. I guess you could say it’s been a great place for us to play thus far between last year and this year,” St. Bede coach Shawn Sons said. “We look forward to competing hard and continuing those winning ways.”

Bureau County best

This is the first time that four teams from Bureau County won either baseball or softball regional championships in the same season, counting the Storm and St. Bede softball teams and the Hall and St. Bede baseball teams.

The most county champions previously was three in 2019 - the Princeton and St. Bede softball teams and the Hall baseball team.

There had been two county champions in the same season 10 times.

Oh Henry

Like Bureau Valley, Henry-Senachwine won its first regional championship since 2006. The No. 2-seeded Mallards beat No. 6 Annawan/Wethersfield 2-0 in the Class 1A Amboy Regional finals.

It is also just the second regional championship in school history

“It feels amazing,” said Henry pitcher Lauren Harbison said, who spun a two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. “This is what I’ve been dreaming of since my freshman year, so it’s great to be able to do it finally.”

The Mallards (17-12) advance to the Williamsfield Sectional to face AlWood (25-5-1) at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Team bonding

It seems the Storm softball team is finding unique ways to bond this year. There have been three broken fingers on the team - Josie Edlefson, Eckberg and Jamison.

When Eckberg broke her finger, the sophomore Jamison took her spot in center field. The day Jamison broke her finger, Eckberg was cleared to play and returned to center. Eckberg made a run-saving leaping catch in the regional championship game victory over Princeton.

Storm reigns

Bureau Valley’s regional win over Princeton raised the Storm’s postseason record to 4-1 over the rival Tigresses.

Princeton still holds the all-time series edge at 22-13.

The Bureau County rivals are not scheduled to play for the foreseeable future with Bureau Valley moving to the Lincoln Trail Conference next year.