By Dave Brousseau

POMPANO BEACH – Perhaps the best word to describe the Cardinal Gibbons 1-0 softball victory over Coral Springs Charter in the BCAA Big 8 championship game on Wednesday is.

FINALLY.

Entering the game the Chiefs had been shutout in 12 consecutive games against their district rival, while being outscored 142-0 during that stretch dating back to February of 2016. Gibbons has also lost 16 straight games to the Panthers going as far back as 2008.

In the bottom of the seventh inning and the game still scoreless, sophomore outfielder Sloane Schaefer stood on third base with one out. Sophomore second baseman Reese Randall delivered the winning hit to left center for the win.

“This feels good, but at the same time we know we’re going to see them again,” said Gibbon’s coach Emily Estroff. “Our goal is to win the state championship. When you’re playing anyone that’s very good and you play a team like Coral Springs Charter there’s more at stake.”

For the first time since these teams first met in 2008, Gibbons (22-1) were winners snapping a 16-game losing streak to the Panthers and first BCAA Big 8 title.

“I knew I just had to put the ball in play,” said Randall, who was named the game’s MVP. “Whatever happens, happens. I was very confident I would get the job done.”

“We battled to the end, and I think we’ve known that about our team this whole year,” said senior pitcher Lydia Berent. “Coral Springs Charter has been the final test. To come out here and show what it takes. We made some great plays, and it was awesome.”

Berent allowed five hits and struck out nine batters.

Coral Springs Charter (17-3) had runners only twice but were unable to produce any runs. The loss was the third of the season decided by a single run.

Panthers starting pitcher Courtney Wahlbrink was replaced by eighth-grader Iyralynn Courtney after two and third innings having thrown 14 innings on Tuesday.

Courtney went 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and the only run of the game in the seventh inning.

“Credit to Lydia she a Division I pitcher going to Stanford and we had a couple of chances there,” said Charter coach Mark Montimurro. “She’s a real good pitcher and we needed to capitalize. We’ll see them again next week in districts.”

Dave Brousseau is a veteran journalist who worked at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and is a longtime BCAA Correspondent. Need to reach out to him? Contact him at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.