Final Four Bound: Northview Lady Chiefs Shut Out Jay For Regional Crown

May 13, 2026

The Northview Lady Chiefs headed to the Final Four for the second straight year after taking the Rural Region 1 softball championship with a 6-0 shutout of the Jay Royals on Tuesday night in Bratt.

Northview junior Mikayla McAnally struck out 10 batters, one hit shy of a perfect game, and walked none.

Addysen Bolen led the Lady Chiefs at the plate with two RBIs as she went 2-3 on the evening. Daviona Randolph also went 2-3 at bat. Peyton Womack and Bailey Burkette each added one hit.

Emery Vaughn had the only hit for the Lady Royals with a single to right fielder Randolph.

Fore a photo gallery, click here.

Ella Samford opened in the circle for Jay, giving up one hit and four runs in one-third of an inning, striking out none while walking three. Cadee Carroll went for five and two-thirds innings, allowing five hits and two runs with one walk and three strikeouts.

Tuesday was the first time on the field in a week for the teams due to rain, but Coach Amy Holland saw her Lady Chiefs take care of business.

“I think we need to work a little more on finding the middle part of the ball, but we scratched out some runs when we needed to,” Holland said after the game with rival Jay. “Every year we come back and we both battle it out. “There’s a good team; they’re a good rival team. You just never know how it’s going to go.”

“I didn’t pitch my best game, but we got the job done,” McAnally said. “But we hit as a team, and we got it all together when we needed to.”

Holland called McAnally the “heart of the team.”

“You’ve got to have a good pitcher to have a good team in softball, and she has come through in the circle for us.”

“We are going back this year,” the junior pitcher said. “We’re more prepared, and we know what to expect this year.”

Last season, Northview won the regional championship 4-1 over Jay. The Chiefs advanced to the state final for the first time in school history, finishing as state runners-up to Trenton.

“It’s a surreal feeling, and we all definitely wanted to make it back,” said senior Riley Brooks. “We are 100% more prepared. Our schedule this year will make it easier for us to face the challenge.”

Brooks added, “We know we have something to prove, and we will.”

The Lady Chiefs (20-5) will practice each afternoon this week before heading to the Orlando area for the state semifinals on Tuesday, May 19 against Liberty County (22-5). The winner will advance to the state championship on Wednesday, May 20.

Fore a photo gallery, click here.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Sports, TOP STORIES, TOP sports