For the Potomac School Panthers, winning this season’s Independent School League AA Division tournament could be described as total domination.
The top seed (17-1) was 2-0 in the competition, blanking opponents by 12-0 and 15-0 slaughter-rule scores in five and four innings, respectively, of the girls high-school softball event.
In the May 14 final at Episcopal High School, Potomac School shut out the No. 2 seed Flint Hill Huskies, 15-0, in four innings as right-hander Abby Rebhan threw a one-hitter and struck out six with one walk.
She had a perfect game through three innings with six strikeouts in those three frames
In the semifinals, following a first-round bye, Potomac School overwhelmed Georgetown Visitation, 12-0, in five innings on the Panthers’ home field.
The tournament title was the third in a row for Potomac School, with the Panthers defeating Flint Hill in each final, this year by the biggest margin by far. The tournament was not played the last two seasons because of the pandemic.
“It was a pretty easy win in the final,” Potomac School coach Wayne Loving said. “Abby was getting ahead in the count and throwing 90-percent strikes.”
The Panthers had six hits in the title game, and were helped by multiple errors and walks by Flint Hill.
“We felt from the start of the season this is the strongest team we’ve had as far as position players since I have been the coach,” Loving said. “It’s a very versatile team with 10 players hitting .400 or better, we don’t walk many, and we are very solid on defense.”
Eva Butler got the hitting started in the championship game with an RBI first-inning double. Shelby Wilcox also doubled and had an RBI, Alexis Vaughan had a hit and two RBI, Erika Castellano and Fae Butler each had one hit and one RBI, and Yanna Bravewolf had a hit and two stolen bases.
Starting pitcher Alexis Chickillo had Flint Hill’s hit.
Against Visitation, Potomac School had 14 hits. Rebhan threw a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks.
With the bat, Hayley Richardson had three hits with a double, Eva Butler (four RBI), Sloane Escobar and Castellano (two doubles) each had two hits and Paige Schedler had a hit and three RBI. Willcox and Fae Butler each had hits.
Flint Hill was 2-1 in the tourney, blanking Georgetown Day, 17-0, in three innings in the first round, then topping National Cathedral School, 8-3, in the semifinals.
Chickillo was the winning pitcher in both games. She struck out 13 against National Cathedral, allowing five hits.
Top hitters in those wins for Flint Hill were Chickillo, Grace Allexon, Grace Hausamann, Katie Chung and Angela Dimetriou. Chong and Hausamann homered.
NOTES: By winning the ISL tourney, Potomac School will have four straight shutouts and 12 victories in a row this season entering the Division I private-school state tournament . . . The title was Loving’s fourth ISL AA Division tournament title, his first in 2013 . . . The Panthers have won eight straight ISL tournament games.