After school’s 1st girls state title, Thomas Jefferson softball has summer to celebrate

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, July 21, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

It’s been a summer like no other for the Thomas Jefferson softball program.

For the first time in the high school’s 65-year history, TJ has a state champion in a girls team sport.

The WPIAL Class 5A runners-up Jaguars made an improbable run through the PIAA playoffs before attaining their final goal of 2024: winning a state title.

TJ edged District 2 winner Pittston Area, 2-1, in a dramatic eight-inning walk-off victory June 13 at Penn State.

The Jaguars celebrated the 10th anniversary of their lone WPIAL softball championship with district silver and state gold.

And Heidi Karcher was lauded as the Trib HSSN Class 5A Softball Coach of the Year. Karcher was humbled.

“It was a great honor to be recognized,” she said.

This summer, it’s been a time of celebrations for the TJ girls.

“All season, Karch would do team dinners and some girls hosted pool parties,” said Zoe Krizan, TJ’s senior center fielder. “We had a lot of team bonding events throughout the season. The night we won the state championship, we all went out to dinner and it was a fun time.”

The team was recognized at the school board meeting in June and the TJ players enjoyed an ice cream social as a group following the meeting.

Also in the works were a “ring sizing” party and possible ceremony, a day at Deep Creek Lake for a cookout and swimming and an appearance in the National Night-Out Parade.

After finishing third in their section, the 10th-seeded Jaguars surprised No. 7 South Fayette, No. 2 North Hills and No. 11 Latrobe before losing to top-seeded Armstrong in the WPIAL finals.

But their remarkable postseason run continued in the state playoffs with wins against Solanco, West Chester East, Central Mountain and, finally, Pittston Area that secured the program’s first PIAA championship.

“This team was gritty and hard-working with a never-going-to-quit attitude,” Karcher said. “The girls had the ability to adapt to road trips and come off the bus ready to work and win. I’m very thankful for the school and community for their support during this Cinderella story.

“I think the softball team’s success over the past 10 years has made a mark in the community. The state title kind of seals the deal. Girls know I am a tough coach and sometimes they come in as freshmen a bit hesitant, but once time passes, they know that I and my staff genuinely care about them and want them to be successful student-athletes.”

Krizan, a Drexel recruit, hit .411 this season with a .483 on-base percentage. She led the team in slugging percentage (.795), home runs (6), RBIs (29) and tied for the team lead in doubles (6).

Krizan gave the Jaguars an early 1-0 lead in the PIAA championship game with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning.

“Saying I’m proud of our postseason performance is an understatement,” Krizan said. “We hit playoffs and became a whole new team. We were projected to lose every game, from the first round of WPIAL playoffs against South Fayette, to the state championship against Pittston.

“How we responded to being the underdogs was amazing. We never let up and slowly began to shock the high school softball community. Every single girl on the team contributed in some way. We began to put all the puzzle pieces together. There was a different vibe in the dugouts for our postseason. It’s hard to explain but it’s like you could feel the fight and the want to win.”

Krizan, who also scored 28 runs this season to go along with 30 hits, 16 singles and two triples, was a four-year starter at TJ.

“I would say we had high expectations prior to the start of our season,” she said. “We were definitely reaching to win the section. Obviously, that didn’t go as planned. I’m not sure if I would say making it to the WPIAL and state playoffs was an expectation. That was more of a dream that we accomplished as a team. But with the talent on this team, we had expectations to go far, for sure.”

Aubrey Shaffer proved to be a dominant force in the pitcher’s circle for the Jaguars. The right-handed freshman hurler started all 24 games and threw 2,374 pitches. She allowed 174 hits and 92 runs (66 earned) in 156 innings, struck out 114, walked 38 and hit just one batter. Her ERA was 2.96.

“Next year’s team is going to be just as strong,” Shaffer said. “We have some good players coming up that will give us some depth. I have a lot of confidence we can do just as good as we did this year and possibly make the same road trip to Cal U and Penn State.

“After hearing we were the (WPIAL) 10 seed, most people thought we weren’t going to make the state playoffs. Most thought we weren’t even going to make it past the first round of WPIAL games. Showing people that we could come back and make TJ history was the highlight of the season.”

Shaffer’s teammates, particularly Krizan, were impressed — and grateful — by the 15-year-old’s dynamic effort this spring.

“I want to give a shout out to Aubrey for one amazing season,” Krizan said. “Coming in as a freshman, she dominated, in her own way, and proved to so many people that age does not matter. I think people definitely underestimated her, but nothing stopped her. Her ability to stay calm on the mound does not go unnoticed.

“I hope she is proud of her (season-long performance) and knows I am so proud of her. I cannot wait to see what her future holds. I am so happy Aubrey pitched her way to a state championship, allowing me, and the others, to experience this opportunity. What a tough, tough girl.”

Krizan also was delighted to prove the naysayers wrong about TJ softball this season.

“I hope TJ softball’s journey this year helps anyone overcome any obstacle they think they can’t,” she said. “I hope it shows people there is always hope. If people doubt you, work hard and prove them wrong.

“You don’t always have to be the best of the best to win. Underdogs can win too, and that’s exactly what TJ softball did.”

Morgan Alisesky, a junior second baseman, ranked first on the team in several offensive categories, leading in batting average (.476), OBP (.527), hits (40), singles (31), doubles (4), triples (3) and runs (29).

Alisesky also had a .667 slugging percentage, four doubles and 20 RBIs.

“We knew we had a very good team with a very good group of girls,” she said, “and we didn’t want that talent to go to waste. The team had high expectations. We practiced hard and conditioned hard and that led to our success.”

The Jaguars will lose three seniors in 2025 — Krizan, 1B Taylor Karpac and OF Emma DeSimone — from this year’s high-profiled club.

“We are losing three very good players,” Alisesky said. “We still have a good group left so I have high hopes for next season and my senior year.”

Karcher and her staff will welcome eight starters back in 2025 including five that will represent senior class: Alisesky, 3B Olivia Stock, C Ali Chalovich, LF Hannah Alonso and DP/1B Alayna Grese. They will be reunited with Shaffer, Addi Bracco, a sophomore shortstop this spring, and Sophia Janosko, a freshman outfielder in 2024.

“Most of the girls are back on the diamond playing travel ball,” Karcher said. “We have a lot of talent returning. And I hear there is a lot of talent coming up.

“We will have a big target on our back. The season after a championship year is always tough because everyone wants to beat you and the pressure is on to repeat.”

Karcher was assisted by her daughter, Haleigh, Amanda McHugh, Kylie Hartbauer and Skylar Meier.

A face sadly missing from the program was coach John “Hoppy” Mitruski, who died unexpectedly last year. The Jaguars dedicated the 2024 season to Mitruski, who was involved with the team as a head coach or assistant for four decades.

Following the PIAA semifinal game, Mitruski’s daughter Megan hosted a celebration party that included dinner and swimming.

TJ ended the regular season at 9-7 then tore through the playoffs, winning seven of eight games, including four in a row in the PIAA tournament.

Shaffer (P), Alisesky (2B) and Krizan (OF) were named all-state as first team selections.

Seven TJ girls were voted as Big 56 section all-stars in 5A: Alisesky (INF), DeSimone (DH), Stock (INF), Krisan (OF), Shaffer (P), Chalovich (C) and Bracco (INF).

Tags: Thomas Jefferson