Central Noble Jr-Sr High School

The Central Noble Varsity Cougars softball team claimed the Concordia Invite championship for the second year in a row on Saturday, powered by two dominant performances from Grace Swank. In the championship game, Swank was nearly untouchable in the circle, striking out 11 while allowing just one hit and one run over seven innings in a 4-1 victory over Elkhart Varsity Lions 2026. She also made an immediate impact at the plate, blasting a two-run home run to center field in the first inning to give the Cougars an early lead. Central Noble added to its advantage in the second inning when Katie Forker delivered an RBI single to make it 3-1. Swank finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with three RBIs, leading the Cougar offense. Kaitlyn Tilley showed strong plate discipline, drawing two walks as part of a five-walk team effort. Anna Knight took the loss for Elkhart, allowing two runs on two hits in one inning of work. Fionna Topolski accounted for Elkhart’s lone RBI, while Bailey Harris-Rogers recorded the team’s only hit. The Lions played clean defense, finishing without an error. Earlier in the day, the Cougars battled through an extra-inning thriller to defeat South Adams 3-0. Swank once again dominated, allowing just two hits and no runs while helping lead a pitching effort that totaled 18 strikeouts. After seven scoreless innings, Central Noble broke through in the eighth when Swank delivered a clutch triple, driving in all three runs. Molly Mann led the Cougars with two hits, while Swank accounted for all three RBIs. South Adams was led by Reagan Beitler and Reece Beitler with one hit each, and the Starfires also played flawless defense. S. Weiqel took the loss despite a strong performance, striking out 13 over eight innings. With two impressive wins on the day, the Cougars secured the Concordia Invite title and celebrated as back-to-back champions, continuing their strong season with dominant pitching and timely hitting.