Canyon del Oro beats Marana Mountain View for 5A softball title

• This is the school's first state title since 2017 and the 10th in its history.
• Junior Emma Shaffer hit a three-run home run and later drew a bases-loaded walk for the winning run.
• Freshman pitcher Savanna Mares pitched a complete game and finished the season with 248 strikeouts.

Kelly Fowler was starting to feel snake-bitten. 

After three runner-up finishes in the 5A state high school softball championship game in the past five seasons, Fowler — the softball coach at Canyon del Oro — wondered if her team would ever win it all again.

The antidote was delivered this year, with Canyon del Oro taking down Marana Mountain View 4-3 in the 5A state championship on May 18 at Grand Canyon University. It is the first state title since 2017 for Canyon del Oro, and the 10th overall in school history.

“We’ve had too many runner-ups,” Fowler said. “I felt like I was snake-bit because the kids work so hard. I know that everybody wants to win it, but I felt like we were always this close. To be that close and not be able to finish. I was just so happy that the kids did it.”

Canyon del Oro is No. 3 all-time in state history for most softball state titles, one behind Joseph City, which won its third straight and 11th overall this season. It is the third title for Fowler as coach at Canyon del Oro, which finished the season 29-6.

Junior first baseman Emma Shaffer got the scoring started with a three-run home run in the top of the first inning to put the Dorados up 3-0, launching a pitch into right field that struck a light pole outside the stadium. 

“That’s what I told her: ‘You set the tone.’ To start off with a three-run lead, you can’t ask for anything more,” Fowler said.

Mountain View responded with an RBI single from senior Alycia Gordin to make it 3-1.

In the next inning, the bottom of the second, senior Julia Donnely tied the game at 3-3 with a 2-RBI single. That would be the last time Mountain View scored in the game, as freshman pitcher Savanna Mares shut down the Mountain Lions the rest of the way.

The tie was broken in the top of the third after a walk with the bases loaded. It was Shaffer again, forcing a walk to load the bases. Freshman second baseman Brooklyn Benavides scored to go up 4-3, scoring the decisive run.

Mares only had to work her way out of one jam following that, pitching almost flawlessly in a complete-game effort to bring home the title. The game was a microcosm of the Dorados’ season, as Mares was relied upon heavily in the regular season. Mares finished the season 21-5 in the circle, tallying 248 strikeouts in 146 innings.

“It’s amazing,” Shaffer said. “She does not play like a freshman. She has so much confidence. She is so calm all the way through. She acts like a senior. She has the skills and confidence of a senior. It’s great to have that on the mound.”

Mares has already established herself as one of the state’s top pitchers, ending the season No. 3 in Arizona for most strikeouts. She had a game with 20 strikeouts earlier in the season.

She came to Canyon del Oro with the explicit goal of winning state championships, hoping to become the latest to add to the school’s rich history in the sport.

“It means a lot to me,” Mares said. “Me being a freshman here, being able to help lead my team to this, it just means so much. It means a lot because I’m helping with this tradition and legacy.”

While Canyon del Oro is enjoying winning this state title, it’s hard not to look ahead.

Mares has three more seasons of eligibility and there are only four seniors on this year’s roster. Canyon del Oro has already shown it can go on a run, winning six titles in 10 years.

Could more be coming?

“Let’s do it. That’s all I gotta say,” Fowler said.

Marana Mountain View finishes the season 24-4, coming up just short of winning the first state title in school history.

Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at [email protected] or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@LSscribe.