DISTRICT TITLE … Adi Kinsman lines a pitch to the outfield as the Bluestreaks defeated Huron for their first district championship in 10 years.
PHOTOS BY MARIO GOMEZ / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PLAY AT THE PLATE … Meg Ames slides under the tag after a passed ball allows her to score. VIEW 101 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Mario Gomez
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
NAPOLEON (May 22, 2026) – For the first time in ten years, the Archbold Bluestreaks softball team lifted a district championship trophy after an 11-1 dismantling of Huron in the Division V Region 18 Northwest 1 district championship.
Archbold pushed 7 runs across the plate in the fifth inning to take the 10-run mercy rule lead and end the game in the bottom of the inning on a cold and wet afternoon.
“We’re just kind of used to it now,” said Archbold head coach Sarah Dominique about the weather. “We’re not really sure what we’re going to do if it’s nice outside.
“It’s been ten years since we won the district last. We got back here last year and lost to a really good Eastwood team in a tough game. For the seniors to finally get over that hump is a big deal and it means a lot to them.”
The Bluestreaks (19-6) move on to the Region 18 regional semifinals where they will take on Baltimore Liberty Union on Wednesday, May 27 at Harrod Allen East at 5 pm.
Madi Bowers was in the circle for the Streaks and hurled another gem of a game. Bowers struck out the first two Tiger batters before allowing a base hit. A popout found the glove of Klaire Kern for the third out.
Adi Kinsman led the game off with a walk. A bunt attempt by Makena Thiel stayed in the air too long and was caught by the Huron pitcher, Madison Holeman, for the first out.
Meg Ames doubled to left field but the outfielder mishandled the ball which allowed Kinsman to score all the way from first and move Ames to third.
A passed ball on a pitch to Charlee Forward gave Archbold its second run of the game after Ames scored to make it 2-0.
Forward singled to right and then stole second to move into scoring position. Bowers struck out and Kern flew out to right field to end the inning, but the Streaks drew first blood and held a 2-0 lead.
On the mound, Bowers struck out her third batter to start the inning. A base hit by Holeman was quickly erased after Allison Hillman hit a grounder to Kern who flipped to Thiel at second for one out and then threw to first for the second out for the double play.
Daylin Bosco started the second with a double to right and advanced to third base after Raegan Gerken grounded out to shortstop.
After a pop out for the second out, Kinsman came through with a single up the middle to score Bosco and increase the Archbold lead, 3-0.
Thiel flied out to center for the final out of the second. Archbold turned another double play in the third to hold Huron scoreless.
The Bluestreaks started a mini threat with two outs after Bowers and Kern singled to put runners on first and second but Bosco grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
Huron scored their first run of the game in the fourth inning. With two out, the Tigers got to Bowers with a single by Reece Hotz.
Holeman hit a grounder to third baseman Ames who handled the grounder but her throw to first was over Gerken’s head and Jayden Budka, who was pinch running for Hotz, scored all the way from first.
Holeman got all the way to third on the error and was replaced by Peyton Gammie as a courtesy runner.
Hillman walked to put runners on the corners but Bowers got Kyleigh Gillman to pop out for the final out of the fourth inning.
“As a pitcher, it’s much easier to throw when you know that you’ve got some runs and the ability to score some more runs,” said Dominique.
“I think that’s big defensively and for Madi on the mound.” The Tigers got the first two outs of the fifth inning and looked to get out of the inning with some momentum but Kinsman came up with a single to center.
Kinsman stole second and third and came home on a Thiel single to get the run they gave up to Huron and regain their three run lead, 4-1.
Huron put a player on with two outs after Adelyn VanSickle singled to left but Archbold got another pop fly out to get out of the top of the fifth and set up a strong bottom of the inning.
Forward opened the Bluestreak half of the fifth with a walk and moved to third after Bowers singled.
Bowers moved to second base on a defensive indifference. Forward scored after a passed ball while Bowers moved to third.
Kern singled to score Bowers and give the Streaks a 6-1 lead with no outs recorded. Bosco singled but an error on the shortstop allowed Kern and Bosco to move to third and second respectively.
Gerken stepped into the box and hit a long fly ball out to left but it allowed Kern to score from third for the third run of the inning.
Maci Martz pinch hit for the Streaks and slapped a single to center on the first pitch she saw to score Bosco. Martz moved to second on the throw home.
A passed ball moved Martz to third and a second passed ball allowed her to score to give Archbold a 9-1 lead. Kinsman, who was at the plate, walked and got to third after Thiel singled.
After Thiel stole second, Ames popped out for the second out of the inning. Forward came to the plate and deposited a long fly ball to right to score Kinsman and Thiel with the game ending runs and clinch their first district championship since 2016.
“We tell the girls all the time to pass the bat,” said Dominique. “When one person gets a hit we tell them to pass the bat and we just build off of that momentum and hope we can create some multi-run innings from that.”
“Hopefully we’re not done yet but it is a big step and they are pretty happy. I’m really proud of the whole team.”
HHS 000 10 – 1 4 3
AHS 210 17 – 11 14 1
WP – Madi Bowers (IP-5, H-4, R-1, BB-2, K-5)
LP – M. Holeman (IP-4.2, H-14, R-11, BB-2, K-2)
LEADING HITTERS: (Huron) – 4 singles; (Archbold) Adi Kinsman – 2 singles, RBI; Charlee Forward – single, triple, 2 RBIs; Daylin Bosco – single, double; Madi Bowers – 2 singles; Meg Ames – double, RBI.