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BUCHANAN — The Buchanan softball team has found its groove on the diamond.

The Bucks overcame a 1-5 start to the season to hoist a Division 3 district championship trophy after defeating Brandywine 7-2 in the semifinals and routing River Valley 16-0 Saturday in the championship game. Buchanan is 24-7 since the slow start and head coach Rachel Carlson said the team’s rigorous schedule leading up to the tournament has paid off in a big way.

“We faced tough competition throughout our entire regular season, which prepared us well for these matchups,” she said. “Additionally, we have been very focused on our improvements, dedicating time each day to enhance our team defense and strengthen our at-bats. Our emphasis on a strong two-strike approach has also made a significant difference in our performance at the plate. Lastly, the energy and enthusiasm from our players contributed immensely to our success on the diamond.”

Carlson said the entire team has stepped up to fill the void of losing seven seniors from last season’s 35-5 state semifinal team, including big years from this year’s seniors. Caitlyn Horvath broke the school record for hits in a season and also stepped up to pitch this year. Cam Carlson moved from first base to third base, hitting .450 and leading the team in RBIs. Carlson added that Julia Prenkert has played “tremendous” defense at second base and Teyla Coquillard has come back from an ankle injury to strengthen the team’s defense in the outfield.

Catcher Aspen Berry and right fielder Cora Weinberg have anchored the 2-3 spots in the lineup and generated a lot of runs for the Bucks.

“We had a rocky start with the hard schedule, learned where we needed to improve and worked to get better,” she said. 

The Bucks, who are looking for their fourth consecutive regional championship, will travel to Schoolcraft Saturday to face Bangor in the semifinals.

“We will need to continue to play well defensively and have quality at bats,” she said. “Most importantly, we need to keep up our team mindset and team energy.”