MARENGO – As a freshman, Hannah Theobald played in the Class 3A State Tournament as part of the Kaneland softball squad that finished third.
Three years later and now a senior, Theobald and the Knights are one win away from a return trip to state.
Kaneland (25-7) will face Vernon Hills (18-18) at home in the Class 4A Maple Park Super-Sectional, 4:30 p.m. Monday.
"I think this is the perfect year to go to state," Theobald said. "I think we have a lot of talent and I think this group of girls is going to make us super proud."
After the Knights' 5-3 win against Rock Falls on Saturday to claim the Marengo sectional crown, coach Mike Kuefler – and assistant coach on the 2015 state team – said his team was excited to be playing back at home.
Last year, Kuefler said it was the first time Kaneland hosted a Super-Sectional. He said it stung a little as he watched Marengo beat St. Viator for the state berth – the Knights had lost to Marengo in the sectional final, 5-1.
This time, however, his Knights will be playing in their home Super-Sectional.
"For us to take this back home and bring it into our back yard so to speak, we're more than elated," Kuefler said. "We're as excited as heck."
Vernon Hills won the Ridgewood regional with an upset of the hosts, who finished the year 24-6 and were the No. 4 team in the sectional. Then the No. 5 Cougars beat No. 1 Antioch, 14-13, in a sectional semi before beating No. 7 Prairie Ridge, 5-4.
Hayley Barnes started against the Wolves and hit a solo homer in the win. Kuefler said he didn't know too much about Cougars, but added that obviously any team left standing in the final eight is going to be very good.
"You get this deep in the tournament, it doesn't matter who you're playing," Kuefler said. "You have to show up with your best. Like today. We needed 13 kids to win this game, and we used 13 kids to win this game."
Kaneland is taking a 14-game winning streak into the contest, having not lost since May 1, 5-4 against Sycamore. They haven't lost at home since April 30, also against the Spartans – the team the Knights beat to secure the regional crown.
Kuefler and the Knights talked about that stretch of the year – the two losses against Sycamore were the last two games in a four-game losing streak – as a turning point. Vernon Hills had a six-game losing streak early in the year, then lost four straight between May 3-7.
Junior third baseman Hailey Roach said after the game Saturday that the Knights were very excited to play at home on Monday.
"This is amazing. This is more than I can say," Roach said. "We're ready to take it home on our home field and go to state."