Less than 72 hours after making program history, the celebration is already being put on pause.
The championship banners, social media posts and memories from the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 title victory will last forever. But Riverside Prep’s season, however, is not finished.
The Silver Knights begin the CIF State Southern California Division II Regional playoffs Tuesday afternoon when they host Del Norte of San Diego, giving Riverside Prep an opportunity to add another chapter to what is already the most successful season in school history.
“We’re excited,” Riverside Prep head coach Lou Allan said. “But at the end of the day, it’s just another softball game.”
That mentality has become a defining characteristic of Riverside Prep, which enters the regional playoffs as the No. 1 seed after a remarkable season.
Whether facing a two-run deficit in the CIF-SS championship game on May 30 or preparing for the pressure of the state playoffs, the Silver Knights have repeatedly relied on their ability to stay calm and trust one another.
Allan credits part of that approach to advice she learned from her grandmother, former USA Softball player Sheila Cornell-Douty.
“Something my grandma always taught me was whenever you’re nervous, as long as the butterflies are flying in formation, you can always calm it down and get back to center,” Allan said. “This is something this team does really well.”
That composure was on full display in the championship game.
After falling behind 3-1 in the first inning against Great Oak, Riverside Prep responded with three runs in the fifth inning before freshman pitcher Lila Morris shut the door, securing a 4-3 victory and delivering the first softball championship in school history.
“I knew we would come back,” Morris said after the game. “We’ve shown game and game again that pressure means nothing to us and that we will come back.”
The Silver Knights have spent the entire season proving that point.
Riverside Prep enters regional play with a 27-4 record and has outscored opponents 280-71 this season. During the playoffs, the Silver Knights defeated Quartz Hill, Oak Park, La Serna, Dos Pueblos and Great Oak while allowing just nine total runs.
Much of that success has been fueled by Morris, one of the top freshmen pitchers in California.
Morris carries a 20-1 record into the regional playoffs along with a 1.44 ERA and 259 strikeouts in 142 ⅔ innings. More than half of the batters she has faced this season have struck out.
Behind the plate, catcher Obie Obregon has helped guide the freshman through pressure-packed situations all season.
“She does kind of get in her head, but we’re there to back her up,” Obregon said. “When she’s in her own head, we’ve got her no matter what. We just have to remind her and she can get back in her zone.”
Standing in Riverside Prep’s path Tuesday is a Del Norte team that enters with a 14-14 record after competing in the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division playoffs.
The Nighthawks were eliminated by Mater Dei Catholic in the Open Division semifinals but feature several dangerous players, including Lainey Llamas, who is batting .467 with 11 home runs, 31 RBIs and 31 runs scored.
Del Norte also boasts a pair of pitchers capable of handling significant innings. Ava Gaime owns a 2.71 ERA across more than 103 innings, while Brooklyn Gaime contributes both in the circle and at the plate, with a .372 batting average, three home runs, and 21 RBIs.
Despite the challenge, Riverside Prep enters the matchup with confidence.
The Silver Knights return nearly their entire roster next season, graduating only one player, and have spent months building a culture centered around belief and resilience.
“Everything is just there,” Obregon said. “Our energy is there. Everything is just there.”
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Riverside Prep.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Riverside Prep turns attention to the CIF state playoffs after historic title run
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
