CEDAR RAPIDS -- Cedar Rapids Jefferson softball coach Larry Niemeyer was wary of Waterloo West Wednesday.

His J-Hawks showed no fear.

Jefferson (31-10) took advantage of some untimely Wahawk miscues late in the game and cruised into the Class 4A state tournament with a 6-0 victory and a seventh straight regional championship.

"I was somewhat scared of that West team," Niemeyer said. "They have a tough one through five lineup, and we wanted to work hard at shutting them down. I have nothing but the greatest respect for them, and the final score is in no way indicative as to the type of game that was played tonight."

The contest was a pitchers' duel between West freshman Jadyn Spencer and J-Hawks 8th-grader Hannah Petersen through the first four innings.

The Wahawks (25-16) had a chance to break on top in the third when Cassie Horak was hit by a pitch and sacrificed to second. Rebekah Doering laced a single up the middle, but Horak was gunned down at third by center fielder Allison Galvin, who is a University of Northern Iowa recruit.

The Wahawks didn't threaten again as Petersen completed a two-hit shutout.

"That was a big play right there that changed the complexity of the game," Niemeyer said. "If she reached safely and later scored, we may be talking about a different result. Allison just made a great throw, and that is what this game is all about. We got lucky."

The J-Hawks began to catch up with Spencer in the fifth. After a walk and a strikeout, Galvin punched a double into left center to score Maddy Rizor, then stole third base. A short single by Morgan Allee brought Galvin home and chased Spencer in favor of Cassie Knutson, who got a ground ball and pop out to end the inning.

With the game still up for grabs, Jefferson took command by capitalizing on two Wahawk miscues that helped increase the lead to 5-0.

"This is a typical Jefferson team playing small-ball and doing the little things right," said Wahawks coach Kelly Nelson. "Our defense held together pretty well, but we just couldn't hit Petersen's change-up and riseball. She threw that riseball really good. We haven't beaten these guys in seven years."

The J-Hawks added a single tally in the final frame, and Petersen locked down their seventh straight state tournament appearance. The J-Hawks have three state championship flags flying over their field and are looking for number four.

"We are pretty lucky to be able to go to the tourney seven times in a row," Niemeyer said. "It is always fun to go, and we will just have to wait and see what happens from there."

It was a tough defeat for West, and one that Nelson hopes her team doesn't forget.

"It's the first time we have been this far since I have coached here," stated Nelson. "I wanted the girls to look across the field and see how they (the J-Hawks) celebrated, so they could see what it would be like."

The Wahawks lose six seniors, but return some young and experienced talent for the 2009 season.

"We have some holes to fill by losing four starters," said Nelson. "But we are still a young team, and we will come back from this and it will make us a better team."

Contact Rod Payne at sportsdoor@wcfcourier.com

Jefferson ab r h bi West ab r h bi

Galvin, cf 3 0 2 2 Doering, cf 3 0 1 0

Naber, pr 0 1 0 0 Knutson, 2b 3 0 0 0

Allee, ss 3 0 2 2 Spencer, p 3 0 1 0

Burger, lf 3 0 1 0 Joens, 3b 2 0 0 0

Jacobson, 3b 4 0 0 0 Ray, 1b 3 0 0 0

Early, 1b 3 0 1 0 Me. Matthias, ss 3 0 0 0

Sedlacek, pr 0 2 0 0 Ma. Matthias, c 3 0 0 0

Petersen, p 3 0 2 0 C. Horak, lf 0 0 0 0

A. Madsen, cr 0 0 0 0 K. Horak, rf 1 0 0 0

B. Madsen, 2b 3 0 1 0 VanDenBerg, ph 0 0 0 0

M. Rizor, dh 3 2 1 1

Broghammer, rf 0 0 0 0

Drake, cr 0 1 0 0

Totals 27 6 10 5 Totals 21 0 2 0

C.R. Jefferson 000 023 1 ï½ 6 10 0

West 000 000 0 ï½ 0 2 3

E ï½ Me. Matthias 2, C. Horak. LOB ï½ Jefferson 8, West 3. SH ï½ Petersen, Burger, Allee, Madsen. K. Horak. 2B ï½ Burger, Galvin, Early. SB ï½ Galvin, B. Madsen.

Pitching summary IP H R ER BB SO

Jefferson

Peterson (W) 7 2 0 0 2 7

West

Spencer (L) 4.1 5 2 2 1 3

Knutson 2.2 5 4 2 1 1

WP ï½ Petersen, Spencer. HBP ï½ by Petersen (C. Horak). PB ï½ Ma. Matthias.

U ï½ Copping (plate), Murphy (bases). T ï½ 1:55.