The players and coaches on Jim Thorpe’s 12U All-Star softball team won’t forget the wins — especially the one that clinched the District 18 title.

But it’s everything that led up to that moment — and what came after — that made this summer one they’ll always remember.

For the first time, Jim Thorpe captured an individual district championship in softball, defeating Carbon in a best-of-three series to earn the 2025 11-12 title. The win was historic — but it also felt like a long-awaited reward for a group that had been building toward something bigger.

“We’ve been close before,” said manager Ryan Trexler. “We’ve had talented teams that just couldn’t get over the hump. This group did. And they did it together.”

The team’s roster came together from multiple spring squads. Limited practice time and stormy summer weather left them with only four full workouts before districts. But there was already chemistry. Most of the girls had played together at some point over the past four years, and that familiarity helped them come together quickly.

So did their mindset.

“They were coachable, they wanted to be there, and they were all in,” Trexler said. “That’s what made this group special.”

Jim Thorpe opened the series with a 1-0 win in Game 1 — a rare pitcher’s duel in the world of Little League softball. Aubrey Jaeger went the distance in the circle, striking out eight and surrendering just three hits, while Reighlyn Bowen drove in the game’s only run in the fourth inning.

Carbon responded in Game 2, scoring six runs in the fifth inning to take a 7-0 win and even the series.

That set up a winner-take-all Game 3 — and a moment the players had waited years for.

Down 5-3 after four innings, Jim Thorpe rallied with five runs over the final two frames. Carlee Confer delivered the go-ahead hit with a two-run triple in the fifth and finished 3-for-3. Brynn Thompson added two hits, a run scored and an RBI, Mikenah Pruitte had a hit and two RBIs, and Ella McKeon scored a run and stole two bases. Jaeger once again pitched a complete game, striking out nine.

Their 8-6 victory on June 24 didn’t just earn them a championship. It lifted a weight off the shoulders of everyone in the program.

“It was a breath of fresh air,” Trexler said. “We had been so close the past couple of years. To finally break through — it was huge. Not just for the girls, but for our whole program. It showed what’s possible.”

The All-Stars took that belief with them into the Section 6 tournament. After dropping their opener to Stroudsburg, Jim Thorpe bounced back with an 11-2 win over Warrington — the program’s first-ever sectional win — before falling to Bethlehem 9-7 on July 4.

That stretch, Trexler said, proved something even bigger: Jim Thorpe belonged on that stage.

“It gave them that taste of what the next level feels like,” he said. “It’s a huge stepping stone for our program — especially with some of these girls going into junior high next year. It gives them experience, confidence, and something to build on.”

The team was led by manager Ryan Trexler and assistant coaches T.J. McKeon and Ryan Confer. Players on the championship roster included Carlee Confer, Aubrey Jaeger, Brynn Thompson, Mikenah Pruitte, Emily Steigerwalt, Reighlyn Bowen, Ella McKeon, Kali Trexler, Adrianna Bowen, Kailyn Skelly, and Kylie Steward.

The coaching staff emphasized the importance of defense, fundamentals, and keeping the game fun. The players embraced it all.

“Our defense was outstanding,” Trexler said. “They knew where the play was. They didn’t make a lot of mental mistakes. That’s what gave us the edge in those close games.”

Trexler credited Jaeger’s consistency in the circle — she pitched every inning of the team’s postseason run — and the collective poise of a roster that stepped up whenever needed.

But he also credited something else.

“We had amazing parent support,” he said. “They got the girls where they needed to be, they were loud, encouraging, and committed. It takes a full team, and that includes the families. We had that this year.”

For Trexler, who has coached in the program for several years, the championship run was about more than a trophy.

“It showed these girls what they’re capable of,” he said. “It showed other kids in the community what’s possible in Jim Thorpe. And it gave us a foundation to keep growing.”