By Marc D. Anderson

Rolling back into town on Wednesday, escorted by police and fire with sirens blaring, the Orange Beach High School Softball Team was carrying all too familiar hardware, hard-earned hardware - the AHSAA 4A State Championship Trophy. They were also carrying something else, history. 

For the first time ever in the State of Alabama, the Makos won six straight softball championships after beating Plainview, 6-0, in Oxford. Along the way going 46-1 overall, scoring 493 runs and only allowing 53. 

“It’s never been done, it's historic,” Head Coach Shane Alexander said to the crowd gathered at the Orange Beach Performing Arts Center early in the afternoon Wednesday. “Six years ago, when we won our first one in 2021, the queen of the softball world was Pisgah High School. They had won five straight state championships, and in 2021, we beat them in the state championship. I'll never forget after the game, Ava Hodo was a seventh grader at the time. She told me, she said, ‘Before I leave here, I'm gonna have six.’ You know, I just said, ‘Yeah, okay.’ Because I know how hard it is, and then to see it. I'm getting emotional here thinking about it, but to do it once is really hard, but to do it six times, unbelievable. I've always said, one percent of high school kids ever win a state championship. To do it six times, unbelievable.”

Orange Beach High School Principal Chris Shaw said that winning a state championship takes talent, discipline, sacrifice, and tremendous teamwork, “and these young ladies have represented our school and community with pride every step of the way.”

“We are so proud of our players, coaches, families, and supporters for helping continue this amazing tradition of excellence,” he said. “Congratulations to our state champions, and thank you for giving our Mako family another season we will never forget. Go Makos!”

Orange Beach City Schools Superintendent Randy Wilkes said it was difficult not to repeat himself from past years as this was his fourth time congratulating the state champs. 

“I want to focus just for a moment about success and say that real success is not measured by one moment or one game or one score or one celebration,” Wilkes said. “Real success is measured by consistency over time. And whether we're talking about test scores, whether they're ACAP or ACT or AP exams, or we're talking about living the Mako Way or winning state softball championships, there is a common thread. Success is built through positive habits, repeated every day, and in this case, year after year.” 

Wilkes said he had no idea how many trips the players made to the batting cages, how many miles were put on cars or even planes as the student-athletes furthered their skills. “I know that there has been drill after drill, pitch after pitch, catch after catch,” he said. “Ava, I have no idea how many pitches you've actually caught over the years. It has to be in the tens of thousands.”

He highlighted the extremely difficult 5-2-3 (third base to home to first base) double play that the team turned routinely. “So you have put in the time, you have created those habits, those very same habits we try to create with each and every student here in Orange Beach City Schools, both on the field and in the classrooms, and hopefully they will help our students and our student athletes prepare for success, both college/career and in life,” Wilkes said. “Congratulations to our softball team for capturing an incredible six consecutive state championship. On behalf of the Orange Beach Board of Education, and all of the students of Orange Beach City Schools today, we say that we're incredibly proud of our student-athletes, our coaches, our families and supporters who have helped make this achievement possible. You've represented Orange Beach with class, pride, and with excellence. Congratulations, Makos, six straight championships. One standard, one culture, one way, the Mako Way. Thank you.”

Coach Alexander was the anchor of the State Championship Ceremony. Standing at the podium, he credited parents, his coaches and the “softball family” for all playing a part in the team’s historic run. He said he asked past players what advice they would give to the team and it came down to enjoying the moment. “Be where their feet were at,” he said. “Take a deep breath. A lot of them said, take a deep breath. And I tried to do that yesterday.”

In addition to the historic team run, Coach Alexander said that seniors Ava Hodo and Teagan Revette are very likely the first team sports players to win six state championships. 

“I hope they realize how rare this is,” he said. “Sometimes I think they don't really, but as they get older, when they have kids they can tell them about this story about Orange Beach Mako Softball. They're gonna realize how special that is because it doesn't happen. I see a lot of coaches out here, and they know they know it too. How hard it is to win one, but to do it six times is unbelievable.” 

Coach Alexander said after winning the championship he had about 354 text messages that night. 

“You know, some were talking about ranking and all this,” he said, as he looked over at his team sitting on stage. “And I'll say it, I've said it every year.

“That's the best high school softball team in America.”