Following a disappointing ending to the 2020 spring sport closure, the Lakota West girls softball team is making its comeback, and junior team star KK Mathis, has been the backbone to their early success. Mathis is top 5 in every single statistical category, both offensive and defensive. This outstanding performance has led the Firebirds to an undefeated start to the season. 

The most eye-catching stat line that Mathis has achieved is her outstanding amount of home runs. Mathis just recently broke the school record for home runs in a single season —  a whole month prior to the start of the postseason. Mathis’s 11 home runs have beat the district record, meaning she leads in home runs for both Lakota West and Lakota East. If Mathis is able to keep this pace, she will be able to come close to and possibly beat the state record, which is 18 in a season. 

Not only can Mathis hit the ball, but she also is a lights-out pitcher. She has pitched in 13 games, (winning all 13 of them,) has a 1.24 era (Earned Run Average), and a whopping 125 strikeouts. With the dual threat of Mathis both offensively and defensively, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Firebirds are ranked as the top team in the State as of right now.

When asked of her future plans, such as hopes to play college ball, Mathis replied with “Well, as of right now, I only got one offer; If I can hit anything like I’m hitting right now through the summer, when the NCAA dead period is over, I should have more varieties of where I can go”. Mathis and her Firebirds have great team chemistry, and are hoping to continue their winning streak further into the season.