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Three-time state champion looking to bring winning ways to Ohio State softball
Allison Smith, center holding the trophy, will take her winning tradition from Champion High School to Ohio State’s softball program. (Courtesy: Allison Smith)

Three-time state champion looking to bring winning ways to Ohio State softball

WARREN, Ohio (BVM) – Not many high schoolers in the Class of 2020 can say they were a three-time state champion. But the seniors of the Champion High School softball team can, including star pitcher Allison Smith.

Smith starred in her three seasons of softball at Champion, compiling some eye-popping numbers while setting school records in the process. Although her senior season was canceled due to COVID-19, Smith won the Gatorade Ohio Softball Player of the Year Award this spring, and will be continuing her softball career at Ohio State University next season.

Smith began playing softball at the young age of 5 with her dad as her coach. The 18-year-old played multiple sports growing up and had a deep love for soccer. But as she began playing travel softball and started receiving college offers early on in high school, Smith realized this was the sport to focus her time on.

While playing travel softball throughout her youth, Smith originally settled in as a catcher. But after getting a chance to pitch in a tournament where her youth team would go on to win a national championship, Smith was immediately hooked to being in the circle.

“At the end of that tournament I sat down with my parents and told them I want to be a pitcher,” Smith said. “It was a pitcher’s high and I just loved it so much. It was everything I wanted softball to be.”

The Champion grad continued to get more exposure as she pitched for different teams throughout the remainder of her youth. It would soon set the stage for her high school career, where she burst on the scene as a freshman. But for as good of a pitcher as Smith is, the softball star also shines at the plate.

In her first season for the Golden Flashes, Smith hit 18 home runs to go along with 64 RBIs and a .518 batting average. In the circle, Smith had a 0.70 ERA, and helped lead Champion to an OHSAA Division II state softball title, as the team would lose just two games all season to pair with 32 victories.

“We had great leadership and all the pieces just fell into place that first year,” Smith said. “And it definitely kept rolling after that.”

Smith came back the following season as a sophomore to hit 15 more home runs, while maintaining a 0.74 ERA as a pitcher – winning all 16 games that she started for the Golden Flashes. This time, Champion would finish the season a perfect 31-0, winning another state title, now in Division III.

After back-to-back state championships, the team did not get complacent. Smith would have her best season yet in her junior year, again winning all 16 games she started, which featured four no-hitters. At the plate, she once again hit 18 home runs to set a school record with 51 long balls in just three seasons.

Champion would win yet another Division III state softball title – their ninth in school history – compiling another jaw-dropping 30-2 record. Not many athletes can say they accomplished a three-peat in high school, but Smith and her senior teammates are honored that they can.

“It really means something and is a big deal in our community,” Smith said about the three state titles. “Our community is such a support system. You always have to be proud of the girls who step up too because every year you lose key pieces of the team. Each year everyone worked harder and we kept the mentality that we were going to get back and win a state championship.”

Of course, winning three straight state championships is not possible without great leadership. Champion softball coach Cheryl Weaver has been at the helm for these three titles and Smith credits her for being the heart and soul of the program, keeping things lively and fun around the team while also finding ways to motivate them. The softball star and her teammates typically call Weaver the “G.O.A.T.” meaning “greatest of all time.”

Going into the spring, Smith had the chance to do something most high school athletes can only dream of – win four state championships in four years. But unfortunately, her and her teammates never got the chance to do so with the spring softball season canceled due to COVID-19.

“Obviously I was extremely disappointed and it took a while to fully understand that it was actually canceled and that we weren’t going to get back out there and play,” Smith said. “We had a chance to accomplish a lot which was taken away but the things that you really miss with this team aren’t just the games. It’s the things behind the scenes and you miss so much more beyond the game.”

Smith fully understands the reasons behind the cancelation of her senior season. But she and her team had a lot to play for. With 51 home runs, Smith needed just 10 to break the state record for career round trippers in her senior season. 

The Golden Flashes also not only could have completed a rare four-peat, but would have held the record for most softball state championships in Ohio with 10 had they brought home another gold trophy this year. Smith certainly thinks both of these accomplishments could have been achieved.

“I think we would have had a pretty good chance at another title,” Smith said. “We had a lot of talent coming up and a lot of returning talent. I think I would have had a good chance at getting the state home run record as well.”

Although the opportunity to make history was denied, Smith and the other seniors who were part of this winning program are at least able to enjoy the fact that they went out on top.

“We still call ourselves state champions since the season never officially started anyways,” Smith said.

Despite not playing a game, Smith was still honored with the Gatorade Ohio Softball Player of the Year award this spring. It’s a meaningful honor for not only her, but the Champion softball program as a whole.

“I never would have dreamt of winning this award,” Smith said. “A Champion softball player has now won the award two of the last three years and it’s something they have to be proud of as am I. It’s my favorite award that I have ever received and I compare it to the feeling of winning a state championship.”

The cancelation of her final softball season officially wrapped up a tremendous athletic career at Champion for the 18-year-old. Smith also competed in basketball during the winter where she was part of a team that made it to regionals for the first time in 30 years during her junior season. The softball star competed in golf in the fall as well, and actually started the team with five of her friends freshman year, giving her some of her fondest high school memories.

Smith was also a star academically at Champion, maintaining a 4.0 GPA and being named valedictorian of the 2020 class, a special honor for the recent graduate.

“That’s one of the highest rewards I’ve ever received,” Smith said about being named valedictorian. “It was a lot of work but we have great teachers and great support at the school.”

The 18-year-old has played for the Beverly Bandits 18U travel team the last few years and will continue to do so this summer. The entire team is made up of Division I softball commits, which has helped prepare Smith to take her softball career to the next level.

“We are an elite team and I think playing with them has put me ahead,” the softball star said. “It has prepared me for college because we do play such elite talent and you’re getting the experience of playing a college lineup.”

Smith will be staying home for her college softball career, going on to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes next spring. She only had one other official offer before she committed to the Buckeyes during her freshman year, but was sold on OSU early on in the recruiting process.

“As soon as I went there I knew immediately this is where I wanted to go,” Smith explained. “Ohio State is just everything you could ever ask for. The coaching staff is awesome, they are great academically, and it is just the perfect fit.”

The Champion grad is excited to get her career started in Columbus and hopes to help the team out however she can. Smith has been told by her coaches that she may be put in the lineup right away to hit, but will undoubtedly pitch at some point as well.

“To finally be able to go there is such an amazing feeling,” Smith said. “There is a lot of experience on the team to learn from and I just can’t wait. If I’m one of the top nine when I get there then I will probably hit, but otherwise I will look to do my job in the circle hoping to help win games.”

The soon-to-be Buckeye will study biomedical engineering at OSU, and would like to make prosthetics in the future. She is undecided on a professional softball career after college, but would be honored if she made it to that level.

After one of the best high school softball careers the state has seen, it will be exciting to see Smith realize her potential over the next four years playing for the Buckeyes. It will be a new experience for the softball star, but she won’t forget what her and her teammates left behind at Champion.

“Growing up as a kid, those who were on the record board at Champion were idols of mine,” Smith said. “I just hope I had that impact on the program and community and leave the younger girls wanting to be successful.”