In the 40 years of West Jordan High School’s history, no girls sports team had ever won a state championship. 

Until now. 

The Jaguars put an end to that streak by winning the Class 5A state championship, earning the school a memorable prize. West Jordan took down Salem Hills in back-to-back games in a best-of-two championship series May 22 and 23. West Jordan ended its season with an impressive 24-4 record and ran through the state tournament with a 7-1 record. 

Winning the state championship was a monumental accomplishment for the program, the school and the community.

“The feeling and emotions have been unreal,” head coach McHailee Danner said. “It’s what we have been pushing for all year. Being a second-year coach, we haven’t known each other very long. It’s been a lot of building and growth, but I could feel the moment the girls bought in and could tell they were ready for something big. There was nothing but pure and unadulterated joy after winning.”

The Jaguars clinched the title with a 6-5 victory over Salem Hills in game two. West Jordan fell behind 3-0 after two innings but was undaunted. The Jaguars scored a run in the third inning and five more in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Salem Hills added two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but neither team got on the board the rest of the way. Rita Tavita was the winning pitcher, and she also struck out seven batters. Arianna Fjelsted hit a double and a triple, while Hailey Fox drove in two runs. 

Danner said it’s difficult to put into words what this championship means to the school. 

“Walking into the halls of West Jordan High, you can tell there has been a monumental shift,” she said. “So many of our programs have shown out this year, and we just happened to be the icing on the cake. I feel like we’ve been a school that’s been hiding in the shadows a little, but we are busting out with a bang, and the sense of pride that is coming out of the school and any alumni has been contagious.”

The softball team’s state crown is the first the school has won since the boys basketball team captured the 5A title in 2009. 

A combination of several factors contributed to the Jaguars’ success this season. West Jordan won Region 4 with a perfect 10-0 mark. The team was solid in all phases of the game, including hitting, pitching and fielding. Perhaps most importantly, Danner said the girls believed in one another and developed a cohesive bond. 

“The team has so much trust in each other,” Danner said. “No matter what is happening or who gets put in or if we are winning or losing, we just didn’t quit and were confident that everyone had a job and everyone executed near phenomenally. We never stopped fighting and never stopped being hungry. At the end of the day, we aren’t just a team, we were a family too, and I think that made all the difference on the field.”

West Jordan reached the final game after defeating Salem Hills 13-7 on May 22, giving the Skyhawks their first loss of the double-elimination tournament. West Jordan got off to a good start, scoring five runs in the opening inning and never looking back. West Jordan added four more runs in the fifth inning and led 9-2 heading into the sixth inning. The Jaguars amassed 15 hits in the victory and got two doubles and an RBI from Andrea Tagovailoa. Fjeldsted hit a triple and drove in three more runs. 

Nothing came easy for West Jordan in its quest to win the championship. The Jaguars encountered their share of challenges, including what Danner called “winner’s fatigue.”

“What I mean by that is, we didn’t ever lose focus, but it’s hard to see the end goal when you are tired and pushing and reaching,” she said. “We got beat by Bountiful in the semifinals, and I’m almost grateful because it gave us a kick in the pants to get ourselves back into gear. It really hit home that we’ve worked too hard and put our hearts on the line to finish short of anything less than the championship.”

Indeed, after the 1-0 loss to Bountiful on May 21, the Jaguars responded with a 6-2 victory over the Redhawks later in the day. That set up the two wins over Salem Hills. 

Reflecting on the key players on the team this season, Danner said several girls played a role in the success. She is also grateful for her coaching staff and their dedication. 

“Really and truly, we could not have done anything or gotten as far as we did without every single player and coach—from cheering in the dugout, having a deep pitching staff, our girls who scored, pinch running, etc.,” she said. “I told them they had to bring the energy. [Tavita] was clutch in the circle all tournament, wanting the ball 100% of the time. [Fjeldsted] almost pulled out a hat trick and was pivotal in starting our rallies and getting us going hot. Lafiana [Fiifita] and [Tagovailoa] had some clutch power hits, Hailey [Fox] and Megan [Grey] were consistent at bats. Abigail [Bunker] was a beast behind the plate. All in all, we are just a well-rounded team.”

The Jaguars lost some firepower but also bring back some talented players. Danner is confident that West Jordan can be a factor in the state race in 2026. 

“I have some strong seniors graduating for sure, but I also have such a strong staff coming up behind them,” she said. “I will have 10 seniors next year, with a solid junior and a wicked sophomore class as well. The expectations are high, but I also know that we’ll stay within ourselves, continue to grow and just continue to love the game of softball. When we do that, everything is achievable.”  λ