Ranked third in Division II softball, Tucson Sahuaro will gladly accept the Section II title they earned by beating Sierra Vista Buena 9-0 on Wednesday but the Cougars have much loftier goals. Once the most powerful softball program in the state, Sahuaro has not won a state championship since 2001.

The Cougars came close in 2008 but they dropped that final to Canyon del Oro and both programs went in opposite directions from there. The Dorados went on to win three more to match the eight titles won by Sahuaro and the Cougars have fallen short of the high expectations that come with having some of the most talented rosters in the state over the last decade.

Sahuaro has a record of 14-2-1 in power-rankings games and an undefeated 9-0 record in section play. The Cougars will attempt to erase that tie on their record Thursday when Casa Grande Vista Grande makes the long trip to Tucson to finish a game knotted up at 4-4.

But, at this point, head coach Jeff Fowler isn't taking anything for granted.

"We have to learn to treat each team like they are the best in our league and play that way," Fowler said. "The teams you overlook are the ones that will bite you and Vista Grande is a good team and well coached."

The sectional tiebreaker falls in the Cougar's favor so they earned the automatic berth to the state playoffs a day after giving up a 5-0 lead to division rival Tucson Salpointe (13-1, 8-0). Salpointe won Section VI on Monday.

"The difference with this team is the way they all get along," added Fowler. "They hang out together. We have senior leadership and the freshmen listen. We also have great assistant coaches."

The 8-7 loss to Salpointe in extra innings vaulted the Lancers to the top of the rankings but, instead of thinking what might have been, the Cougars took care of business with Buena.

Aided by a couple of errors, the Cougars scored two in the first inning and that was all the team needed with sophomore standout Lexy Coons (9-1) in the circle. Part of the pitching rotation that includes senior standout Andie Larkins, Coons was called into service and produced 11 strikeouts while scattering six hits. No Buena runner reached second base.

Sahuaro added four in the third and three more in the sixth for the 9-0 final. Ashley Bradford went 2-4 with a two-RBI triple and a double and Larkins went 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Alea Balda also went 2-4 with a double.

Buena (5-11, 3-6) is struggling but they will only lose two seniors. The Colts will have an experienced roster next spring. One of those seniors is utility player Jade Allee. Allee pitched against Sahuaro and has played almost every position in her four years at Buena.

"I've had lots of fun and I wish it doesn't have to end," Allee said.

Sahuaro State Championships

1984: 5A (Jim Higgins)

1985: 5A (Jim Higgins)

1988: 5A (Billy Lopez)

1989: 4A/5A (Billy Lopez)

1991: 5A (Billy Lopez)

1992: 4A (Billy Lopez)

1993: 4A (Billy Lopez)

2001: 4A (Billy Lopez)