5A Division I State Championship

Aledo banged out 11 hits, scoring 8 runs and Devin Miller held Smithson Valley to one run as Aledo ran away with a 8-1 win to capture the 2025 5A Division I State Championship. It was Aledo’s 2nd State Championship but it had been more than 10 years since they were last here, 11 years since the last championship.

Aledo started the scoring off early picking up a run in the top of the 1st. Luke Gladchuk led off with a walk and then stole 2B. After two outs, Lucas Nawrocki laced a single through the infield that scored Gladchuk. Aledo had an early 1-0 lead.

Smithson Valley responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first. With one out, PK Moeller singled and then stole 2B. Bryce Wells singled to right field scoring Moeller and tying up the game 1-1 after one inning of play.

Aledo picked up another run in the top of the second. With Nick Foster on 3B and Brennon Evans on 1B, Aledo put on the double steal. On the throw to second, Foster scored from 3B. Both runners were safe and Foster’s run put Aledo back on top 2-1.

The score stayed 2-1 until the top of the 5th. Aledo’s Gladchuk led off the inning with a triple. After two groundouts, Nawrocki tripled, scoring Gladchuk. Nawrocki then scored on Luke Trager’s infield single. Aledo increased their lead to 4-1. They picked up another run in the top of the 6th when Brooks Burdine’s triple scored Evans to make it 5-1.

Aledo put the game out of reach in the 7th. Landon Barnes scored on a balk and Evans hit a 2 RBI single. Aledo took an 8-1 lead into the 7th and put the game in the hands of starting pitcher Devin Miller to finish it off. Miller had a leadoff walk but then got 3 ground outs to complete the game and give Aledo their 2025 State Championship.

As the winning pitcher, Miller pitched 7 innings and gave up 1 run on 4 hits with 2 Ks and 1 BB.

Lucas Nawrocki led the hitting barrage for Aledo going 4-4 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. He was named the Championship Game MVP. “This is just a dream come true,” Nawrocki stated. “I was a little kid when they won the last state championship and that is what I always wanted – to win a state championship too. We had a good season and made it here and we did it. It’s so awesome that we hit the ball as well as we did. We were just trying to be patient and look for good pitches and we did that really well tonight.”

Coach Chad Barry commented on the championship. “Actually it is a relief. It’s been too long since we’ve been here. But this one is special. I know it’s hard to get here. It takes a special group of kids to get here, a special group of coaches and a special town. It was time to get back here and win and I’m really happy we were able to do that tonight.”