Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: North Scott's Kamilah Eller reacts to hitting a double against Norwalk on Monday in a Class 4A state softball quarterfinal at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

It doesn’t seem to matter what seed North Scott is at the state softball tournament.

It’s not even a factor that the Lancers have faced the same opponent three times in as many consecutive trips to Fort Dodge.

North Scott just finds a way.

On Monday, the seventh-seeded Lancers did it again, defeating second-seed Norwalk by a final of 7-1 in a repeat of both 2023 and 2024.

The Lancers will play their Class 4A semifinal game vs. No. 3 North Polk (35-5) on Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. on Channel Seed Field. North Scott beat top-seed North Polk 6-1 in the third-place game last season.

Last year, the Lancers were the sixth-seed when they dropped Norwalk 2-0 in the quarterfinals. In 2023, seventh-seeded North Scott beat the Warriors by a 6-4 count in the semifinals after a first-round victory over No. 2 North Polk.

“Seeds don’t matter to us,” said NSHS head coach Holly Hoelting. “It’s the best eight teams in the state of Iowa now (for each class). Anyone can beat anyone.

“We’ve been the lower seed the past two seasons and advanced.”

Chevelle Kingsley (15-5) pitched an efficient contest, allowing nine hits and one earned run.

“It’s great to be moving on,” Kingsley said. “I was a little scared, but getting three runs early allowed us to build confidence.”

Kingsley had eight strikeouts. The only run she gave up was on a solo homer.

“I had to dig down and pick up the girls, like they’ve picked me up so many times,” Kingsley said. “Seeds don’t matter at the state tournament. When everyone gets here, we’re all 0-0.

“With our experience, we were able to persevere.”

North Scott tallied 11 hits. Aubrey Toohey was 3-for-4. Tinley Osterberg, Kamilah Eller and Adalynn Johnson had two hits each.

Johnson and Eller had doubles for the Lancers. Eller, Johnson and Kingsley all drove in runs.

The Lancers jumped on the board early, scoring three in the first inning. Johnson had an RBI double, and Kingsley drove in a run with a single.

Norwalk’s Nyah Hulbert led off the seventh inning with a solo homer. The Warriors struggled in the field, committing four errors. Only two of the Lancer runs were earned.

“We are four hours away, so the bus ride and a day off (Tuesday) gives us a lot of time to bond,” Hoelting said. “It was huge for us to score three runs early. We knew they were going to put the bat on the ball.

“We had to keep our foot on the gas.”

The Warriors face sixth-seeded Western Dubuque (31-12) on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. on Dodger Field in the consolation round.

NORTH SCOTT 7, NORWALK 1

North Scott 300 400 0 — 7 11 1

Norwalk 000 000 1 — 1 9 4

WP–Chevelle Kingsley (15-5, 7 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 SO); LP–Carly Brewer (20-7, 7 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO); 2B–NS: Adalynn Johnson, Kamilah Eller; HR–N: Nyah Hulbert. SACB–NS: Cadey Bredar, Alyanna Nelson. SB–NS: Aubrey Toohey. Multiple hits–NS: Toohey (3), Tinley Osterberg (2), Eller (2), Johnson (2); N: Maddie Guilion (3), Hulbert (2), Bailey Birmingham (2); RBI–NS: Eller, Johnson, Kingsley; N: Hulbert.