The first games of a unique softball triangular gained roots on Friday afternoon at Koehler Hall of Fame Field on the campus of Northern State.

The games consisted of teams that appear to share very little in common: Avon, Florence-Henry and Mobridge-Pollock.

It was organized by Avon, which was looking to add a few games against foreign foes.

“We’re exited to be here,” said Avon athletic director Brad Poppe. “It was supposed to be played in April, but we had some rainy weather, so we found today as the date.”

Poppe said that Avon softball coach Paul Kuhlman was looking at adding some teams to the schedule and suggested Florence-Henry and Mobridge-Pollock.

“He said see what you can do, see if they’d be interested,” Poppe said.

All it took was a couple of calls and the triangular soon became a reality.

“I reached out to both schools’ ADs and everybody was on board right away,” Poppe said. “Actually what we’re doing is, all three schools, we’re going to split the costs of the field rental and the umpires.”

And before the first pitch was thrown on Friday, plans were already finalized to have this become an annual event.

“Actually this appears to be a multi-year thing, because we already have it on the schedule for next year,” Poppe said. “Same teams and everybody’s agreed to it.”

Poppe doesn’t mind the fact that the Avon squad had to travel three and a half hours one way to come to Aberdeen.

“We might be making a yearly trip up to Aberdeen at the end of May just to play a triangular,” Poppe said.

The late-May date is locked in because it works better for everybody.

“We just thought too with everybody being out of school at this time it would just work better for everybody,” Poppe said. “It’s on the schedule.”

Interestingly enough on Friday, Grace Overland of Mobridge-Pollock was pulling double duty. The senior competed in the shot put, discus and javelin at the Dial-A-Move Last Chance track and field meet in Warner earlier in the day and then pitched in two softball games.

“My parents have been really flexible with me,” Overland said. “They’re like I’ll come get you, yeah you can do that.”

When asked how tough it is to compete in mutliple sports at the same time, Overland responded, “It’s not so much tough as tiring, just getting through the mental block of doing it.”

Overland said it’s tougher mentally to compete in softball than track and field.

“This is my third year pitching,” Overland said. “It’s taken a lot of work to get where I’m at and a lot of support from my teammates, which is always appreciated.”

Overland, who is currently ninth in Class A in the javelin and 19th in the discus, did not mind the 100-mile trip to Aberdeen to play softball.

“It’s nice to see some really good competition, because where we’re at we’re in the middle of nowhere,” Overland said. “We drive three hours one way for a game.”

Florence-Henry was also excited at the prospect of facing different teams.

“They’re really good,” said Falcons’ freshman catcher Ashlynn Vavruska. “We don’t normally play that good of teams.”

Vavruska played in last year’s state tourney in Aberdeen, but the location and her position were different than this year. The Class A and Class B games are at Players South complex and will be again in a couple of weeks, plus Vavruska has a new role on the team.

“I wasn’t a catcher last year,” she said. “I was playing shortstop.”

Vavruska said she enjoys playing catcher better, but it does require a good sense of memory.

“(After) the first time around, then I know what to call,” Vavruska said of the pitch selection.

She also competes in volleyball and basketball.

Vavruska said her dad has played a key role in her softball development. The best advice he has given her?

“Just keep my head up the whole time and play my best,” she said.

Florence-Henry 020 21 – 5 5 0

Avon 000 22 – 4 8 1

Elizabeth Reiter and Ashlynn Vavruska; Macy Voight and Ashley Tolsma. 2B – Florence-Henry, Vavruska, Reiter; Jordyn Voight, Kaydence Metzger, M. Voight.

Florence-Henry 210 02 – 5 9 2

Mobridge-Pollock 200 10 – 3 7 0

Elizabeth Reiter and Ashlynn Vavruska; Grace Overland and Amber Vetch. 2B – Florence-Henry, Samantha Fuller; Mobridge-Pollock, Jacy Netterville 2, Michelle Merkel. 3B – Florence-Henry, Brooke Hlavacek; Mobridge-Pollock, Faith Heil.

Avon 100 00 – 1 5 1

Mobridge-Pollock 002 1 – 3 7 1

Macy Voight and Ashley Tolsma; Grace Overland and Amber Vetch. 3B – Avon, Rilyn Thury; Mobridge-Pollock, Overland.