You don’t want to face Hoover High of North Canton, Ohio in the finals.

Eight times the Vikings have made it to the state championship game and all eight times the Ohio power has won including Saturday’s convincing 6-1 win over Grove City, its fourth straight Div. I title.

Hoover, despite being the three-time defending champion, was in the softball shadows much of the year after being beaten by Lebanon High in the Wendy’s Classic in April.

However, the Vikings got revenge on Thursday by winning in the semi-finals and jumping out to an insurmountable lead in the first inning Saturday at the finals played in Akron.

Junior catcher Kathleen Shier hit a three-run homer in the opening inning as part of a 3-for-4, four RBI day and senior All-American Jenna Lilly (Oregon signee) put the nail in the coffin with a two-run double in the fourth.

Pitcher Tara Thacker (Northern Illinois), like Lilley and the other Viking seniors, put an exclamation point on a four year, four state championship career, by scattering eight hits and allowing only one earned run while striking out eight to finish 26-3.

Hoover finished 29-3 on the year while Grove City (26-5) made it to the finals for the fifth time with its sole championship coming in 1983.

The Vikings are ranked No. 26 in this week’s FAB 50 rankings and will likely make a big jump when the final ratings are announced next week.