The word, finally, echoed throughout Patriots Park after the Whitehall Zephyrs were crowned District XI Class 5A softball champions with a five-inning, 15-5 victory over Southern Lehigh on May 24.

“I told the kids, I’ve been a bridesmaid at this far too long. I’m 1-2 now,” Whitehall coach Jeff Vivian laughed, “but it’s not really about that. It’s about the program and where it’s headed. I credit this program, these parents, this community for everything they’ve done and allowing their kids to be pliable and let me work them and mold them to the players that they are.”

For the past two seasons, the Zephyrs were runners-up, first to Northampton, then to Pocono Mountain East.

“Over my career, I’ve gotten silver four times, including soccer, so it’s really nice to get it done,” said Whitehall first baseman Kate Yadush, who belted a 2 RBI double to right center in her first at bat to give the Zephyrs a 2-0 lead.

Whitehall widened the gap with Aubrey Steiner’s 2 RBI double to left field to make it a 4-0 game.

In the top of the fourth, Southern Lehigh had the bases loaded with no outs when Alexa Smith’s 2 RBI base hit made the score 7-3, and Coach Vivian made a trip to the circle.

“I just wanted [pitcher Morgan Laub] to have a reset,” Vivian said. “She was throwing great. I think we were starting to get ahead of ourselves to look to multiply outs when it’s really a simple game for us.”

Laub proceeded to strike out the Spartans’ next batter, and a double play from Whitehall shortstop Sienna Meli to Yadush to Steiner at home plate ended the inning.

“I had to worry about the throw to first to get the out, and then I saw her going and shot it home, and I was really glad Aubrey caught that ball,” Yadush said.

“It was really tense,” said Steiner, “and we wanted to get out of that inning, and it was really efficient that we got her out. It helped keep up the momentum of the game, and we worked really hard to get here.”

Whitehall loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, and third baseman Bella Muth came through with a 2 RBI double over the second baseman’s head to make the score 12-3.

“I had a plan in my head the first time that I swung at the first pitch, and I wanted to wait on it because, as a hitter, I knew I could time her up right and get a good, solid hit off of that, so that was my plan the second time around,” Muth said. “If she throws me one, she got one on me already, but I’m gonna go after the second one and make sure I drive it.”

Southern Lehigh scored two runs in the top of the fifth with Lila Padden’s leadoff double, Kaley Hoffman’s RBI single, and Brooke Davies’ sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the fifth, Whitehall loaded the bases again with a walk to Allie Kern, a single by Nya Brown, and a bunt by Hannah Bundra, who recently returned to the lineup as the Zephyrs’ leadoff hitter after spending most of the season with a broken arm.

A walk to Laub scored the Zephyrs’ 15th run and ended the game on mercy rule.

“My family will tell you, there’s probably some nights when I don’t sleep as I go through, looking at video and how we can attack things,” said Vivian. “Hannah at the top of the lineup was something that we saw that we wanted to take advantage of. The kid is all out all the time.”

Whitehall will begin its state tournament run on June 3.

“This was such a team win and team effort that I was so happy I could bring two girls in and accomplish that for my team,” said Muth. “Finally. It feels so good.”