By Rocky Downing

The Clay Center Tiger K-18 Baseball team brought home the State Title for the sixth time in the team’s history. Tigers went 2-1 in regionals. Beating Osborne 4-1, beating Smith Center 7-6 then losing to Beloit in the championship 3-2. The game went into 6 extra innings ending in the bottom of the 13th inning. After making it to state, the Tigers beat Ellis 6-0, Clifton Clyde 15-1 which set up a rematch against Beloit for the state championship. Clay Center defeated Beloit 7-0 to win the state title 2025. The team includes: Abram Stratton, Braden Leitzel, Ian Bergren, Jett Hayes, Chase urban, Kelby McMahan , Kody Schmale, Reece auld, Rylan Gurney, Ronnail Beougher, Tyler Holmes. The K-18 Bat Boys were Hayes Urban and Kolter McMahan. The Tigers were coached by Scott Leitzel, Steve gurney, Pat Hayes and Shawn Stratton

Clay center Tigers finished the K-18 season with a record of 13-1. Prior State Championships for the Tigers were in 1983, 1991, 2017, 2020, 2023 and now 2025.