Sunnyside's Nicole Marquez is tagged out by Peoria Centennial shortstop Ashlie Rosenberg on a stolen base attempt in the fifth inning.

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PHOENIX — The blue-clad fans rose all at once, chanting, stamping their feet and rattling their keys. The student section then began to sing.

"We are the champions/ We are the champions/ We are the champions … of the state."

With that, Sunnyside High School — a South Side powerhouse known for its dominance in football and wrestling — became a softball school.

The Blue Devils' 3-1 win over Peoria Centennial in Friday night's Class 5A-II championship game at Rose Mofford Softball Complex marked the first of what the Blue Devils hope will be a run of state crowns.

"We're going to make it a softball school," said longtime coach Pete Palomarez. "It's a good program, a solid program, and the last couple of years, we've been coming up."

Trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning, Sunnyside (32-4) took the title game the way its vaunted football program might have — by using a three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust offensive approach.

Dominque Marquez singled, and Mari Contreras doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs.

Kaleigh Gates then singled home the tying run when she knocked a Baltimore chop just in front of the pitcher's circle.

The ball plinked on the hard clay and shot straight into the air. By the time pitcher Mo Montemayor settled under the ball, Marquez had scored from third — and Gates was standing on first base.

The next batter, Claudia Nuñez, did not hit the ball much farther.

Montemayor fielded the grounder and threw to first for the out. But as she did, Contreras broke for home.

Centennial first baseman Jamie Ladd rushed a throw home that went wide of the catcher, allowing both Contreras and Gates to score. The small-ball rally gave the Devils a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.

"We weren't hitting the ball very far, but they were going through," Contreras said.

Contreras (10-1) was spectacular on the mound, striking out five and walking two in the biggest game of her young career. The sophomore retired Centennial in order in four of the seven innings.

Contreras' only misstep came in the fourth when she allowed a one-out home run to Ashlie Rosenberg.

The shot, which landed 15 feet beyond the wall in left-center field, accounted for the game's only run until the sixth.

The win allowed the Blue Devils to avenge an early-season loss to Centennial, one of the Phoenix-area's top programs.

"I don't mean to be rude, but revenge is sweet," Gates said. "We love it."