LaValley overcomes wreck with unbreakable spirit
Carl Albert’s Journi LaValley gets a hit during a game last week at regionals. Photo by Jeff Harrison
By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon
Journi LaValley doesn’t take anything for granted.
Certainly not playing softball.
The Carl Albert junior was doing what she loved last week as she helped her team return to the Class 5A state tournament. That came just a couple months after she was involved in a serious car wreck.
In early August, LaValley was heading home after watching her sister play at Devon Park in Oklahoma City when she was hit head-on by a drunk driver.
“I didn’t think it was real because it all happened so fast,” she said. “When he hit me, I saw smoke and red lights everywhere and it was terrifying.”
LaValley suffered a mild concussion and whiplash but knew it could have been much worse.
“I thought this might just be it, but God saved me,” she said.
LaValley missed only a few games before returning to the lineup Aug. 19 against Guthrie. She has steadily improved while still recovering from the injury.
“At the beginning I was hitting really well and then one week I dove for a ball and had a tweak in my neck,” she said. “I’m still working my way back and still going to the chiropractor to this day.”
Despite the injury, LaValley has been one of the Lady Titans’ top hitters. She leads the team with 11 doubles and is second in batting average (.434) and triples (6).
This week, she’ll look to help the Lady Titans win their first state championship since they won back-to-back titles in 2017-18. Journi’s sister Zadie played on both teams and her cousin Audrey was on the 2017 title team.
“It’s difficult following in their footsteps,” Journi said. “I’m very competitive with them. And everyone knows my name.”
