Ripley players celebrate after the final out of the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Frankfort in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

CHARLESTON — Ripley senior Jackson Curry tried his best to suppress his emotions.

When the right-hander struck out Frankfort’s Lane Lease for the final out of the Vikings’ 5-0 Class AAA state championship victory Saturday at GoMart Park, he could no longer hold back the tears.

“I knew coming into today this was going to be my last game,” Curry said. “I was trying not to be emotional all day. I just couldn’t hold it back that last inning. My eyes started watering during that last inning.”

Curry pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out four to help deliver the program’s first state title since 2004.

The Vikings (27-3) put up a five-spot in the second inning. That was all the offense they’d need as Ripley put the exclamation mark on a dominant state tournament run. The Vikings blanked Winfield 10-0 in the semis on Friday.

Ripley’s Jackson Curry delivers a pitch during the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Frankfort in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

It was a convincing performance in front of a jam-packed Ripley crowd.

“You can’t beat these guys,” said RHS skipper Shane Casto. “The community is great, especially when it involves the kids. They’re fantastic. Shoot, we had a fireman bring us all the way to Charleston today. You can’t ask for more than that from the school, the administration, the community, the mayor — everybody involved, they’re wonderful to these kids.”

Casto’s club collected nine hits, including seven in the decisive second frame. Bryson Casto was 2 for 4, while seven other Vikings had one hit.

“That’s kind of what we’ve done all year,” coach Casto said. “We’ve hit the ball extremely well top to bottom. These guys, they like to swing the bat. They’ve done it the whole year. They got some big hits tonight.”

Peyton Keller’s single and Parker Keller’s double put runners at second and third with nobody out in the second. John Cummings plated the first run with a single to right before Eli Phalen’s double to left-center brought in another. Bryson Casto’s single to right drove in two more before Landon Meadows’ base knock to left made it 5-0.

Ripley’s Parker Keller gestures toward his ring finger after hitting a double during the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Frankfort in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

The Falcons (23-9) found themselves in a hole too deep to climb out of, but the Vikings never got too comfortable.

“Frankfort won the double-A title last year and have quite a few guys back,” coach Casto explained. “We knew they were not going to go away. Fortunately we were able to finish the job and get it done.”

Curry, whose fastball-slider combo caused Frankfort hitters fits, was on a mission from there. He allowed a two-out single to Rhett Sensabaugh in the fourth but got Uriah Cutter to flyout to Kyler Doss in right to end the inning.

Jesus Perdew led off the fifth with a single before Curry retired the next two batters. Lanson Orndorf’s base hit to right put two on, giving the Falcons as close to what could be called a rally as they would get, but Curry got Blake Jacobs to ground out to third baseman Parker Keller to end the threat.

“Jackson was great on the mound,” coach Casto said. “He had his good stuff today, and he needed that. It’s been a while since he’s had his really good stuff. Today, he had it.”

Ripley players celebrate after the final out of the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Frankfort in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Ripley’s sparkling defense, which played errorless ball throughout the state tournament, was on full display in the final inning of the season.

Cutter led off the inning with a deep fly ball to right, but Doss, moving at full speed, tracked it down and gloved it at the warning track for the first out. Perdew followed with a grounder to the hole at short, but Bryson Casto, a West Virginia University commit, got to it and threw a strike to first off his back foot, retiring Perdew on a bang-bang play.

“My defense is great,” Curry said. “I think it’s the best in the state, and I think some other people think that too. Really proud of them.”

Curry then turned his attention to Lease, who had already hit a couple deep flyouts in the contest. Lease worked a full count, but Curry got him to swing through the payoff pitch to send the Vikings into a much deserved celebration, which culminated in a dogpile next to the pitcher’s mound.

It was a fitting way for Curry to cap off his high school career. He enjoyed seeing and hearing the Ripley fanbase erupt after the final strike hit catcher Peyton Keller’s mit.

Ripley players celebrate after the final out of the Vikings’ 5-0 win over Frankfort in the Class AAA state championship game Saturday at GoMart Park in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

“The Ripley community is just great,” Curry said. “They’re one of the best in the state. It’s awesome to do this for them.”

Contact Jordan Holland at jholland@newsandsentinel.com.