PLANTATION — Canaan Jumper, of the Big Cypress Reservation, made the most of her brief time with the American Heritage varsity softball squad this season.

Jumper, a junior first baseman, saw action for the Patriots late in the season.
She went 2-for-2 with a double and run scored in a 15-0 win against Westland Hialeah in a district playoff semifinal April 27.

Two days later she went 1-for-2 with an RBI as Heritage cruised to a district championship win, 16-1, against Mater Lakes Academy.

Thanks to victories against St. Brendan (10-0), Key West (5-0) and Pompano Beach (2-1), Heritage reached the state semifinals May 20. The Patriots appeared to be headed to the state championship game after they built an 8-2 lead against Hernando through four innings in the semifinals, but they watched their chance to capture a ninth state championship slip away as Hernando rallied for a 9-8 win. Jumper did not play in the game.

The loss culminated a unique season for the Patriots, a traditional state powerhouse that uncharacteristically lost seven of their first eight games. Heritage rebounded to finish with a 15-9 record.

Jumper is the younger sister of former Heritage standout Ahnie Jumper, who went on to play for Florida Gulf Coast University after being a part of a few state titles.