Thoughts from the special 2017 prep softball season
2017: A Season to Remember Introduction:
Most of what I have to say in today’s column will relate to the 2017 Calhoun Lady Jackets softball season and the state championship. That is not where I will begin this column. I begin with Chad Hayes and the outstanding run his Lady Phoenix made during the season and to the Elite Eight in Columbus.
Chad Hayes and his Lady Phoenix:
It has been no secret that this old coach has victories over Sonoraville at the top of my desires. That emotion does is not an expression of dislike. I consider Coach Chad Hayes a friend and someone I admire and appreciate very much. I try to convey that sentiment to him.
Coach Hayes and his girls never gave up and came out of the Region 6-AAA and had to defeat Lovett, the Champions of Region 5-AAA in the first round of the state playoffs. The Lady Phoenix did not stop there. They fought their way through the second round by sweeping Morgan County on the road and earning a spot in the Elite Eight of the State in Columbus. Each game the Phoenix played in Columbus indicated how far Coach Hayes has brought the Sonoraville program in the past few years. Consider this an expression of admiration for the task the young man has done and what he has accomplished.
The many aspects of the 2017 Lady Jacket season and the State Championship:
This is a season and championship about which I have composed nearly a book in my mind since Lyndi Rae Davis’s throw to Maddie Bumgardner at first base for that final out in the final game. So, in limited space let me offer a few observations and reflections on the season and the championship.
The Season that defined success:
“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” -Orison Swett Marden.
I doubt at this point there is anyone with the slightest association with softball in Northwest Georgia who is not knowledgeable of the obstacles Coach Diane Smith and the Lady Jackets had to overcome on their journey to the top: The three seniors quitting four games into the season (and verbal and written opposition from family members); the medical problems of Maddie Bumgardner; the late season serious sickness of Blair Hall’s dad. Blair was a vital player of the hitting crew and one-half of her starting pitching staff. Blair did not make it to Columbus;
Why at this time am I reminded of a poster I first saw in the locker room at CHS 70 years ago when I was a ninth-grader which said, “Winners never quit and quitters never win?”
One sports writer described the season’s efforts of the Lady Jackets as those of a “perseverant” team.
The Story: Maggie McBrayer
The 2017 Lady Jacket season and its accomplishments are not about one person. But one person did write a chapter in the story that staggers the imagination of anyone who has observed athletic competition.
It has long been argued that to win the state tournament a team must have two outstanding pitchers.
One pitcher has carried teams deep into the brackets on occasions. Winning demands a bit more.
Maggie McBrayer stepped on the big stage without her star counterpart, Blair Hall. It was going to take four wins to win the State Championship outright. When the dust had settled Maggie had pitched every pitch of four victories to capture the crown.
That fact alone is incredible. Now listen to the most incredible part: Maggie is only a freshman. It is suspected this is a story unique in the annals of state softball competition. Never did the young lady wilt or fold under the pressure of the task she was assigned or the goal set before her. This is the one about which I could write a book. When you see the pretty young Georgia Tech commit you will see a pitcher who has already began a legacy to impress ages to come.
I am not going to move from this subject without commending the heavy hitters on the Lady Jacket team. Lyndi Rae Davis, Adella Carver and Maddie Bumgardner were the girls who put runs on the board in timely fashion with big home runs.
Tori Roper’s journey to third base:
A runner on third base might not seem like such a big deal. In this case it is more than a big deal. Senior Tori Roper drilled a fly ball to the deep outfield and using her outstanding speed slid safely into third base during Calhoun’s game against Bremen in Columbus. The scene stole the show on Calhoun’s side. Coach Diane Smith and Roper hugged each other in happiness for the longest and the Jacket dugout celebrated with high spirits.
An agitated lady on the first-base side hollered out to Coach Kayla Ralston, “Has she never got a hit before?” I wish I had been over there; with kindness I would have said, “Yes, many more before, but this is the first time she has hit a triple against Bremen in a State Tournament game.”
The win against Worth County:
Alex Farrer referred to Friday night’s victory over Worth County as “a dramatic win.” It was possibly the most dramatic win I have ever witnessed. Read Alex’s account. That semi-final game was the determining game in the outcome of the tournament. Someone referred to the game as “one for the ages.” The emotional feature of the game was fantastic.
In conclusion:
There is no conclusion to this story. The fantastic support from the administration, the community and fans has been amazing. The reception and crowd upon arrival home on Saturday night and all the congratulatory messages to the coaches and team made it a very special weekend.
And then there was the outstanding message from Steve Chattin, Founder and CEO of ProStar Fastpitch organization, commending Coach Diane Smith, her team and the accomplishments against great odds this season. His comments are posted on Facebook.