For the 10th time in the past 12 seasons, the North Whitfield Middle Lady Pioneers are the North Georgia Middle School Athletic League softball champions.
Coach Melanie Reed?s team upset top-seeded and previously undefeated Westside 4-0 in the championship game Monday at Northwest Whitfield High to claim back-to-back league titles.
?We started off kind of rocky at the start and had a lot of rain ? and the first time we were really together as a team we were playing a game,? Reed said. ?We finally pulled it all together and put together a great run.?
Seventh-grade pitcher Shelby Walters was the winner in the championship game, striking out 11 and giving up just two hits. She was supported by error-free defense from the Lady Pioneers.
North Whitfield (11-2-1) was led offensively by catcher Sydney Ross, who was 3-for-4 in the title game, while Alyie Coker, Madeleine Kalafut and Walters were all 2-for-4.
Alyssa Ward and Jolene Gale had the lone hits for the host Lady Rockets (13-1).
The game was scoreless until the third, when singles by Kalafut and Coker and a walk to Ross set the stage for Tori Henderson, who delivered a two-run single to right for a 2-0 lead. The Lady Pioneers added their final two runs in the seventh. Ross delivered a two-run single to bring in Makenzie Eaton and Caroline Kiker.
It was more than enough offense for Walters.
?She is a very special pitcher,? Reed said . ?She is a freak of nature. I used to call (Northwest standout pitcher) Emily Boyd that. Shelby had a perfect game this year and three or four no-hitters. She is just a phenomenal player. She is the full package.?
North Whitfield advanced to the title game with a 2-1 win over New Hope in the semifinals, where Walters also struck out 11.
New Hope took an early 1-0 lead before Henderson tied the game in the fourth with an RBI single to bring in Ross, who had doubled to lead off the inning. In the fifth, Hannah Jackson led the inning off with a single and came all the way around to score on Eaton?s triple to get the win.
Reed said her group of eighth-graders responded to the slow start this season.
?I love this group of girls,? she said. ?They have a special place in my heart. They were almost all playing as sixth-graders. They really stepped up and took control. You can?t ask much better for the way they came out in the championship game and hit the ball.?
No other statistics or results from the league playoffs were reported by The Daily Citizen?s deadline.
Golf
? North Whitfield?s boys and Gladden?s girls were the winners in a nine-hole tri-match that also included New Hope on Monday at Spring Lakes Golf Club in Chatsworth.
In the girls match, Tori Owens shot a 42 to earn medalist honors and lead Gladden to the win. Teammate Peyton Hawkins added a 60 for the Lady Warriors? 102, which put them ahead of New Hope (118) and North Whitfield (118).
New Hope?s Aleana Thompson and Autumn Thompson each turned in a counting round of 59, while North Whitfield?s Serene Wiggins (58) and Jenna Bagley (60) scored for the Lady Pioneers.
Also participating were Gladden?s Erica Chambers (61), New Hope?s Savannah Lofty (62) and North Whitfield?s Jovin Adams (61).
In the boys match, Trevor Owens shot a 47 to earn medalist honors and lead North Whitfield to the win. David Manis (48), Walt Douglas (50) and Trent Collins (55) also scored for the Pioneers, whose 200 bested New Hope (231) and Gladden (253).
New Hope?s scores came from Haven Morgan (52), Trey Swinney (59), Riley Jordan (59) and Carson Wright (61). Gladden was led by Tony Burns (61), while Mason Ankney, Patrick Parrish, Tucker Patterson and Blaine Thornbury each shot a 64.
Also competing were North Whitfield?s Will Douglas (57) and Carter Staten (61).
In junior varsity boys action, North Whitfield?s Will Brooker (56) and Gannon Beavers (60) combined for the winning 116 over Gladden?s 128, which came from Chandler Simmons (64) and Joseph Messer (64).
Also participating were North Whitfield?s Austin Burton (62) and Sam Wilson (63).
? In a nine-hole boys match between North Whitfield and New Hope last week at Lookout Mountain Golf and Country Club, the Pioneers? 209 topped New Hope?s 235.
Manis shot a 50 to earn medalist honors and lead North Whitfield, which also got counting rounds from Will Douglas (51), Walt Douglas (52), Owens (56) and Collins (56).
New Hope?s counting rounds came from Morgan (55), Jordan (59), Swinney (59) and Wright (62).
Also participating for North Whitfield were Staten (58), Brooker (62), Wilson (62), Beavers (63), Burton (63), Jacob Hawkins (63) and Taylor Garlock (63).
In the girls match, no participants were able to break triple-bogey on the course, so each girl scored a 63 and each team tied at 126.
New Hope?s golfers were Lofty, Rylee Merritt, Aleana Thompson and Autumn Thompson. North Whitfield?s participants were Bagley and Wiggins.
The Daily Citizen?s area middle school roundup publishes each Monday and Thursday in The Daily Citizen. Coaches should send results to sports@daltoncitizen.com, with the final score, outstanding performers, team?s win-loss record and date and location of the competition included in the report.
Events that take place on Monday and Tuesday must be received by noon Wednesday for publication; events that take place on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday must be received by noon Sunday for publication. Events reported after the deadline or without complete information may not be published.
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