Fast-Pitch Softball

The 2009 fast-pitch team started practice the last week of June.  The season began the first weekend of August.  We finished 3^rd in District and with the new rules we did not make it to South State because only the top two teams advanced.  This was the first year that the Lady Cougars did not make it to the South State Tournament.  The varsity team finished the season with a 10-11 record.  The JV record was 13-2-1 with their only losses to Bowling Green.

Any girl from grades 6 to 12 are eligible to participate.  They must be academically eligible as according to the Handbook.  There is a sign up sheet in the white folder in Ms. Sheryll’s office.  You must be able to attend practice during the summer beginning the last Monday in June.  Practices are held Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 10 am.

Pitchers and catchers are required to stay after practice to practice individually.

Overall, the fast pitch program has been very successful.  The first year that Coach Boutwell coached the team in 2002, they won 20 games and finished as runner-up in South State advancing to the State Championship.  The following year they also finished as runner up in South State and ended up 5^th in State.  The Lady Cougars qualified for the State Championship in 2005 and finished 5^th again in 2007 with a record of 29-12-3.  In 2007 they finished 3^rd and missed playing for the State Championship by one run in extra innings.

The future looks bright for the Lady Cougars as this year they were very young, having 4 freshmen, one 8^th grader and a 7^th grader on the varsity team.  With the addition of 3 JV players who will move up next year, there is no telling what dreams may come.

Jessie Henrichson of the 2002 team signed a scholarship to play at William Carey University in Hattiesburg.  Jessie was also a graduate Asst. Coach for Carey in 2009 when the Lady Crusaders finished their season with a 42 – 7 record and the coaching staff was named coaching staff of the year.  Lissa Little from the 2005 team signed a scholarship with Southwest Community College in Summit, MS.  Lissa is currently in the Sports Medicine program at USM and serves as a trainer for the USM Football team.  From the Class of 2008, Alyssa Boutwell signed with William Carey and Devin Darr signed with Jones Junior College.  Cara Joyner attends Southern Virginia University where she plays both basketball and softball.

This year the girls held a raffle to raise money for a new fence.  They sold 500 raffle tickets raising $2,500.00 and made an additional $500.00 selling chances on cakes during home games.  Generous donations from Gas Processors Inc. and Buddy and Shirley Jones made up the difference in the cost of the materials.  The fathers are going to install the new fence this spring.  Thank you to all who participated in our successful raffle.

Another improvement in the works is the bricking of the dugouts due to an anonymous donation.

The Lady Cougars are coached by Amy Boutwell, George Darr and Tammy Morris.