By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
As the final school bell rings at Hopkins County Central High School this afternoon to signal the official start to spring break, the Lady Storm softball team will pile into a bus and head to Alabama for a week's worth of games.
To begin the trip, Central will participate in the 16th Annual Bob Jones Tournament in Huntsville, Ala. today and Saturday. Then, the squad will continue south to Mobile.
Central coach Jesse Huff said his team could play nine or more games and that opportunity will greatly benefit his youthful bunch.
"With a young team, you need repetition, repetition, repetition," he said. "If we get the good weather, we might start developing a rhythm for the team and finding out what everyone can do to contribute - whether it's on the field, whether your bat comes around, whether your pitching gets strong - it's something we can really find out."
The Lady Storm will begin today's tournament with games at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in pool play. Central will be guaranteed a game on Saturday as well, but could play several more depending on its success and ability to advance.
Huff said teams from several states will be in attendance, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.
With so many prospective games, pitching is integral to competing each day. Central will take four pitchers, led by Ali Austin and Taylor Crawley, Huff said.
To begin the trip, Central will participate in the 16th Annual Bob Jones Tournament in Huntsville, Ala. today and Saturday. Then, the squad will continue south to Mobile.
Central coach Jesse Huff said his team could play nine or more games and that opportunity will greatly benefit his youthful bunch.
"With a young team, you need repetition, repetition, repetition," he said. "If we get the good weather, we might start developing a rhythm for the team and finding out what everyone can do to contribute - whether it's on the field, whether your bat comes around, whether your pitching gets strong - it's something we can really find out."
The Lady Storm will begin today's tournament with games at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in pool play. Central will be guaranteed a game on Saturday as well, but could play several more depending on its success and ability to advance.
Huff said teams from several states will be in attendance, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi.
With so many prospective games, pitching is integral to competing each day. Central will take four pitchers, led by Ali Austin and Taylor Crawley, Huff said.
Austin, a sophomore, has a win in all three games Central has played thus far on the season and struck out five in three innings of relief in a 5-2 victory against Webster County on Monday. Crawley, a junior, started that game and gave up just one earned run.
The team will also rely on eighth-grader Chelsey Gordon and seventh-grader Lauren Wolfe to take the hill.
"They're young, but they've matured on the mound to where I think they can help us out with some innings if needed," Huff said.
Central's team is so young in fact, Huff said if he removed senior center fielder Brittney Orten from the lineup, the entire roster would be eligible for a junior varsity game.
With so many opportunities for live action in a short timespan, those younger players will become seasoned when the Lady Storm return to Hopkins County.
"Instead of bringing in 14 JV players to fill our roster, I'm coming out with some experienced varsity players and they start learning the change of the level of play they're in and what we expect from them on the varsity level as coaches," Huff said.
Playing in Alabama could also provide the team with some more reliable dry weather, Huff said.
"You don't know what you're going to get here," he said. "Down there, we do have a chance of getting some good weather and do something every day. We haven't been on the field since Monday."
From Huntsville, the players and buses will move southward to Mobile for six varsity-JV contests against area teams before returning home.
The team will also rely on eighth-grader Chelsey Gordon and seventh-grader Lauren Wolfe to take the hill.
"They're young, but they've matured on the mound to where I think they can help us out with some innings if needed," Huff said.
Central's team is so young in fact, Huff said if he removed senior center fielder Brittney Orten from the lineup, the entire roster would be eligible for a junior varsity game.
With so many opportunities for live action in a short timespan, those younger players will become seasoned when the Lady Storm return to Hopkins County.
"Instead of bringing in 14 JV players to fill our roster, I'm coming out with some experienced varsity players and they start learning the change of the level of play they're in and what we expect from them on the varsity level as coaches," Huff said.
Playing in Alabama could also provide the team with some more reliable dry weather, Huff said.
"You don't know what you're going to get here," he said. "Down there, we do have a chance of getting some good weather and do something every day. We haven't been on the field since Monday."
From Huntsville, the players and buses will move southward to Mobile for six varsity-JV contests against area teams before returning home.
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