Sports

State semis familar to the Lady Eagles

• Terrell Academy is in the GISA Class A semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, winning state in 2004-05.

Scott Chancey

DAWSON — Terrell Academy’s softball team will play for the GISA Class A state championship this weekend.

Sound familiar?

It should be to coach Keith Jones’ team, which is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the Final Four, which will determine the state champion Saturday in LaGrange. After winning state championships in 2004-05, Terrell Academy lost in the final round last year to LaGrange Academy.

Again. Sound familiar? LaGrange Academy is the Lady Eagles’ first opponent in the double-elimination tournament at 10 a.m.

The Lady Eagles’ familiarity with this weekend’s tournament is something Jones feels will give his team an edge.

“They know what it’s like, so they won’t be surprised by the magnitude of what they are going to play in,” said Jones, whose team is 19-2 and won the GISA Region 3-A title. “It’s important that we have been in this position the past three years. Experience means a heck of a lot in big games.

“Last year, we had some players who maybe hadn’t started in the past, but they were familiar with the experience, getting ready for the tournament, practicing for the tournament, so they knew what to expect and we became state runners-up,” he added.

“You want to make sure kids don’t go and panic. You hate to use that word, but that’s what you see sometimes in the state tournament.”

Terrell Academy’s two losses were early-season defeats to Deerfield-Windsor and Brookwood. Since then, the Lady Eagles have been beating opponents with a balance of pitching and defense. Lee County transfer Amanda Cook is the Lady Eagles’ ace with a 17-1 record.

“She’s been very consistent,” Jones said. “There hasn’t been a game during which she got out of control. She keeps her walks to a minimum. If another team is going to beat us, it has to do it hitting the ball.”

Jones’ team has six players batting better than .300, and Lauren Lindsey even bats .473. Haley O’Hearn, Julie Davis, Tonya Horne, Amanda Cook and Amy Horne round out the list of Terrell Academy’s heavy hitters.

“Offensively, we’re going to make you play defense,” Jones said. “In fast pitch, it’s a pitcher’s game and we want to see if a team can play defense or not. We’re going to put the ball in play and make the other team work for the win.”

If Terrell Academy wins its third state softball title in four years, it would be more than just an achievement. It would continue a groundwork that was set a few years ago.

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