Ashford, Rehobeth return to state softball tourney

The Ashford and Rehobeth softball teams hope to be in a comfort zone this week at the state softball championships at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park.

A year after going a combined 1-5 at state, the two Houston County teams feel more at ease this time around.

Ashford (24-13) opens play today in the Class 4A Tournament, while Class 5A Rehobeth (44-10) begins play Friday. The Yellow Jackets face Central of Florence (29-9) at 10:30 a.m. today. The Rebels meet Hartselle (44-15) Friday at noon.

“We are more relaxed in going there this year,” Ashford head coach Sherrill Hicks said of his Yellow Jacket team. “We have more comfort than last year.”

Rehobeth feels the same way, but also gained confidence after going through a highly competitive regional tournament this past weekend in Gulf Shores.

The Rebels finished second in a field that featured five ranked teams, one more than the 5A state tournament has.

“I am not crazy about the regional format, but we had one heck of a regional,” Rehobeth head coach Summer Chandler said. “I feel Eufaula should be in Montgomery and I feel St. Paul’s should be there, too. Having played Faith Academy, St. Paul’s, Eufaula, Spanish Fort, we know what to expect. Our season was on the line in every game and the girls performed.”

Yellow Jackets hope to swarm
Ashford went two and out at last year’s state event, falling to Corner and to eventual runner-up Ardmore. The Yellow Jackets also went winless in two games in their previous trip to state in 2003.

“Of course, we want to do better,” Hicks said. “We want to go as far as we can. You have to play hard and have to have a little luck go with it if you want to win it all. Those are always two key factors (at the state tournament).”

Hicks feels optimistic about his team, which has won 11 of its last 16 games. The five losses were to teams competing for a state title — four to St. James, one to Rehobeth.

“I have a great bunch of kids and they work really, really hard, both physically and mentally,” Hicks said. “They also get along and that been one of the keys to our success — the team unity we have.

“We haven’t played well at times, but we have played well when we needed, when it came down to crunch time.”

That was evident in last weekend’s regional tournament, when the Yellow Jackets took a 4-3 win in 10 innings over UMS-Wright to advance to the championship game. It also secured a bid to this week’s state tourney.

Hicks feels his team is peaking as it heads to Montgomery.

“We are playing well right now,” Hicks said. “We are swinging the bats better than we have at any time in the last two years. The pitching staff is better (than last year) and our defense is much better.”

The Yellow Jackets are confident in their deep pitching staff. Hicks said any one of four pitchers could be called on all without any reservation.

Aleigha Goss, a senior who pitched last year’s state opener, will get the call in today’s opener.

Rebels with a cause
Though her team won a game last year, Chandler says Rehobeth has a different approach to this year’s tourney.

“Last year, our goal was just to get there, but this year our expectations are higher,” Chandler said. “We want to be competitive.”

Though ranked high and with an impressive record, Chandler felt her team had a case of nerves and doubts last year.

She doesn’t see this year’s team with that same issue.

“There were a lot of teams up there who had a rich tradition and I feel we were sort of awestruck,” Chandler said. “Even though we won our first game, it was almost like our girls didn’t feel like they deserved to be there.

“Friday when we go up there, I feel they will realize that we do deserve to be there and that everybody is on the same playing field.”

For the second straight year, Rehobeth opens against Hartselle. The Rebels won last year 7-0, but Chandler says it will be a tough matchup this year.

“They didn’t lose a lot from last year and Hartselle is a program that is good year in and year out, so we know they will be good,” Chandler said.

“I understand they can hit the ball. Our forte has been defense, so we will see how it goes.”

Chandler said Rehobeth will likely go with ace Spencer Adkinson in the game.