2023 High School Softball Thread
- Thread starter Hon Dines
- Start date
As I peruse the RPI rankings looking at each conference it just shocks me at some of the schools that didn’t field a girls softball team or have only played just a few games.
Like the MIdstate Conference who has 2 teams in the top 10 and yet Reidsville and N. Forsyth don’t have a team and TW Andrews has only played a handful of games.
There is several other teams in other conferences that have played only 5 or 6 games to date.
Surprised to see CSD didn’t field a team either.
Just noticed as well…in my own conference!!…the CVAC….that Newton Conover has only scheduled conference games…that’s it!…just playing the conference.
Go figure!
Like the MIdstate Conference who has 2 teams in the top 10 and yet Reidsville and N. Forsyth don’t have a team and TW Andrews has only played a handful of games.
There is several other teams in other conferences that have played only 5 or 6 games to date.
Surprised to see CSD didn’t field a team either.
Just noticed as well…in my own conference!!…the CVAC….that Newton Conover has only scheduled conference games…that’s it!…just playing the conference.
Go figure!
There is an incredible disparity between the top and bottom softball teams everywhere...more so in softball than any other sport.
It also seems that schools with strong basketball or track programs absolutely stink at softball, and at many of those schools, softball is an afterthought.
One prime example is Albemarle High School. AHS is loaded with female athletes (just check their basketball records the past few years). And they are located right in the center of softball-crazy Stanly County -- South Stanly won the 2022 1A state softball championship, West Stanly won the 2022 2A state softball championship, and North Stanly and Gray Stone Day are both very competitive.
But despite this, Albemarle struggles each year to field a team. And when they do, it's 9 or 10 girls who have never picked up a bat outside of PE class. Every game is a 15-0, 3-inning affair, except when they have to forfeit because a couple of players missed school that day.
The local parks and recreation department has tried to build interest in youth girls softball, but parents just don't seem to give a hoot and won't sign their girls up. Albemarle Middle School fields a team but their players are already 3-4 years behind those in the rest of the county since they haven't played youth softball, so it seems to be the "same old-same old" every year.
Other schools that have plenty of female athletes, and are similar in situation to Albemarle seem to be in the same boat. For example, check out the records of softball teams at schools like Concord, Monroe, Salisbury, Thomasville, Lexington, etc., and you'll see the same circumstances. Rocky River High, a 4A school in Mint Hill, has no team this season. Julius Chambers was a 4A basketball powerhouse, but they are a weakling in softball. Same at A.L. Brown, West Charlotte, Harding, Olympic, R.J. Reynolds, Parkland. I'm sure there are others, but you see my point.
What's the solution? It starts with getting the youngsters to playing early on, but how do you get them interested in softball when parents don't support that sport? It has to be very frustrating if a parent has a girl who loves softball but may not get to play at the high school level because her school either doesn't support the sport or can't field a team due to community and student apathy.
Aw man… at least the one in Randolph beat ER…
Not saying the Wildcats were down two starters…
Not saying that at all…
Actually hoping Cougars do well.
Big South 3A
Crest 8-0, 11-3
North Gaston 6-2, 10-3
Kings Mountain 6-2, 7-4
Cramer 5-3, 7-7
Forestview 3-4, 7-5
South Point 1-6, 3-10
Ashbrook 1-7, 2-10
Huss 0-6, 0-8
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 8-0, 11-3
Cherryville 6-2, 11-3
Highland Tech 6-2, 9-4
East Gaston 5-4, 6-8
Shelby 2-6, 5-9
Bessemer City 2-6, 4-10
Thomas Jefferson 0-9, 0-11
Crest 8-0, 11-3
North Gaston 6-2, 10-3
Kings Mountain 6-2, 7-4
Cramer 5-3, 7-7
Forestview 3-4, 7-5
South Point 1-6, 3-10
Ashbrook 1-7, 2-10
Huss 0-6, 0-8
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 8-0, 11-3
Cherryville 6-2, 11-3
Highland Tech 6-2, 9-4
East Gaston 5-4, 6-8
Shelby 2-6, 5-9
Bessemer City 2-6, 4-10
Thomas Jefferson 0-9, 0-11
Big South 3A
Crest 8-0, 12-3
North Gaston 6-2, 10-3
Kings Mountain 6-2, 9-5
Cramer 5-3, 10-7
Forestview 3-4, 8-7
South Point 1-6, 3-13
Ashbrook 1-7, 2-10
Huss 0-6, 0-8
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 8-0, 12-5
Cherryville 6-2, 12-5
Highland Tech 6-2, 9-4
East Gaston 6-4, 7-8
Shelby 2-6, 5-9
Bessemer City 2-6, 4-10
Thomas Jefferson 0-10, 0-12
Crest 8-0, 12-3
North Gaston 6-2, 10-3
Kings Mountain 6-2, 9-5
Cramer 5-3, 10-7
Forestview 3-4, 8-7
South Point 1-6, 3-13
Ashbrook 1-7, 2-10
Huss 0-6, 0-8
Southern Piedmont 1A/2A
Burns 8-0, 12-5
Cherryville 6-2, 12-5
Highland Tech 6-2, 9-4
East Gaston 6-4, 7-8
Shelby 2-6, 5-9
Bessemer City 2-6, 4-10
Thomas Jefferson 0-10, 0-12
In many of these cities softball is either a recreational sport with coach pitch until about 10-12 years old or doesn't exist at all. Softball is 90% pitching and catching. The city kids do not have the skills once they hit middle school to keep up with the county schools and travel ball kids. The pitching in most of these places listed is terrible. These kids get used to losing 15-0 and going to McDonalds to eat and laugh it off.
Cougars did best Wildcats 2-0 with a full compliment on hand so now I’m a believer…
Maidens’ girls would give the Maiden boys a run for their money!😂
…ain’t believing they’re ranked in the top 20 overall…that’s got to be the highest ranking for Maiden’s softball program….by a mile!
They’re young too!
If our girls can beat winless Newton Conover tonight they’ll be the CVAC champions since Bandys lost to West Caldwell last night. Go Blue Devils!
How about a shout out for those (4) 2a powerhouses ranked in the top 5👀 overall…..McMichael, SWR, West Wilkes, and the reigning 2a champion…West Stanly.
Have mercy!…this 2a West playoff bracket will be fun to watch!
…ain’t believing they’re ranked in the top 20 overall…that’s got to be the highest ranking for Maiden’s softball program….by a mile!
They’re young too!
If our girls can beat winless Newton Conover tonight they’ll be the CVAC champions since Bandys lost to West Caldwell last night. Go Blue Devils!
How about a shout out for those (4) 2a powerhouses ranked in the top 5👀 overall…..McMichael, SWR, West Wilkes, and the reigning 2a champion…West Stanly.
Have mercy!…this 2a West playoff bracket will be fun to watch!
Oh well!….I was all amped up for a double header tonite with Maiden vs Bandys boys and girls…but it ain’t gonna happen.
Daggum it!..if both Maiden and Bandys girls lost last night by the same scores…4-3.
Maiden was up 3-1 heading into the top of the 7th and 2 HBP’s and a gapper for a triple fixed all that.
A pass ball…later…sealed the deal.
Congrats to West Caldwell…they played a great game.
That goes for West Lincoln too…in their win over Bandys.
Daggum it!..if both Maiden and Bandys girls lost last night by the same scores…4-3.
Maiden was up 3-1 heading into the top of the 7th and 2 HBP’s and a gapper for a triple fixed all that.
A pass ball…later…sealed the deal.
Congrats to West Caldwell…they played a great game.
That goes for West Lincoln too…in their win over Bandys.
Big win for Mooresville last night over the top team in NC Hickory Ridge to claim the conference tournament title. 4-3.
So saw some 4A west softball projections… Mooresville looks like we get the 10 or 11 seed (even though we are ranked 5th in 4A lol). There’s some debate whether AC Reynolds gets seeded as a champion not…
If we are the 10 seed, we get Page round 1, at Hough round 2.
If we are the 11, we get Weddington first then at Myers Park in a top 10 showdown… in round 2. Lol
If we are the 10 seed, we get Page round 1, at Hough round 2.
If we are the 11, we get Weddington first then at Myers Park in a top 10 showdown… in round 2. Lol
Drove down to Bostic to watch Patton play E. Rutherford. Lady Panthers get a runner to third with one out in the first and bunt. Kid should have scored easily, but hesitated and the opportunity was lost.
Game remained scoreless until the fifth when E. Rutherford scored on a four base error. Patton then got a runner on in the top of the seventh and the batter hit one to the warning track, five feet from a 2-1 lead. Fly ball was caught through and Lady Cavaliers take the 1-0 win.
Game remained scoreless until the fifth when E. Rutherford scored on a four base error. Patton then got a runner on in the top of the seventh and the batter hit one to the warning track, five feet from a 2-1 lead. Fly ball was caught through and Lady Cavaliers take the 1-0 win.
