The North Greene softball roster may look more puppy than snow-plowing, sled-dragging, race-hardened husky at first glance, but don’t let the youth fool you, they are ready to make some noise in Murfreesboro this week.
For the sixth time in school history North Greene will be competing in the Class 1A State Tournament beginning on Tuesday.
“The future of this program is exciting, and it’s nice to know what could be coming up in the next couple of years,” first-year North Greene head coach Avery Weems said. “But we’re focused on this year still and I think there is still more to accomplish. We just have to take it one game at a time and try to keep the season going.”
When looking at the lineup card what stands out about this year’s Lady Husky squad is the six freshmen in the starting nine. But those freshmen have grown up quickly and after starting the year 7-5 the Lady Huskies have won 18 of their last 19 contests heading into the state tournament.
“This is a talented bunch, and we knew that coming in. They were good in middle school, and the first day they were here we knew we had some good players. It took them a little bit to adjust to the high school game. It’s different being a 14-year-old playing against 13 and 14-year-olds, than being a 15-year-old playing against 17 and 18-year-olds. But I feel they have settled in for the most part, and with their talent once they got acclimated, they have been tough to beat.”
In addition to the six freshmen, the Huskies have been led all year by sophomore pitcher Hannah Brooks who was named the District 1-1A Most Valuable Player, and she has saved some of her best performances for the postseason.
While North Greene is young it does have some valuable state tournament experience in the lineup as well. Senior Loren Blevins and junior Matti Phillips were both starters on the Lady Huskies’ 2023 squad that advanced to Murfreesboro. Weems is hopeful that his veterans can help the squad get ready for what to expect in the coming week.
“I need those older girls to lead by example. Matti and Loren have been there before and know what it is like to play in the state tournament,” Weems said. “They need to show the other girls how to carry themselves on that stage. At the end of the day, it’s just softball. We’ll be in Murfreesboro, but it’s the same game. We have to throw it across the plate and we have to hit. You still need 21 outs, and we have to treat it like the same game we have played all year.”
North Greene’s state tournament journey will begin with a tough test against Eagleville at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The Lady Eagles come into the game with a 20-5 record having won District 9-1A and Region 5-1A. They won the state title in 2022, and were runners up 2021 and 2023. In the North Greene’s last two state tournament appearances (2021 and 2023) it has been defeated by Eagleville.
Of Eagleville’s five losses, three are to 4A schools, one is to a Division II school, and one to Community who is in the Class 2A State Tournament. All of North Greene’s losses have come to Class 3A or 4A schools.
In the entire postseason Eagleville has not allowed a team score on them, while scoring 12.3 runs per game. In six postseason games the Lady Eagles have allowed seven total hits with two no-hitters.
They advanced to the state tournament with a 2-0 win over McEwen. In that game pitcher Madison Davenport struck out five, walked two and allowed three hits in 6 1/3 innings.
On the same side of the bracket as North Greene and Eagleville are Dresden (19-14) and Jo Byrns (20-16-1). Those four teams will play in a three-day, double elimination bracket to advance to Friday’s state championship game.
On the other side of the bracket are Gordonsville (32-1), Halls (17-13), Hollow Rock-Bruceton (33-5), and Oakdale 23-3. North Greene would not face any of them until the state championship game.
