VIENNA – Chapmanville and Man softball players were happy to bring home state championships to Logan County on Thursday as the Lady Tigers and Lady Billies made history at Vienna.

Man, the No. 1-ranked team in the state in Class A, captured its second straight state championship, while Chapmanville Regional High School, rated No. 1 in Double-A, captured the 2A title.

The Lady Billies finished off an unbeaten 23-0 season as Man beat Cameron, 17-9, in the Class A finals on Thursday at Jackson Memorial Park. Man went 3-0 in the state tourney, also scoring wins over Fayetteville (10-0) and Cameron (1-0). Chapmanville closed out the season with a 31-3 record as the Lady Tigers were also 3-0 in the state tourney. The Lady Tigers won all three games via shutout as Chapmanville blanked Independence 2-0 in the Double-A title game at Vienna. CRHS beat Independence 5-0 in the opener and also shut out Point Pleasant, 1-0, to reach the finals.

Chapmanville all-state senior pitcher and University of Tennessee signee Andi Williamson pitched all three shutouts for the Lady Tigers as she fired 21 innings of scoreless ball.

Man junior all-state pitcher Marlena Frye also pitched the Lady Billies to all three wins.

It was a rewarding experience for both county programs.

Logan County was also represented at the state tourney by the Logan High School Lady Cats but LHS was 1-2 in the Triple-A state tourney and was ousted by Hedgesville, 7-5, on Thursday.

Chapmanville and Man players expressed many emotions after winning the state titles.

One of those emotions was relief.

“It feels really good and everyone has worked hard together all year,” Chapmanville senior right fielder Lauren McCann said. “We’ve had some freshmen come in and step up. We played some small ball this year and our pitching has just been phenomenal. We give up just one or two runs and that’s it. We’ve worked so hard as a team and I’m just so happy. It’s been real emotional and it’s been so exciting. After last year we were down but we came back this year and we played really hard. It feels really good to redeem ourselves after last year.” Chapmanville senior center fielder Beth Baldwin said it was a nice way to cap off her softball career. Baldwin, Williamson, catcher Poppy Ramey, starting junior third baseman Bre Thomas and others were also members of Chapmanville’s 2007 Class AA state championship team.

“Man, it’s great and it’s the best feeling in the world,” Baldwin said. “We’ve worked really hard this year and we’ve practiced really hard. We all play summer ball and the hard work has really paid off. We’ve had a lot of girls step up this year such as the twins (Jenna and Allison Evans). As freshmen, they did a fantastic job. Andi and Poppy worked together and did a great job with the pitching and the catching. This has been the best finale to my softball career but it’s also kind of sad that it’s over.”

Chapmanville junior left fielder Lauren Shumate said winning the state title made up for last year’s disappointments when the Lady Tigers were beaten by Scott in the sectional tourney finals at Logan.

“Oh man, it’s unbelievable. I can’t even describe it,” Shumate said. “It’s crazy. I can’t even breathe hardly. It’s crazy. We went through the season and tried as hard as we could. Our pitching has been amazing, just unbelievable. We just came through the season hoping and praying that we could make it back here and redeem ourselves from last year’s loss in the sectionals. It motivated us. We wanted it so bad and we came out this year and we wanted it just as bad and even some more. We got it and I’m just so excited.”

Shumate praised Man for winning the Class A state title and also Logan for making it to the state tourney in the Class AAA division.

“Logan County softball is beyond amazing,” Shumate said. “All the teams – Logan, Man and Chapmanville – are just wonderful wonderful teams. There’s a lot of great softball players and a lot of talent on the three teams. Marlena Frye is an amazing pitcher and Ali Neace is a great great pitcher.”

Much of Chapmanville’s success this year was also attributed to freshmen twins Allison Evans and Jenna Evans, who played solid for the Lady Tigers in the middle infield positions and were also consistent with the bat.

With Williamson lost to graduation both will be counted on in 2010 to pick up the slack on the mound.

“It’s awesome. We worked really hard for this,” said Jenna Evans, Chapmanville’s starting second baseman. “We wanted it so bad and it’s a great feeling to get it. We worked for hours and hours at practice. We had a lot of pressure on us but it was a relief when we got a run or two. All of the hard work paid off.”

For Chapmanville senior first baseman Tiffini Hale it was a great way to end her prep career.

“I love it. It’s an awesome way to go out,” Hale said. “I’m so excited. We practiced every day to get here. We were number one all year and we showed it today.”

McCann, Baldwin and Hale should be seeing a lot of each other this fall in Morgantown as the trio said they are all planning on attending WVU.

Ramey is headed to West Virginia State this fall where she had signed on to play for the Yellow Jackets’ women’s softball team.

Chapmanville also had one other senior on the roster in backup left fielder Anna Butcher, who also played volleyball at Chapmanville.

Man will be losing six seniors from its team to graduation – Rebecca Compton, Mercedes Sharp, Malorie Keffer, Jaclyn Dickerson, Kaitlan Chapman and Loren Whited. Since Man High School was holding its graduation ceremonies on Thursday night the players were unable to attend. Instead, the six were given their diplomas on the field prior to Thursday evening’s Class A state championship game with Cameron.

Both Man and Chapmanville played for the state championships on side-by-side fields at 4 p.m. on Thursday and hundreds of Lady Billies and Lady Tigers fans were scattered about.

Chapmanville wrapped up its state title first just minutes before a strong thunderstorm pounded the Vienna area with hard rain.

After a one-hour rain delay, Man was then able to play its last inning and finish off Cameron for the Class A state crown.

Man coach Randy Epperly said his seniors will be missed next year.

“You always hate to lose your seniors, because it’s more than just the ball playing,” he said. “I’ve been with those girls since they were nine years old in travel ball and stuff. They’re like my own children. Anytime you lose a senior, that’s part of you that you don’t ever get back.”

Another than the state title game Man surrendered just three runs all season – two to Scott and one to Logan. Epperly emptied his bench against Cameron in the finals, allowing many of his JV players a chance to get state tourney action.

“Our defense got us through a lot of situations where we could have lost a game. Our defense was better this year than anything,” Epperly said. “We don’t get a whole lot of credit down there for what we’ve done. A lot of people think these girls just magically walked out on the ballfield and became good players. There’s been a lot of hard work go into this on their part and the coaches and the people who have helped me in the summers. It’s been a big effort and it’s paid off.”

Man second baseman Malorie Vance said the hard work has been worth it.

“It feels pretty good. We’ve worked really hard for this and it’s paid off in the end,” Vance said.

Whited, Man’s senior first baseman, said it was a great way to go out.

“The key to the season was teamwork and dedication to wanting to play,” Whited said. “It felt really good to get my diploma on the softball field. I loved it. I would rather be here than at graduation.” Senior catcher Chapman said to finish unbeaten was special.

“It feels awesome. It feels really good. Going undefeated feels really good,” Chapman said.

Sharp said the Lady Billies didn’t panic when faced with a 2-0 deficit to Cameron in the finals. Man was jumpstarted by Paige Stacy’s grand slam home run.

“Really, I was thinking we just needed to get our bats on the ball and get some runs in,” Sharp said. “It feels pretty awesome to repeat as state champions. It’s pretty awesome for Paige to get that grand slam and for us to score 13 runs in one inning.”

Man’s Tabby Johnston said the Lady Billies’ goals were met.

“We’ve been working for this for a really long time. This was our goal from the beginning of the season. It’s just unreal,” Johnston said. “I was a little nervous because I made the errors to get us down. But, our team doesn’t quit. No one gives up.”

Frye said Man’s team chemistry helped keep the Lady Billies on top.

“Our team is just phenomenal and it’s because of the chemistry. I’m really going to miss everybody (the seniors),” Frye said. “I’m glad Jaclyn was the one who accomplished the last out because she’s one of the seniors who is leaving and she’s been through everything with us. I’m glad it was her to make it.”

Keffer said Man came together as a team this season.

“This is unbelievable,” she said. “We just came together as a team. We’ve played together all our lives and we know how each other plays. We’ve been behind each other for everything.

“I was about ready to die with the rain delays. I just wanted to win, to just go ahead and get our games in and get going.”