That is to get back to the state tournament and win it.
A year after winning the 2007 Class AA state title, the Lady Tigers’ road to Vienna ran into a road block last season as Chapmanville went 1-2 in sectional tourney play to bow out with a 21-10 record.
After losing to county rival Logan 4-1 in last year’s sectional tournament opener, the Lady Tigers came back to beat the Lady Cats 14-3. But then, Chapmanville was ousted in the sectional title game by rival Scott, 8-6, which went on to play in the state tournament.
History wasn’t on Chapmanville’s side last season.
In the years following the Lady Tigers’ past championship seasons, Chapmanville faltered.
After winning the 1999 state championship, Chapmanville was shocked in the 2000 Class AA regional championship by Man, 1-0, on its home field.
Then after taking the 2004 state crown, the favored Lady Tigers were ousted in the ‘05 regional finals by Herbert Hoover on Scott’s home diamond.
Last year followed the trend.
Last year, however, is history.
Chapmanville looks to regain its swagger this season and the prospects look good for a return trip to Vienna and the state tourney.
For starters, arch rival and nemesis Logan has jumped back up to the Class AAA ranks and are no longer in Chapmanville’s section. That leaves a two-team sectional with defending champ Scott, which lost some key players from last year’s squad.
Chapmanville only lost one starter to graduation – left fielder Emily Meeks.
The bulk of the Lady Tigers’ roster returns, including the seasoned all-state battery of senior pitcher Andi Williamson and senior catcher Poppy Ramey.
Throw in the six returning starters, key role players, experienced returnees and a crop of talented younger players and the prospects look bright for the Chapmanville Regional High School girls’ softball team for the 2009 season.
Chapmanville 27-year head coach Ronnie Ooten said he’s looking forward to the new season challenge and remains optimistic about his team’s makeup.
“We’re pretty excited,” Ooten said. “We’ve got Andi back and Poppy back, along with Tiffini (Hale), Bre Thomas and a lot of other players.”
Chapmanville’s ultimate goal is to make it back to Vienna and the state tournament.
The last three times the Lady Tigers have reached the state tourney (1999, 2004 and 2007) Chapmanville has brought home the Class AA crown. In fact, Chapmanville did not lose a single game in those three trips to the state tourney as the Lady Tigers went 3-0 each time, making them a perfect 9-0.
With a solid nucleus the Lady Tigers seem to have a pretty solid chance at making it back.
“Our goal is to get there,” Ooten said. “My first goal is to get some of these kids in college and get them an education but our team goal is to make it back to the state tournament.”
After last year’s sectional tourney exit, the Lady Tigers could be even hungrier to make a return trip to Vienna.
Improved team chemistry is another key, Ooten said.
Chapmanville had it in 2007 but really didn’t have it last year, Ooten added.
“We had what I call a team cancer last year and we could never get our heads screwed on to where we weren’t yakking at each other,” Ooten said. “That kills a team. You have to have good team chemistry.”
Williamson is one of the top pitchers in the state of West Virginia and honed her skills with Ramey this past summer as members of the West Virginia Diamond Dusters team, which is based out of Huntington. The squad traveled to Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and played as far away as Colorado, facing some of the nation’s top travel teams.
Williamson, who is expected to sign a Division I collegiate scholarship with Marshall University to pitch for the Thundering Herd women’s softball team, gives Chapmanville a top ace within the circle.
Williamson was a repeat first-team Class AA all-state selection last season for the Lady Tigers. She was 10-1 on the mound during the regular season with 145 strikeouts and just 22 issued walks in 74 innings of work. She allowed only three earned runs and eight runs total while yielding only 25 base hits. At the plate, Williamson hit .338 with three home runs, 19 RBI and six doubles. She had a .479 slugging percentage.
“She’s one of the best pitchers and best players in the state in my opinion,” Ooten said of Williamson. “She’s a competitor and she really gets after it. She hates to lose and I hate to lose, too. She works super hard on her game and she’s worked hard all winter. Her future is softball. She’s going to sign with Marshall sometime at the end of the month I’m pretty sure.”
Chapmanville will have three freshman pitchers to throw behind Williamson — twin sisters Alison and Jenna Evans and also Haley McCann.
Ooten said lefthander Ashley Banks, last year’s No. 2 hurler, has decided not to come out for the team this season.
“We’ve got two ninth-graders with the two Evans twins, Alison and Jenna,” he said. “We’re going to have three ninth-graders and a senior. The three freshmen are the real deal. They are competitors. They work hard and they have been working on their pitching all year long. They’re athletes and they have all worked hard in the off season with their dads and moms and they have done a good job with them. They are all good pitchers.”
Behind the plate Chapmanville is solid with Ramey, an all-state special honorable mention selection from a year ago, who hit .327 with 14 RBI, four doubles and three triples. Ramey goes into the season as a four-year starter behind the plate. She gives the Lady Tigers leadership, a strong arm and a sound bat.
“She’s a competitor like Andi,” Ooten said of Ramey. “They are a good twosome. What more can you say about Poppy Ramey? She’s as big as a popcorn but she’s as tough as a 300-pounder. Somebody told me that she is probably going to go to (West Virginia) State. She’s just a barrel of dynamite. They asked me about her catching and I told them that she could catch at the pro level. She’ll end up playing and going to school at one of the (West Virginia) Conference schools. Poppy’s got a great arm and a great bat. She’s the kind of kid that you would like to have a whole lineup of.”
At first base, senior Tiffini Hale is back. She shared starting duties at the first sack last year but appears to have the nod this spring.
“It’s probably going to be Tiffini Hale,” Ooten said. “She’s a senior and returner. She’s probably going to end up at (West Virginia) Tech. They are interested in her. She’s wanting to go to school and play some softball and I’m sure that she can. She’s a good hitter and she’s got some good size. She’ll be fine.”
At second base, Jenna Evans looks to have the inside track.
Last year, Lauren McCann split duties at second base with Brittani Lowe but it appears as if McCann will see full-time duties in right field this season. Ooten said Lowe and Haley Hendricks, a shortstop and pitcher, also chose not to play ball this season.
“It looks like it’s going to be Jenna Evans at second base,” Ooten said. “She’s a super athlete and she’s got a great bat and a great attitude. You love to coach kids like that.”
Williamson will play shortstop this season when not pitching. But when she’s between the circle, Jenna Evans’ twin sister Alison Evans will most likely start.
“We’re going to have to replace some people up the middle but we’ve got the two Evans girls and they are the real deal,” Ooten said. “Andi will play at short when not pitching but other than that Alison Evans has the nod. She’s got a great arm and she reminds me so much of (former Lady Tiger) Rhonda (Ooten), my daughter. She’s got a quick release and a great arm. She’s just one of those kids that only come along once and every now and then.”
Ooten said he’s not worried to have two freshman players up the middle in Chapmanville’s defensive scheme.
“They’re going to be there and they are going to have their shot,” he said. “I’ve got some kids that can come in there and play if they have any problems but right now I’m definitely leaning toward them.”
At third base, junior starter Bre Thomas back.
This is Thomas’ third year as a starter as she started as a freshman at third base on Chapmanville’s state championship team. Thomas gives the Lady Tigers a good glove and arm and a solid bat in the lineup.
“She’s a three-year starter,” Ooten said of Thomas. “She’s a 100 percent player and a great worker. She’s the real deal, too. I’m sure that she’s going to be getting some looks from some colleges next year.”
In the outfield, Chapmanville has two starters back with senior Beth Baldwin in center and the senior McCann in right. Both were sophomore members and starters on the ‘07 state championship team.
“In right field, we have Lauren McCann and she’s started there the last couple of years,” Ooten said. “She’s done a good job and she’s done a lot of off-season work, too. She’s been going to camps and hitting schools. She’s a good player. We’ve got Beth in center field. Beth can play anywhere but where she can help us the most right now is in the outfield. She moved from left field to center last year and she did a fantastic job. She gets the job done. She’s got great speed and a good arm and a good head on her shoulders.”
In left field Lauren Shumate looks to have the inside track.
“She’s earned it,” Ooten said. “She’s really played her role the last couple of years as she has been in and out of the lineup. Sometimes her worst enemy is her because sometimes she gets down on herself but she’s been doing real well in practice. She’s going to get the nod in left field.”
As always, Chapmanville’s bench runs deep and Ooten said he’s got plenty of other players who could step in at any time and contribute.
Freshman Alyssa Bailey is the Lady Tigers’ backup catcher behind Ramey, Ooten said.
“She’ll be our backup if Lauren Shumate or Beth Baldwin don’t have to come in,” he said. “We’re hoping to keep them in the outfield. The little Bailey girl is a good little player. She can play anywhere.”
Lauren McCann’s younger sister Haley McCann can also play anywhere, Ooten said.
“She’s a good player,” he said. “There’s a bunch of those young players. A lot of my returning juniors, sophomores and the freshmen are going to see a lot of playing time. We’ll see what happens.”
As always, Chapmanville will be challenged with a tough schedule this season.
On the slate are home-and-homes with county rival and 3A team Logan, 2A sectional rival Scott and road matchups at Triple-A teams George Washington and Riverside.
The Lady Tigers are scheduled to play in three tournaments this season — April 3-4 at home in the Lady Tigers Invitational, April 8-11 at the Best of the Best Tournament at Buffalo and April 15-18 at the Cabell Midland Sluggerfest.
Chapmanville’s home tourney will be made up of 3A teams Lincoln County and Riverside and Scott, along with Sherman and the host Lady Tigers.
“You know me. I’ve always tried to go out and schedule the best that I could get,” Ooten said about his schedule.”
The Lady Tigers are not currently scheduled to face their other county rival — defending Class A state champion Man — but Ooten said he would like to work in a game with the Lady Billies if possible.
“We would like to find a date for them,” he said.
Chapmanville will play in a two-team Class AA sectional with Scott. Logan, which has battled against Chapmanville and Scott the last six years, comprising one of the toughest sectionals in the state, will compete in Class AAA this season. That leaves just Chapmanville and Scott for a two-team, best-of-three game sectional tourney, which is slated to be played at Madison beginning May 6. The Lady Hawks are the defending sectional champs. Scott advanced to the state tournament last season but have lost a few key seniors from last year’s team.
“It’s going to be a best-of-three, double-elimination kind of deal,” Ooten said.
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