The girls ready for big stage

By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
Summer may be coming to an end, but for three local softball teams the vacation time is just beginning to get exciting.
Three Hartselle Dixie softball teams will head to Sumter, S.C. this week to compete in the 2009 Dixie Softball World Series after winning state titles Monday night in Scottsboro.
State championships, while incredible accomplishments, have become commonplace with girls’ summer softball in Hartselle.
The titles came with a flurry Monday night.
The Hartselle Darlings were first, beating Butler 20-5 in the championship game.
The Angels were next with a 7-5 victory over East Montgomery.
And finally, the Ponytails - pushed to a second and deciding game - finished off their state championship with a 6-2 victory over McCalla.
Hartselle teams went 15-1 in the state tournaments. There were four shutout wins - three by the Ponytails and one by the Angels.
In state tournament play, three of Hartselle’s four teams came away with dominating performances in the state tournament.
That level of success has become a Hartselle tradition as the area continues to produce exceptional softball talent from the youth leagues.
Last summer, two teams advanced to the world series in Louisiana, with the Hartselle Darlings winning the championship.
The Hartselle Ponytails also advanced to the state tournament before losing in the semifinals.
Over the past three years, eight teams from Hartselle have made the trip to the World Series.
The success that Hartselle has built in high school softball has its roots in the strong play at the Dixie level. Most, if not all, of the current players on the three state championship teams will one day wear Hartselle High School uniforms.
And the experience those girls received by making the trip to Sumter, S.C. will pay dividends on the high school level.
The experience of playing in a world series in another state will only make the players on the three Hartselle teams better players in the future.
That experience is a benefit that can’t be measured.
Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com