Only the top 16 teams in the

nation could participate in the Super World Series.�The Vipers won the

"A" level title.�

Starting in January of this

year with tournament planning, the coaches knew this team was special

and they could expect big things from these girls.�The path was established

early, as the coaches strategically mapped out how this team would make

it to the Super World Series.

Coach Kevin Taylor knew it

would be a long tough season to make it there, but he and his coaching

staff were sure it would happen.�Coach Rich Terry handled the arrangements

for the tournaments needed to get to the Super World as well as providing

the girls' mental training.�Coach Kevin Woody provided both offensive

and defensive drills keeping the girls' skills sharp, while Coach

Gene Dalton is in charge of pregame warmup drills.�It takes a complete

program to produce an elite travel softball team, which includes physical

as well as mental training.

the Vipers earned a top seed in the Super World Series.�This meant a bye

was earned in the first round of games, which is pretty important when

the tournament format is double-elimination and no pool play.

The Vipers met the Ohio Lady

Lasers, a rather large team, in the first game and won 3-1 by taking charge

of pitching and defense. By remaining in the winner's bracket, the

Vipers would not meet up with half the teams in the tournament.

The next meeting was against

the Maryland Lakeshore Lightning, probably one of the toughest teams the

Vipers had ever faced.�The Vipers jumped out in front during the first

inning, scoring 3 of their 4 runs.�Fastpitch is such a mental game that

jumping out to a lead of several runs really puts the pressure on the

opposing team, and the Vipers won this game 4-0 to get into position for

the championship. At this point, any opposing team would have to beat

them twice to take the title.

After a time of wait-and-see

to determine who would come up out of the loser's bracket, it was

the Maryland Lakeshore Lightning who earned the other spot in the finals.

The weather had turned cold and rainy, but the Vipers finally put the

first score on the board in the third inning.�They scored again in the

fourth and won the game 2-0 to take the championship.

The Vipers finished their season

with 98 wins, 10 losses and 2 ties (pool play).�They earned two state

championship titles, one for the National Softball Association and the

other for the Amateur Softball Association, but none any sweeter than

the National Softball Association Super World Series Title.�It took the

efforts of Haley Williams (Tyrone), Macy Terry (Woodstock), McKenzie Woody

(Fayetteville), Haley Richards (Fayetteville), Chelsie Huffman (Powder

Springs), Kaitlyn Baskin (Temple), Nicole Fox (Peachtree City), Jessica

Clifton (McDonough), Brittany Taylor (Fayetteville), Andrea Dalton (Tyrone)

and Rebecca Creswell (Senoia).�

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