MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- As impressive as GPS's streak of four consecutive state softball championships is, one of its star players has accomplished something even more eye-catching.
When the Bruisers wrapped up their Division II four-peat late Friday night, it was center fielder Tory Lewis's seventh state team title overall. Lewis, who batted leadoff for the Bruisers and has signed with the University of Tennessee, also helped win two state championships in volleyball (2007, '08) and one in track as an eighth-grader.
"Just to win one state championship, in any sport, is exciting, but it's an awesome feeling to have seven," Lewis said. "I ran in relays when I ran track, and the first couple of softball championships came kind of easy because we had so much talent. It felt like we really worked hard for this last one."
Lewis went a combined 5-for-12 with two triples, six RBIs and five runs scored in the Bruisers' three state-tournament games this year.
GPS's championship streak ranks third in TSSAA softball history behind Ezell-Harding and Goodpasture Christian, which each had six straight titles.
Big year for Bucs
Boyd-Buchanan's Class A/AA boys' soccer championship Friday night capped a school year in which it had four teams reach state finals. The Boyd-Buchanan volleyball team also won a state crown, while the football team and baseball team each was the runner-up.
Six of the soccer team's starters and 15 baseball players also were on the football team, which narrowly lost to Trousdale County in the Class 2A title game.
"That's pretty special for a small school to have that much success in several sports," said Steve Robbins, who guided the baseball team to its first state-tournament appearance and is the defensive coordinator in football. "The seniors were really the ones who carried us all year in every sport. We'll miss all those kids."