The Dade County High School softball program has gone through several coaches since winning the Georgia Class AA state championship in 2004. That trend likely has ended with the hiring of Stan Burton this year.
Burton directed Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy to three consecutive Class A championships from 2006 to ’08 and was selected as the Class A coach of the year each season.
The early returns at Dade are promising. The Lady Wolverines, who reached the Class AA state tournament in Columbus last year, are 5-1 this year despite having graduated several key players. Among the early highlights are wins over Class AAA schools Dalton, Murray County, Cass and Ringgold.
A big part of the team’s success has been Burton’s daughter, Elizabeth, who was hitting .734 (11-for-15) with eight RBIs going into Monday’s win at Ringgold and had a three-run triple in that game. Junior pitcher Haleigh McBryar is 4-0 and was batting 6-for-13 going into Monday’s victory.
“We’ve played well so far,” Coach Burton said. “The defense has been led by the left side of the infield, which consists of junior Holly Gross at shortstop and sophomore Sydney Vaughan at third base. Each of them has made amazing plays.”
The ring’s the thing
Players and coaches on Soddy-Daisy’s 2010 Class AAA state-winning softball team were honored with championship rings at halftime of last Friday’s home football game against Science Hill. Last season’s title was the seventh for the Lady Trojans, who ended up ranked in the top five in two national polls.
Each coach and player had his or her name announced over the public-address system when presented a ring, which features a purple stone surrounded by diamonds. The players’ rings are personalized with name and jersey number on one side and 52-2 – the Lady Trojans’ record – on the other.
First baseman Mariam Wood, now a senior, had taken over ownership of her father Richie’s baseball state-championship ring from 1977. He got his back when she got hers.
“It’s on my middle finger on my right hand,” Mariam said. “I don’t plan on taking it off until I’m on the softball field again.”