Upton announces new WCHS softball roster

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Prospective members of the Lady Pioneer softball team “break it down” after tryouts last week. Coach David Upton announced who had made the squad this week. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

After losing five starters to graduation last year, Warren County head softball coach David Upton is looking to reload the Lady Pioneer softball team with a youth movement.

Upton, whose squad said goodbye to Tracy Medlen, Jasmine Ware, Crystal Jones, Brittany Patterson and Lacey Griffith after their 2003 campaign, will have four seniors and four juniors playing this year so rebuilding is a major concern.

“We have to start looking to the future over the next 2-3 years,” Upton said. “With only four seniors this year and four juniors, we are going to have to look at getting some of the younger players more playing time on the varsity level. Our sophomore class has eight players and adding the six freshmen to the team should give us a solid core for at least the next three years.”

Upton voiced some concerns with his team’s offensive production and has high hopes of getting the sticks going for the Lady Pioneers this spring.

“We have several kids that are going to play fall ball, and hopefully this will help get some of our younger players a little more comfortable at the plate by the time spring gets here,” he said. “We will start conditioning around the first of September and will be ready to get into full practice by February.

“The fall team will play against other schools who have a fall program such as Manchester and the Murfreesboro schools, and we will try to play a couple of those games at home. We are going to be young and have a lot of work to get done before this spring.”

Upton will have a mandatory meeting with all parents to discuss the upcoming season Sunday, Aug. 3 at 2 p.m. at the WCHS cafeteria.

2004 Warren County High School softball team
Seniors
Cassie McGinness
Candace Stubblefield
Kendra Savage
Erica Warren
Juniors
Brittany Bowdoin
Shelly Hayes
Taren Hennessee
Sarah Tanner
Sophomores
McCall Cooper
Alex Mullican
Nickey Poe
Emily Smith
Penny Wanamaker
Miranda Curtis
Laurie Hillis
Beth Solomon
Freshmen
Racheal Flatt
Ashley McBee
Kayla Hubbard
Brittany Darnbush
LeAnn Smith
Casi Rogers