The Morgan Academy varsity softball team enters the 2024 softball season under Head Softball Coach Chuck Oates and will play its first home game on Feb. 12 against Sparta Academy.
Their next game is at home against Southern Academy on Feb. 22.
On Dec. 7, 2022, Morgan Academy Headmaster Dr. Bryan Oliver has announced the hiring of Oates.
Prior to taking the Morgan Academy head softball coaching position, Oates coached recreation softball and travel softball, as well as the Morgan peewee softball team. He is a 1983 graduate of t Dallas County High School, grew up around Selma and has lived in Valley Grande since 1980.
“We have a very good eighth and ninth grade class,” said Oates about those who will play varsity ball. He said, “Our pitching is solid” with Emily Grace Mims and Addison Bond. And he said, “We will be a much-improved team this year in varsity.”
Oates said, “We have struggled the last few years because we have been very young, but it is about to start paying off. Our goal this year is to make the playoffs.”
The Lady Senators varsity includes senior Allie Wilkinson; juniors Lydia Smitherman and Kaylee Cornell; sophomores Emily Grace Mims, Addison Bond, Hadley Verhoff, Kathryn Lyon and Bonnie Woodson; freshmen Lelia Moore, Elizabeth Manning and Lila Cornell and eighth grade Mckenzie Oates, Cassidy Peal, Miles Avery Bond and Anna Logan Lee.
“Our junior varsity went to the state tournament last year for the first time in school history,” Oates said. “We should be a really good JV team.”
He said the junior varsity will have good pitching with Cassidy Peal, Miles Avery Bond and Avery Stone. And, he said, “Our goal this year is to not only make it to the state tournament but to win it this year.”
In addition to the eighth and ninth graders previously mentioned, the junior varsity includes freshman Lil Yeager; and seventh grade Avery Stone, Addie Ozment, Jorja Viscome, Georgia Sams, Bella Roberts and Brynlee Chappelle.
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