Brian Rush keeps CHS softball relevant with Coach of the Year

Clarksville High had the experience returning. It had the talent and it had the hype coming into the spring.

Yet, what seems like a sure thing often is the hardest thing to do.

Clarksville came into 2017 thinking it could improve on a record-setting 2016 season that saw the team win more games (38) than in program history and reach the state tournament for the second time in the previous three years.

Clarksville didn't exactly rack up wins at quite that clip this past spring, but it did win another 20-plus and captured another District 10 regular season title. For the second straight year, Lady Wildcats coach Brian Rush was named The Leaf-Chronicle All Area Softball Coach of the Year.

"You need a lot of things to go your way when you are talking about trips to state," Rush said. "Sometimes it involves luck and sometimes a lot of it is out of your control."

Weather certainly played a factor in tamping down Clarksville's 23-9 record as well as a late-season valley where CHS won just two of its last five games. But the Lady Wildcats played Henry County twice during that time, a Lady Patriots team that finished third overall at state.

"Our expectations are the same every year," Rush said. "We expect to compete for district titles, we expect to compete for region titles and we expect to compete for a state title. That will never change."

But despite struggling down the stretch, Clarksville was its usual dominating self during the regular season. The Lady Wildcats won their first six games and started the season 10-1. Another seven-game win streak in April but distance between them and the rest of the district teams expect Henry County, who kept pace.

Offensively, Clarksville had 13 games where it scored more than 10 runs and shutout opponents 16 times, including eight of its first 14 games this season.

"This team was fun to coach because of how close they were," Rush said. "We had five seniors who were about as talented a group as we've ever had here and they played for each other. It was great to watch. And no, the season didn't end the way we wanted but you take something positive away from each season and that's what we'll do."

Reach Prep writer George Robinson at georgerobinson@theleafchronicle.com or (931) 245-0747 and on Twitter @Cville_Sports.