Chattanooga area players of the last decade

[Indian]

A few years ago, around 5, a former player and I got together and came up with the Top 50 high school softball players around Chattanooga of the 90s. Some of the players in the top 10 included Baylor pitcher Amy Robertson (UTC), GPS infielder Jackie McClain (Alabama), East Ridge pitcher Beth Alexander (UTC). Even the players 40-50 were Division I signing girls. I think somehow the radio sports show in Chattanooga got hold of the list, don't remember if they agreed with the #1 player or not but it was fun to compare. Why I'm writing this, if anyone around Chattanooga or coaches/people in the know from other places would add their top 10, 20, 30 however many, players, not necessarily in order though it would help, with their high school position and college if you remember where they signed, and graduation year. Signing Division I isn't necessarily a cause for a top 10 mention here, it helps but plenty of good players go Division II, junior college then lower division, it's all about the education in womens' sports. In a couple of weeks , maybe in a slow period before Christmas I will take a look at what people think and compile them into another top 50 or maybe even a 100 if there's enough different names. This isn't anything official, and with pretty much anonymous (right) posting there shouldn't be any feelings hurt. The period I'm looking for is the 93-94 school year through now, and current players of any grade should be considered. 93-94 was Robertson's senior year if you need a time frame. I know there probably won't be as many good players as maybe in the midstate for reasons I talked about before, but it will be fun to share opinions on great players. The area would be Hamilton County primarily, but also Bradley, Rhea, Bledsoe, Sequatchie, Marion, Grundy counties, no north Georgia even though some play summer in Chattanooga. Public and private schools, all classes. I would judge first by what the individual did in high school, then what the team did, then what happened in college if anything. Hope there is good participation, I think it will be fun. I will add my own list later.

[Edited by Indian on 11-25-02 8:52P]

[Edited by Indian on 11-26-02 7:34P]

[Edited by Indian on 11-26-02 9:29P]

[BushLeague]

Cynthia Polk East Ridge - UGA then BYU

Amanda Woodall Soddy-Daisy - UTC

Paige Cochrane East Ridge - Ole Miss/Chatt.St./UTC

Vicki Chesnutt Ooltewah - Nicholls St. (late 80's)

Ashley Frizzell Soddy-Daisy MTSU (SR.)

Pletcher (Robertson's catcher) Baylor

Dana Reed East Ridge-UTC

Holly Speiser East Ridge-Tn Tech

Cara Stiles Soddy-Daisy (Sr.)

Tonia Sturgeon East Ridge-Nicholls St. (late 80's)

Shelly Simpson Ooltewah - Nicholls St.(late 80's)

[std]

Pitchers

1. Amy Robertson -Baylor-16 inning 1-0 win over Brentwood's Amanda Fine in the 1994 state winners bracket finals that ended at 2:00 on Friday morning. Pitched and won the finals later that day.

2. Beth Alexander -East Ridge- aka the Queen of Chattanooga softball I can remember when they moved the 1998 state finals from the Field of Dreams in the bottom of the first to Cooke 3 because Beth didn't like the mound.

3. Lindsey Edmonson -GPS- aka the Princess and heir apparent to Beth's Throne One of the hardest working pitchers in the city (over 10,000 hours on the curveball alone) Parker was hard to beat with her on the throne oh I mean mound.

 

Position Players

 

1. Dana Reed SS -East Ridge- gobble the ball up at short.

2. Rebecca Eldridge CF -Soddy and Daisy- aka the skunk best outfield arm I've possibly seen.

3. Jennifer Smith C -Soddy plus Daisy- Throw you out and never leave the squat

4. Baylors SS with Robertson Can never remember her name. The smoothest player I've seen.

5. Liz Card 3B -Baylor- Just plain and simple an animal. At the 1996 Soddy plus Daisy Tournament she climbed 10 feet up the fence and caught a foul ball.

 

Hitter

1. (1. and only 1.) Jackie McClain She is so far ahead of everyone else no one should be mentioned in the same thread. In the 1998 semis of the GPS Invitational 0-0 with one out bottom of the 7th and a runner on second I insisted we walk her but I listen to our catcher who wanted to unintentionally intentionally walk her. She hit a dropball 12 inches outside and 6 inches off the ground into the left center gap. Ball Game. I believe we have walked her more times than we have let her hit.

 

I know there are a lot more but these stick out in my mind.

[trailhead]

Allison Devries, Ooltewah (UTC)

Annie Sells, Notre Dame (Armstrong Atlantic)

Jenny Steele, Soddy Daisy (Tennessee)

Leah Tucker, Ooltewah (UTC)

Stacy Hughes, Ooltewah (Tennessee Tech)

Candice Clark, Red Bank (Tennessee Tech)

Angel Berry, Lookout Valley (Tennessee Tech)

Tammy Lambert, Eat Ridge (Tennessee Tech)

Margaret Roddy, Ooltewah (UTC)

Liz Card, Baylor (UTC, St. Mary's (Texas))

 

These are a few i would add (in no paricular order)to the ones already mentioned.

[trailhead]

The shortstop that played with Robertson at Baylor was Kelly Howard. She went to Georgia Tech but did not play softbal for very long there. She is now the Head Coach at Baylor.

[Indian]

I think 9 or 10 of the ones mentioned so far are before the time I was considering, but that's okay. 10 or 11 years back is about the furthest I can go and know even a little on what I'm talking about. Some others not listed, not in any order are Baylor IF Katherine Card, Notre Dame C Megan Donohoo, Chattanooga Central OF Mousey Davis, GPS catcher Lindsey Bornhoeft, Sequatchie pitcher/OF Kelly Swafford, Sequatchie IF Maranda Mounce, Ooltewah IF Kami Tucker, East Ridge pitcher Megan Elliot, Whitwell IF Nichole Henry, GPS IF Ryanne Harper, Ooltewah pitcher (turned Tech slugger) Leanne Mongar, Soddy pitchers Brandy Henry and Lane Davis, Boyd-Buchanan P Julie King, Lookout Valley IF Jennifer Reed. These are the high school positions I remember them at, summer or college may be different.

[Edited by Indian on 11-26-02 9:48P]

[std]

Was moved to catcher at Mississippi State. What was her nickname at Whitwell?

[CoachB2002]

I think that Kelly Merrell (Chattanooga State), Christi Hampton (Motlow State-Carson Newman), Jennifer Springs (Univ. of Tennessee), Shasta Gatlin (Tennessee Wesleyn-Carson Newman), and Ashley Witcher of Marion County High School, and Jadryen (Tennessee Tech) and Jillyen Layne (Chattanooga State) of Sequatchie County High were some of the best in the area when they played. Every one of these girls, except Gatlin, played on the same traveling summer team, and were very competitive at that level. Layne was an awsome shortstop at SCHS, and her sister was equally awesome at catcher. They both earnd All-State honors. The five Marion County girls were some of the best girls, on and off the field, that I have ever been in contact with. Merrell could cover an outfield by herself, but with Hampton with her, very few balls dropped in the outfield. Springs and Gatlin both played shortstop, but Springs could play anywhere the coach put her, and played the position with tenacious defense. Witcher was honestly one of the best catchers I have ever watched play the game. She knew exactly what to do with the ball in every situation. Very rarely did she let a ball get past her. I just wanted these girls to be recognized along with the others!

[fpjunkie]

Not sure about Whitwell, but at Mississippi State she was known as Flash.

[trailhead]

Brooke Best (Ooltewah, Mississippi St.) 2B

[piratedad]

1.i known the no n.ga kids,but samantha lovelady really needs to be on this list she is the whole package imho

 

 

go pirates

[Shadrick69]

Nicole Henry now plays women's football with the Chattanooga Locomotion