2007

ECCC

pitching awards. Little ear ned a pitching award as a mem– ber of the Lady Cougar squad. White received All-State, team MVP and hustle awards. Seale was named to All-State and AJ.l..Star squads and received her team's captain and RBI awards. Chandler was selected All-State, All-District and All– Star and received team MVP and hustle awar ds. Smith was also an All-State and All– Star selection and was named Neshoba Central's most out– standing student athlete and received her team's most offen– sive player award. Regarding his •thoughts":on

the 2007 squad, Hill stated: "This team should possess speed throughout the line-up. Hopefully this will allow us to be aggressive enough to make some things happen and put up suffi.cient offensive num– bers." He also expects his Lady Dia– mond Warriors to "play hard" and provide "plenty of excite– ment" for fans. And, as expected, Hill hopes that his team will again meet its two main goals: (1) Have a winning season: and (2) Make the playoffs - just as they have the past three seasons. Servin(' · aS ·Hill's assistants

are former Lady Diamond Warriors Jennifer Smith and Dominique M;1pp, who were standouts on the 2006 and 2005 squads. Both are also prod– ucts of Newton County High School Smith servt·s as first-base coach and wil l help position the defense during games. She was an All-Region, All-State and All-Central Division selec– tion at EC and received most valuable player and team cap– tain awards. Sh<,> had a career batting averagt of .405. She also hit three home runs and collected 48 RBic;. Mapp's area [of responsi-

bility will be working with infielders and hitters. She also received All-Region, All– State and All-Central Division honors and was chosen most valuabl e defensive player and received a team captain award. She posted a career batting average of .370 at EC highlighted by 16 doubles and 51 RBis. Serving as managers are Alex Deason and Jafreeia Malone, both of Philadelphia: Brooke Harrell of Morton: Michael Gregory of Louis– ville; Mike Pientowski of Newtpn; and Morgan Bryars of Hickory.

Fmm PcJ(It' 20

Hillie received All-State, All– District and All-Star honors and was the recipient of Lady Rocket best defensive player and hustle awards. Easom was selected All-District and received her team's hustle and best offensive player awards. Yates. a six-year letter-win– ner~ was an All-Star and team MVP award winner. Stevens received All-State and All– Star recognition and was pre– sented her team's captain and

Starting fromscratch Lady Warriors return only one starter from record-setting team

With only one starter returning from last year 's clwmpionship squad that also set a record for team wins. fourth-year head coach Scott llill snicl a· rcturn lo post-senson play will depend on how quickly this year's ver· Ston of Eas1 Central Community College fast·pitch softball can come together as a team But tf the past is an indicator for s uccess, the Lady Diamonrl Warriors will be celebmt· ing a fourth-straight winning campaign in 2007 Outfi!'lder Loren Kennedy of Union is the lone starter from the 2006 squad. which cap– cured a ~econd-straight t\IACJC Central Oivi siou title while also posting a record -11 victo– nes 'tgainsl JUSt six defeats. In addilion to Kennt>dy who was a second wam. All Central Ot\'ision selection last vear– othe•· returne<>s who saw significam play mg time include infielder Amanda Schmidt of Carthage and carcher Tiffany Thonms of limon . All thrre players experienced steU:u– caJ'I"rrs at thPrr respPcrh·e high schools. Kennedy received All-State and All-District recognition and twice t·eceived team MPV h<1nm·s in additlon to being named best offen-

sivc player and rece iving the Y<•llow Jackr l Award. Schmidt was named Ali·Distr·ict and received team MVP, best offens ive player and best infielder awards. 1'hornas wns a tlu·cc time All·State ~election unci was prcsH x l h£>r team's best defensive ttlayer a ncl best offcn~ivP player awards. OU1er returnees include Otttlit•ltler Jessica Shannon of Carthage. infielder outfielder Candnce Grimn of Philt outfit'lrl!'r and best oiTenstve player. FrP~hrnan t!'am mcmtwrs art' outfield er,; Sondreia lltllte of N~hoba CPntral and Andie E:asom of Set~;~stopol. inlit•lder pitcht•r Chasitv Y;ues of Cnron; outfiPitlPt'S. pnchers Lmdsey Stevens ant! Lindsey l.tttle. both of Newton County; outheld~rs. pitchers Wlmne<> White of Nc~hoba Ccmrat and Kimbu Seale of Clarkdale: pttcher outfi!'ldt·r Kady Chandler of Nl:'shoba CPntral; and infielders Shemque Brass of PhUadelphta and Laura Smith oi Neshoba Central.

ROBBif ROBOOSOII(THENEWTON I![OOfiD Second baseman Abby Miller is one of eight starters that East Central will have to replace in the upcoming season.

'5~e ECCC. P<>o" ?~