Madison softball coach Huff says team's goal is to win first playoff game since 2021
MARSHALL - As it closed the regular season, Madison High softball coach Rebekah Huff said her team's main goal is to win its first playoff game since 2021, when Huff took over as head coach.
The Patriots finished 11-7 overall and finished third in the Western Highlands 1A/2A conference with an 8-4 record in conference play.
Huff said she's fortunate to have the leadership of her senior players, outfielder Cheyenne Ricker, Preslea Harwood, who plays first base, Ellie Buckner, who plays second base, and centerfielder Hailey Griffin.
Griffin, who leads the team with four home runs, has signed to play with Pfeiffer University, while Ricker will stay home and play college ball at Mars Hill University.
"Those four seniors, they know the program in and out, and they're there as the emotional leaders, and as the skills leaders, and they just really lead us as a group," Huff said.
But the team's biggest impact player is a junior, Carrie Gunter.
"Inner circle, hands down, Carrie Gunter is going to be my leader, defensively and pitching-wise, and she's definitely bringing a big bat."
Gunter is second on the team in hitting, as she finished the regular season with a .446 average. The team's ace pitcher, she also has a 2.52 earned run average heading into the first Owen matchup.
The program is set up for success for years to come, as the roster boasts considerable depth. Freshman Addie Sams, the team's leadoff hitter who plays third base, is the team's top hitter, as she finished the regular season with a .508 batting average.
"One thing I love about this team is we're all going to step up at one point, which is a fantastic thing to have as a coach," Huff said, adding that sophomore catcher Paige Peek is another player with a "great bat," as Peek's on base percentage was nearly .500 in the regular season.
"When you build a program, you can't just have talent at the top," Huff said. "You've got to have it all the way throughout. We have some really good upperclassmen, but we also have some really good younger players. So, it's a big deal for us."
Gunter and Ricker provide the pop in the Patriots' middle of the batting order. Junior shortstop Kylee Ball, who leads the team with eight stolen bases, is the team's fifth batter in the lineup, followed by Griffin.
The lineup closes out with sophomore left fielder/pitcher Rylee Plemmons, junior right fielder Eleura Clark and Harwood.
Winning streak
Heading into its end-of-season showdown with Owen, the Patriots were riding a six-game win streak coming on the heels of back-to-back losses to Draughn. The losses served as a turning point in the season, as the team dug deep and rallied around each other in response to the adversity, the Patriots coach said.
"I'm just so proud of how we've come together. We got run-ruled against Draughn, and those were really hard games," Huff said. "But my girls really responded well after we put some hard work in there to talk about mentally coming back from that, because we've got the physical skills. It's how you mentally recover from that. They responded well and we're on a six-game winning streak, including a two-game sweep against Mountain Heritage last week."
Huff said prior to the season opener, the team marked the Mountain Heritage games on the calendar and identified them as two of its biggest games of the season.
In addition to its resolve and mental toughness, the team's camaraderie, led by its two senior leaders Ricker and Griffin, is helping to propel it as it nears the end of the regular season.
"I'm very blessed to be able to coach a team that they generally love each other," Huff said. "They love being around each other. They love coming out and playing softball, so we always have a great time in both practice and games. They love to give each other and me a hard time, so we have a lot of fun together. And not every coach can say that, so I know I'm very blessed in that.
"Our two top seniors, Cheyenne Ricker and Hailey Griffin, they lead our locker room culture. They lead our team culture outside of the field, like at school and just in leisure time. They pull younger players in, and they pull them in to what the team is doing. It's just great to see."
Now, with the regular season over, the Patriots have their eyes on winning its first playoff game since Ricker and Griffin were freshmen.
"We expect to make playoffs," Huff said. "This group of girls specifically, they've been to the playoffs every year, but we've yet to get that win in the first round ... that's what we're looking for."
Johnny Casey has covered Madison County for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel for nearly three years, including earning a first-place award in beat reporting in the 2023 North Carolina Press Association awards. He can be reached at 828-210-6071 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Madison softball coach Huff says team's goal is to win playoff game
