The Walton Tribune

Lady Red Devils going for the gold in 2005

By Danny Daniels
The Walton Tribune

Published August 03, 2005

LOGANVILLE — Loganville High School has a rich tradition in fastpitch softball with eight straight postseason appearances and a 2001 state championship trophy to prove it. Led by five experienced seniors including one of the top pitchers in the state, the Lady Red Devils seem poised to make a serious run at the Class AAAA crown this fall.

Jason Rainey enters his third year as head coach at LHS and cautiously predicts his 2005 group has all the ingredients necessary to advance deeply into the postseason. Loganville was only 14-13 last season after forfeiting three games for mistakenly using an ineligible player who had transferred into the program. So why would Rainey be brimming with so much confidence?

“We didn’t lose but one person from that team and we’ve got two starters back from 2003 who were ineligible last year,” Rainey said. “We want to take that next step this season which would put us in Columbus playing for the title.”

Leading the Lady Devils will be record-setting senior pitcher Leigh Atha who has been the team’s starter since her freshman campaign. The other upperclassmen include Amber Garrison who is back behind the plate for the fourth consecutive season. Kayla Hicks is the shortstop and another three-year starter. Amber Ford should get the nod at first base after missing 2004. Ford was a starter at the position her freshman and sophomore years. Amber Hanley has backed up Atha on the mound for three seasons and is back for her final go around.

“All five of these girls have been here since I took over the program and you couldn’t ask for five better individuals,” Rainey said.

Also returning is junior Kali Lovett who is expected to move from the outfield to second base. Tori Lively, another junior, will be back for her third season in left field.

Samantha Cagle started at second base as a freshman and is back for her sophomore year. Sophomore Alix Cooper, who is currently in Owensboro, Ky. with the Georgia Starzz traveling team, returns to patrol center field for the Lady Devils. Another sophomore, Jenna Camp, will again be in right field after starting there as a ninth-grader.

“Everybody has been doing their job in practice and every one of them has improved since last year,” Rainey said. “They all played travel ball over the summer and I make it a point to let them honor their commitment to their summer team like Alix {Cooper} is doing right now. If the coaches work it out with us, I think they need to stay with it until their season is over.”

Rainey hopes this group of girls follows the lead set by their predecessors who placed third in the state as sophomores, second as juniors and won the championship during their senior season in 2001 to establish the current winning tradition at the school.

“We expect to go to the state tournament every year but these girls want more than that, especially our five seniors, and I think they have the talent to reach their goal,” the coach said.

With the return of so many key players and the addition of two who weren’t on the team a year ago, Rainey is excited about the potential.

“It’s really going to help us since all the girls have played together for so long,” he said. “Plus this is just a great group of girls. I don’t have many grade problems or behavior problems. I have a couple of players who have worked their way back from academic difficulties and you have to be impressed with that.”

Loganville gets the 2005 season under way with the Madison County Invitational tournament Aug. 10-13.

Lady Red Devils going for the gold in 2005