The 2016 Lady Owls take the diamond as a family looking to improve as a team. The Lady Owls will be looking to build from a strong postseason performance a year ago. The Lady Owls return all starters and look to a few new faces to jump in and jolt the line-up. Coach Joe Hiett had this to say about the 2016 Lady Owls, “This is an athletic group with lots of good players. We have four seniors, six juniors, five sophomores, and eight freshmen. We are learning on the older girls to lead and help the younger ones learn the culture of the Lady Owl family and Smith County Pride (SCP).”
When asked on what needed to change for the Lady Owls to be successful in 2016, Coach Hiett stated, “We must become mentally tough. Last year we had a problem with that. A few bad breaks, and we started letting up. We have to become tougher and fight through those mistakes. Mistakes happen, but how you respond will dictate the outcome. I feel like the girls are working on finishing, but just have to keep fighting until the last out.”
District 8-AA will be one of the toughest districts in the state this season. With the likes of DeKalb County, Macon County, and Upperman, the Lady Owls will have to finish in order to compete in 2016. Coach Hiett had this to say about District 8-AA, “We play in a very competitive district, with at least one team from our district typically advancing to the state tournament each year. I think the best thing about our district is top to bottom, anyone can win on any given night.”
The coaching staff for the Lady Owls will consist of Joe Hiett and Candice Harper. Coach Hiett begins his fourth year as the head coach of the Smith County Lady Owls. Over the last four years, he has watched his team grow and develop daily. Hiett had this to say about Coach Harper, “Candice brings a lot of intensity to the team. She is very passionate in how she coaches. She coaches the outfield and holds them to a high standard.”
The Lady Owls have four seniors who will serve as both leaders and teachers during the 2016 campaign. They are #2 Kaylyn Adams, #3 Sydney Clere, #8 Jarraca Holder, and #17 Amber Masters. Coach Hiett had this to say about his 2016 senior class,“These ladies are the leaders of the team. They are looked to by the younger players for guidance and have to hold themselves to a high standard. The younger players will do as they do. They have worked very hard, and I anticipate the ladies having a very big senior year. It’s time for them to rise.”
Behind the four seniors, are six juniors that have all played a key role since their freshman year. The Junior class consists of #4 Abbi Gregory, #9 Karly Edens, #22 Gracie White, #26 Haven Jenkins, #27 Meagan Manning, and #30 Madison Spivey. “These young ladies play a vital role in the success of our team. They have all started at some point since they were freshman, and now it’s time that they put together what they have learned. They are working very hard and should have a very solid year” Coach Hiett stated.
The lower class men will also be looked upon to play a key role in the 2016 season for the Lady Owls. This group consists of five sophomores and eight freshmen. The Sophomore class consist of #11 Lauren Wright, #18 Cayce Forrester, #20 McKenna Anderson, #24 Paige Holland, and #25 Shelby Davis. “This class has several that have to step up. For us to be the team we can be, they have to be big contributors. They each work extremely hard and are a very competitive group that wants to be on the field” stated Hiett.
The Freshman class is composed of #5 Savannah Goodman, #7 Chloe Kitchen, #13 Paige Smith, #14 Trinity Madewell, #19 Carly Suhm, #33 Jessica Maynard, #42 Hannah Gregory, #45 Asia Evans. “These young ladies are showing improvements each day and are working hard. They are learning how to be Lady Owls and what SCP truly means. They are catching up to the speed of the game, and we look for many of them to help immediately. I look forward to seeing where this class can go” Hiett concluded.
The 2016 Lady Owls will lean on leadership and experience in the 2016 season. If they are able to finish, it will be a special year for the Lady Owls as they continue to rise!
