By Kadin Pounders

For the FCT

Three Russellville All-Star softball teams competed in the ARPA state softball tournament in Gadsden July 10-12.

Russellville’s 8U, 10U and 12U teams all played well throughout the three-day tournament, battling the intense heat and the competition.

8U wins state championship

Fresh from a USSSA state championship, Russellville’s 8U team was clearly one of the better teams in the state. In terms of confidence – and maybe talent – no other team could match Russellville, and the Golden Tigers played like it.

“We stayed in the winner’s bracket and never lost a game,” said head coach Ralph Parrish. “The girls were just amazing.”

The Golden Tigers run-ruled every opponent, and Parrish credited his team’s defense for their great play, which was apparent throughout the tournament.

“We didn’t hit as good as we can, but our defense was really good,” he said. “Our defense was as good as it could be, and that made the difference.”

Russellville’s 8U posted two shutouts in the tournament, including an 8-0 shutout against Arab in the championship game.

The ARPA tournament was the last tournament of the All-Star season for the 11 girls that made up the team. To even play in two state championships in one season is an opportunity many teams do not have – not to mention bringing home the win. Russellville made it look easy.

“When you have a combination of coaches that care and parents that care and bring their girls to every game and practice and players that love the game and give it everything they’ve got, this is what happens,” said Parrish. “We had all of that and more. I’ve coached a lot of teams, and this is the best team I’ve ever coached.”

Along with the players and parents, Parrish also thanked the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department – which paid the team’s entry fee – for their help in securing another championship.

10U falls just short, wins sportsmanship award

Amongst the best in the state, Russellville’s 10U All-Stars fell just short of bringing home another state championship.

Russellville finished in second place after falling twice in the hands of Homewood. Homewood defeated Russellville on Saturday to put them in the loser’s bracket. Then on Sunday, after beating Guntersville, Russellville had a chance at redemption but could not knock them off.

“We really felt like we could win it all, but the same team beat us in the championship game that put us in the loser’s bracket,” said head coach Chad Whitfield. “We felt like if we could’ve beaten them the first time on Sunday morning, we could have won it.”

Russellville was clicking in every aspect of the game and was running through the winner’s bracket before falling to Homewood.

“Pitching and hitting were both awesome, even against Homewood,” said Whitfield. “I think in the end we just ran out of gas, really.”

Despite losing in the championship game, the Golden Tigers did not go home empty-handed. The girls won the sportsmanship award, which is a testament to the team’s attitude on the field and the fans in the crowd.

“To me it says a lot about the girls, the parents and the coaches,” said Whitfield. “The umpires do the voting, and if you got a group of parents and coaches and girls that don’t second guess the umpires or argue with them, that’s what they’re looking at. (The umpires) enjoy being around that group of girls.”

The Golden Tigers did not finish the season on top like they would have hoped, but in the end – with as much as the team accomplished – there were no regrets.

“Those two games are the only two games we lost the entire All-Star season,” said Whitfield. “You can’t take anything away from these girls.”

12U takes third place in state tournament

Much like the 8U and 10U Russellville All-Star teams, the 12U team put on a good show in Gadsden for the ARPA state tournament, coming in third place. The Golden Tigers made it all the way to the semi-finals before being put out by Sheffield.

“It was kind of heartbreaking,” said head coach Shane Moore. “This was the last year of playing rec ball for a lot of girls on this team.”

Russellville won two games before being put in the loser’s bracket by Scottsboro. In the loser’s bracket, Russellville won two more games against Talladega and Heflin before being eliminated by Sheffield. Both of the team’s losses were nail-biters.

“Our two losses were by one (run) and the other by two,” said Moore. “We just couldn’t pull it out.”

Moore said he was proud of his team for overcoming so much throughout the season and for never giving up.

“They left everything on the field,” he said. “The girls were able to overcome so much – the heat and everything. They were awesome as far as being able to overcome things.”

As many of the older girls move on past league ball, Moore said he hopes this season taught them all something and that it will remain with the girls on his team going forward.

“I’ve always preached to have fun and at the end of the year they can say they learned something,” he said. “Life may not go how you like it, but give it 100 percent. I’ve always tried to make it a life lesson.”