Lady Indians Softball team starts season, Friday

The Stephens County Lady Indians Softball team will start their season Friday afternoon at 5 o’clock when they play East Hall High School at Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland.  Stephens County is coming off a record-breaking season when they finished as the state runner-up in Class AAAA last year.

Returning to the head coaching position for the Lady Indians Softball team is Dave Poffenberger, who did not coach last year, but has returned after last year’s coach, Katie Joe Gentry, left Stephens County to take the head softball coaching position at Gainesville.  Poffenberger says he is glad to be back coaching many of the girls he coached before.

“It’s great to be back!” Poffenberger said. “I saw a lot of these seniors, that are playing now, and the juniors, I saw them back when they were freshmen. So it’s good to be back to see them out this year.

After making it to the state title game last year, expectations for this year’s team are high.

“We have a few returners, and of course, Emma Whitfield being one of those, who is a great team leader; Ashton in center field she’s another senior that’s coming back; and also Kaylee at first base,” Poffenberger said. “So, we have three strong seniors coming back, and there’s great leadership there. We want to first try to win the region and then win every game after that if possible. The expectation level hasn’t been lowered at all, and we expect to continue to do well and if we can make the playoffs that would be great.”

The Lady Indians will compete in another strong region again this year.

After Friday’s game against East Hall, the Lady Indians Softball team will travel to Hart County on Tuesday, then their home opener against Habersham Central on Wednesday.