Football is no longer the only sport that the North Augusta High School Yellow Jackets are known for.  The softball team pushed themselves into the spotlight by achieving the rank of number two in the state last year.  It started off with a loss in the playoffs to Ridge View.  Then, the ladies’ found their groove and bounced back with six wins in a row, thanks to the clutch hitting of Taylor Wilson, a graduated senior, and also the pitching of Sydney Seigler, taking them to the state championship against J.L. Mann.  The key to the Lady Jackets’ success was not one or two players, but their team chemistry.  They really meshed well in the playoffs and took advantage of clutch situations to get them to the state championship.  Unfortunately, J.L. Mann took the championship from the Lady Jackets with two consecutive victories.  Despite this loss, the Lady Jackets put themselves on the map as one of the top teams in the state and are now in the running for the state championship this year.

The first practice took place on January 30^th at a small, former ozone league baseball field because of the construction of the new softball field.  Six days a week, two and half hours a day, the Lady Jackets are taking cuts in the cages, throwing softballs, and taking ground and fly balls in the field to prepare for the season.  Left fielder Megan Miller is confident about the potential of this 2012 softball team.  She says that they have eight returning seniors this year who work well together and have played together for years through travel ball and recreational softball.  She also claimed that the chance to play for a state championship was amazing and the goal is to make it there again this year with the intention of taking it all.  They will just have to take it one game at a time.  Katie Shreve is also confident about the team this year.  She says that through hard work and doing the “little things right” they can beat any opponent they are up against.

These optimistic athletes stepped up to the plate these past two weeks for their first test in the Midland Valley Tournament.  They blew the first two games out of the water with a 12-0 win over Silver Bluff and a 12-1 win over Barnwell.  Last Thursday, they defeated the Fox Creek Predators, 5-0, making them the only undefeated team in the Midland Valley tournament.  Due to the inclement weather conditions on Saturday, the championship was cancelled and the Midland Valley Champion title was given to the undefeated Lady Jackets.  The Lady Jackets defeated the Lexington Wildcats this past Tuesday who, according to Miranda Whitfield, was the biggest challenge for them this season.  With this excellent start to their season, the Lady Jackets will play White Knoll, the Lady Jackets’ next big challenge, on March 9th.  So, come out and support your Lady Jackets!!!!!

But, then again, it would be unfair to say that the Masters Tournament is totally bad. After all, anyone who has been to the historic course will never forget the experience. Some North Augusta residents go almost every year (when getting tickets is possible). Other families, like Junior Sara Pate’s, get to make an easy buck and take a vacation by simply renting their house out.  Pate says, “Other than the cleaning, it’s almost free money.”

This year’s tournament is expected to play out nicely. Many golf fans were expecting a no- show from Tiger Woods. But, after some stroke perfection, the golf giant is ready to come back on top…of the golfing world, that is. Woods has won the event twice already and hopes to maintain his leadership as possibly golf’s greatest of all time.

The Augusta National, which most of us pass by without notice on our way to Carrabba’s, is perhaps the greatest golf course in the world. To us, it seems kind of strange because we never actually think of Augusta as being the golf capital of the world. We usually think of it as another location to cure the boredom of North Augusta. However, in less than a week, Bruce Banner will turn into the Hulk, and a huge increase in both population and Cadillac’s will overpower the residents within a thirty mile radius of the National. So, grab your spiked shoes and put on your plaids, it’s about to be MASTERS WEEK!

What lies ahead for the NAHS team this year? How does the squad look? Perhaps the biggest news this year for the baseball team is the addition of another ace, Jackson Whitley, who recently transferred from Augusta Christian. This left -handed rocket launcher has two things on his side: his size (a.k.a. intimidation) on the mound and his speed (averaging in the upper-eighties).

But if that isn’t enough, North Augusta’s other ace, Taylor Guerrieri, has only gotten better since last year. Taylor has topped the speed-gun at 92 mph and is steadily climbing his way up. With colleges picking up on this fastball, Guerrieri explained that “the only way to stay on my game is to keep practicing.”

Defensively, the Jackets are keeping up with the tradition of excellent pitching. Who could forget NA stars like Tyler Colvin and Marty Gantt? Considering the fact that history repeats itself, it’s easy to see why NAHS is looking forward to a great season.

Behind the plate, Douglas Alexander keeps close watch on any suspicious base runners. “It’s like shooting deer,” says Alexander, speaking about the process involved when throwing down on a steal. “Aim for the chest.” Jokes like this have proved that the team’s best interest is a harmonious blend of determination and enjoying the game. However, the Jackets are still focused on the record, and like always, ready to play some ball.

The bats aren’t looking too shabby either. New varsity players like Vinny Miller and Trevor Hutto, are swinging for consistency and making base hits. Coupled by quick base-running, the offensive side of NA’s game is definitely matching up with its excellent defense.

These multiple aspects are only some of the reasons why NA hopes to dominate the key this year. If anything, Yellow Jacket fans can expect an exciting season. By the time mid-season rolls around, the coldness of this year’s football season’s end will be replaced by the warmth and thrill of baseball season.

The girls acquired a new coach this year, Matt Sawicz. Coach Sawicz was the junior varsity coach in 2005. Those girls he coached then are mostly the current seniors on the team now. “I wanted to make sure they had someone capable of coaching them this year,” comments Coach Sawicz.

On the multiple senior losses, Sawicz states that, “Every program deals with graduating players. We have a good core of returning players. Someone will have to step up, but we can make it through.”

Senior Stacey Scaggs says having Sawicz this year is not a big change. “Most of us who play club during the off season had Sawicz as our coach.”

One thing that has changed due to a new coach is the amount of running and conditioning done prior to the season. Conditioning, or getting in shape prior to the season, is required for all North Augusta athletics. Conditioning will end with the month of January. The season and practices begin February first.

The expectations for the ladies varsity team are no where close to where it was last year. “We just lost so many people. It’s going to be really hard to replace them,” says Stacey Scaggs. “I don’t think we will make playoffs this year.”

Coach Sawicz, however, expects the team to make playoffs. He says, “We have a tough region, but anything can happen.”

In order to improve the team as a whole and acquire their goal of making playoffs, Sawicz says developing individual skills will be imperative. “Most of the girls on the team only play during the high school season. Other teams and programs in our region have girls that play the sport year round. We’ve got to catch up. It’s all about technique, and we have a strong team.”