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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Chilton County had two teams in the fight during the AHSAA State Softball Tournaments in Oxford on May 12-14 as Isabella and Maplesville High Schools vowed for state titles. Both teams entered their respective state tournaments coming off great showings in the regionals as the Red Devils won the Class 1A Central Regional Tournament and the Mustangs finished runners-up in the Class 2A Central Regional Tournament. Both teams competed in their state tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.

 

AHSAA Class 2A State Softball Tournament

The Mustangs entered the AHSAA Class 2A State Softball Tournament off an improbable run through the Class 2A Central Regional Tournament. The No. 5 seed faced off against Pike Liberal Arts School in the first round and broke open the scoring in the first inning behind an RBI single from Eliza Lovett. Pike rattled off nine unanswered runs to take a firm 9-1 lead into the fifth inning. Lovett again poked an RBI single to plate the second Isabella run of the game before the Mustangs fell to a 12-2 final. Lovett was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Kylee Till, Natalie Smitherman and Ashley Wells each had a hit with Smitherman’s going for a double.

The loss moved Isabella to the elimination bracket to face Sumiton Christian School with their season hanging in the balance. The Mustangs again took an early lead in the first inning, this time off Till’s RBI single. However, Sumiton scored the next 11 runs to win 11-1.

Despite winning just one game in March, the Mustangs regrouped down the stretch to rally for a state tournament appearance and finish the season on a very high note.

 

AHSAA Class 1A State Softball Tournament

Maplesville entered the AHSAA Class 1A State Softball Tournament as the No. 2 seed with plans to make the fourth consecutive trip to the tournament well worth it. Their journey started against Leroy High School in the first round as Kennedy Reed drove in the first run of the tournament for Maplesville on an RBI double in the second inning. Leroy responded in a big way the next inning with a four spot in the frame followed by another run in the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead.

The Red Devils put together a rally in the sixth inning. After a double from Ella Merchant and a single from Mollie Kayte Smith, Hannah Crowe knocked an RBI single to make it 5-2 and keep runners at the corners with no outs. However, a strikeout, pop out and ground out followed to keep the score at 5-2 where it would go final. Merchant and Reed had doubles for Maplesville while Kamylia Talley and Auburn Bassett joined Reed and Smith with singles. Smith threw two innings of relief and gave up just two hits, no runs and struck out three batters.

The loss moved Maplesville to the elimination bracket to face Spring Garden High School needing a win to stay alive. After a Spring Garden run in the opening half-inning, the Red Devils erased the lead and then some in their half of the first inning. Smith tied the game with a sacrifice fly that plated Talley from third base. Crowe followed behind Smith with an RBI single to score Jaden McGee to give Maplesville the 2-1 lead. From there, it was all Spring Garden as they scored seven unanswered runs to take an 8-2 lead. Smith led off the seventh inning with a double and her pinch runner later scored in the inning off a sacrifice fly from Bassett. McGee and Smith each had a double while Crowe recorded a single for the Red Devils three hits in the game.

Maplesville ends the 2025 season at 23-15 overall.