Lady Trojans run the table to capture title

GAINESVILLE - The North Hall girls softball team finished off an amazing run through Region 7-AAA Saturday.

The Class AAA third-ranked Lady Trojans beat Whitney Propes and No. 4 Pickens County twice within three hours, winning the Region 7-AAA crown in the process.

They finished 14-0 in region play, including the tournament, in 2003 and head into next week's state sectionals riding a 16-game winning streak.

"It's been a good year so far," North Hall coach Roger Fannon said. "You don't expect to end up with a record like that in a region this tough. But these girls work hard, believe in themselves and rise to the challenge when they have. It's an amazing group of girls."

Region 7 teams will play Region 5 teams in next week's sectionals. North Hall (26-4) will we the No. 1 seed and take on Spalding. No 2-seed Pickens will play Luella. No. 3 seed Flowery Branch, making its first-ever trip to state, will play Lovett and Chestatee, the fourth seed, will open against Class AAA No. 2-ranked Westminster.

All games will be Friday at Lovejoy in Hampton, south of Atlanta.

In Saturday's action, North Hall trailed Propes and Pickens 1-0 heading into the fifth inning but exploded for three runs late to advance to the championship game.

Flowery Branch and Holli Lewis outdueled Chestatee and Brooke Puckett to set up a clash with Pickens in the loser's bracket for a shot North hall in the finals.

Pickens hit Lewis hard early en route to a 12-2 win.

The rematch with Propes and Pickens for the Lady Trojans wasn't as dramatic as the first as they scored runs in the first inning and cruised to 6-0 win.

Fannon said to beat Propes three times in one year, not to mention twice in one day, says something.

"First, she was a little sick and may not have been at 100 percent, but she's still tough and was throwing hard. But our girls have learned to be patient and we practice with some throwing from 30 feet (instead the regulation 40 feet) to simulate the speed of her pitches. I think it worked," Fannon said. "I just can't say enough about these girls. The are a special group."