Bristol Herald Courier | Tim Hayes | Photo Credit: Emily Ball, Bristol Herald Courier
The Hogoheegee District was so competitive in softball last season that the fourth-seeded Rural Retreat Indians recorded three victories in three days to win the league’s tournament.
It figures to be just as competitive in 2024 as four different squads received first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll and the Patrick Henry Rebels have emerged as the favorites.
Lebanon, last year’s Hogoheegee District regular-season champs, shifted to the Class 2 Southwest District under the latest round of VHSL realignment, while 2023 Black Diamond District titlist Honaker took the place of the Pioneers in the Hogoheegee and gives the district another quality club.
The following is a look at each of the six teams in the Hogo, along with Mountain Empire District member George Wythe:
HONAKER
After ruling the Black Diamond District for years, Honaker makes the move to the Hogoheegee District and the Tigers figure to be in the mix for the league’s top spot. They went 12-13 last season and advanced to the semifinals of the Region 1D tournament.
Third baseman Madalyn Dye was the co-BDD player of the year last season and is one of the top hitters in Southwest Virginia. She batted .493 with five home runs and 26 RBIs last season and has been even better in the early stages of the current season: a .623 batting average as the Tigers entered Monday with a 3-0 record.
Ace pitcher Gracie Shelton (7-8, 4.26 ERA in 2023), first baseman Lincoln Bush (.395, 12 RBIs, 24 runs), catcher Anna Dye (.389, 12 RBIs), outfielder/pitcher Jaiden Thompson (.412), second baseman Kiley Ray (.373, 16 RBIs) and shortstop Rylee Rasnake (.288, 13 RBIs) are back in the fold as well. Thompson had a walk-off hit in Honaker’s 3-2, eight-inning season-opening win over Twin Springs on March 12.
McKinlee Maxfield, Jailey Gross, Cheyenne Musick, Madison Royal, Aliyah Hilton and Jade Hess are other names to remember.
“It may take some time to get our feet under us as a group working together with a lot of new faces this year,” said Honaker coach Donovan Helton. “This is a very versatile group with the ability to get around the basepaths pretty well. As for the long-term outlook, I tell my squad we are always looking to make the region. … If we can get a few young kids to step up, we hope to make some noise at the end of the season in the regional tournament.”