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Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Huskies celebrate with the Class 7A state championship trophy following a 1-0 win over Daphne in nine innings at Choccolocco Park in Oxford on May 14.
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Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Sara Phillips (22) pitches.
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Photo by Kyle Parmley.
AhKeela Honeycutt (1) hits a double to win the State championship game.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Sara Phillips (22) hugs Hewitt-Trussville’s AhKeela Honeycutt (1).
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Ryleigh Wood (2) catches a pop fly.
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Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Huskies celebrate their Class 7A state championship win in the lake at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
AhKeela Honeycutt was ready for her moment.
Neither Daphne nor Hewitt-Trussville High School could scratch across a run in an epic pitchers’ duel during the state softball championship, but Honeycutt decided to put an end to it.
She laced a double to the left-center field gap, scoring Presley Hull and sending the Huskies to a walk-off 1-0 victory to win the game and the Class 7A state title on May 14 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
“I just knew that I had to get on base, for real. I knew that my team had my back, no matter what,” Honeycutt said.
“She came out hot the first game and was a little cold the last couple, but what a time to come alive again,” Hewitt-Trussville head coach Taylor Burt said following the game. “She hit when it mattered and that’s all that mattered. It couldn’t have happened to a better kid.”
Honeycutt’s double sent Hewitt-Trussville to its second straight state title and fourth state championship over the last six years.
That hit also ended a classic duel between Hewitt’s Sara Phillips and Daphne’s Vic Moten. Both pitchers matched zeroes on the scoreboard through the first eight innings, before the Huskies finally scored the decisive run in the bottom of the ninth.
Photos by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Sara Phillips (22) pitches.
Phillips hardly allowed a threat from Daphne, as she threw all nine innings, permitting only four hits and a single walk, while striking out 12 batters.
“We didn’t have to throw her a ton, she threw just over 100 pitches yesterday,” Burt said. “She was able to come out here fresh and get after it, and that’s a testament to all of our other pitchers and hitters. I’m proud of all of them, but especially Sara.”
Phillips said she was confident the whole way, believing in the defense behind her and the ability of Hewitt’s lineup to finally break through against Moten, who had an unbelievable tournament for Daphne. Moten pitched six games, winning four of them, including a no-hitter against Thompson.
Photo by Kyle Parmley.
AhKeela Honeycutt (1) hits a double to win the State championship game.
Phillips was hoarse following the game.
“I didn’t have a voice, but I had confidence,” she said.
Hewitt-Trussville nearly ended the game in the seventh inning, after putting a runner on third with one out, but Moten got out of the jam. In the eighth, Peyton Hull began the inning with a hit down the left field line. Burt got aggressive and waved Hull to third, where she was thrown out on the play.
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Sara Phillips (22) hugs Hewitt-Trussville’s AhKeela Honeycutt (1).
“I told them that’s my fault, to have my back and help me out and thankfully, they did,” Burt said.
This is the first time in Hewitt-Trussville’s recent reign on 7A that the Huskies went unbeaten in the postseason. They knocked off Dothan, Thompson and Hoover the first day of the tournament to advance to the championship game. The Huskies threw two shutouts at the regional tournament, beating Bob Jones and Austin, after three straight wins in the Area 6 tournament.
That’s certainly not been the case for the Huskies over the years, who have at times made a habit of charging back after the odds were stacked against them.
“I have a little less gray hair than in years past. I’m incredibly proud we were able to get it done in four [games], I’m incredibly proud,” Burt said.
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Ryleigh Wood (2) catches a pop fly.
The Huskies began the state tournament with a 14-0 win over Dothan. Zaylen Tucker drove in four, while Makaila Hope and Lexie Kelly each had two hits and two RBIs. Tucker fired four shutout innings and Kinley Poe pitched an inning.
In a 4-2 win over Thompson, Hewitt scored single runs in the first three innings and never trailed. Phillips threw six innings, allowing two unearned runs. Kate Hicks threw a scoreless frame as well.
In the winner’s bracket final, a 5-4 win over Hoover, Olivia Faggard drove in a pair of runs and Tucker notched three hits in support of Hicks and Phillips in the circle.
Hewitt-Trussville finished the season with a record 37-6, winning its final 11 games. The Huskies will graduate Amber Newman, Honeycutt, Hicks, Kelly, Sarah Beth Golden, Phillips, Chaney Peters and Faggard.
Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
The Huskies celebrate their Class 7A state championship win in the lake at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
