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Today,
the Greenville Lady Wave softball team will head Loudonville for
the Champions Challenge and will look to sophomore pitcher Ally Russell
to provide a strong performance in the three games that will be played.
CNO photos by Steve Birt
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Lady Wave back in Champions Challenge
Wave no
stranger to Loudonville
By George Starks
GREENVILLE–Today, the Greenville Lady Wave softball team will once
again step back onto familiar ground as they return to Loudonville for
the annual Champions Challenge tournament.
Greenville first went there in 2008 after winning the state title in
2007.
The Wave returned to Loudonville a year later, beating Tallmadge 6-3 in
the semi-finals with the game winning hit coming off the bat of Mollie
Ruble who jacked a three run home-run.
Tonight, the Wave will face a stiff test in the form of Akron
Springfield. The Spartans are accustomed to playing in high profile
games, holding nine state D-II softball titles.
If that weren’t enough for Greenville to think about, the Wave will
battle Massillon Perry in the first game Saturday.
The Panthers won state in 2010, the same year the Wave went to the
final four. In addition, the Panthers have been in the final four
three times.
Later that day, Greenville will hook up with Tallmadge, seven times
state champions.
“This is the mecca of softball,” said Wave coach Jerrod Newland. “It
really doesn’t get any better than this. This is where it all began. I
love it there.”
With 32 teams taking part in the tournament, eight from each division,
it’s the best of the best in the state that will go head to head.”
“This is a big week-end,” Newland pointed out. “Someone will go 3-0 and
someone will go 0-3. The difference between first and eighth isn’t
much. It’s great competition there.”
This will be the fifth appearance for Greenville in Loudonville and the
Wave will roll in with a mark of 8-4 overall and hope to roll out 11-4.
Not an easy task to accomplish.
“To be able to go up there and compete on that stage is
incredible,” Newland admitted. “Thirty state championships and we bring
one to the table. It’s really nice to be included in that and we’ll do
it the right way.”
Regardless of leaving 3-0 or 0-3, Newland admits that the Wave is among
the best and it’s a chance to showcase his talent.
“This will make us better as a team,” Newland pointed out. “We
have some great, young talent on this team. I can’t wait until next
year when we are traveling to a few more invitationals and these kids
are seen. It’s all about getting these kids free schooling. We have
three or four kids in the program right now that are going to be full
ride collage kids.”
With 10 years under his belt at Greenville, Newland and the Wave
program has sent out a big message.
“It took us four years to win state and five years to get to
these tournaments. We made a name for ourselves in the last 11 years,”
Newland stated. “We are everyone’s biggest game on the schedule. We’ve
got the bull’s eye on the back and that’s a great thing. It’s great to
earn that respect but you have to bring you ‘A’ game every time out. We
have to play at that level every day to be successful and that’s what I
like.”
The Lady Wave will return home Monday to play Trotwood-Madison.
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Freshman
catcher Jazzlyn Petry has provided a hot bat lately for the Wave. Petry
has been a force for Jerrod Newland behind the plate this season.
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