Head coach Jonathan Nix made the decision Monday, after several of his players were injured during a weekend tournament in Cherokee County.
“Pulling out of the county tournament was a very difficult choice to make,” Nix said. “At the end, we all decided that having our team healthy for May was our number one goal. We are pretty beat up right now, and it will do us more good to practice and recover for a couple of weeks rather than playing. We have some key players that need this time to recover. We do not have the numbers that the larger schools in the county have. We start each season with one goal, and that is to win the state championship. We have to do what we feel like is the best situation for our program and kids to accomplish that goal.”
Last year, Ragland pitcher Sommar Wright injured her thumb during the county tournament, and was unable to continue. Nix decided right then and there to pull out of the tournament, stating they had “bigger fish to fry” come May.
Ragland did go on to win the Class 1A state title last year, their second in a row.
This year’s county tournament will be played at Moody and starts Friday at 4 p.m. with Moody playing Ashville. At 6 p.m., Springville and St. Clair County High square off.
The tournament resumes Saturday morning at 9 a.m. with the championship game scheduled for 3 p.m.
Contact Gary Hanner at ghanner@thestclairtimes.com.
