2008 AAA STATE CHAMPIONS
2008 Sectional Champions
2008 Region 3-AAA Champions
2008 District 6-AAA Tournament Champions
2008 District 6-AAA Season Champions

LADY OWLS GET TO HOOT!!!!

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — They did it for themselves. They did it for their coach. And they did it for all those that toiled in a Lady Owls softball uniform the last 16 years. Ooltewah validated its No. 18 national ranking in two high school polls by capping off its season with a 6-1 victory over Beech in the Class AAA state final.

Catcher Kaitlin Neil had gone 0-for-the-tournament before delivering an RBI single in the fifth inning that broke a tie, brought in another run when the hit was misplayed and started the Lady Owls toward a five-run rally. “Mainly we wanted it for ourseleves,” Neil said. “We knew Coach (Norma) Nelson would be proud of us, too. I saw there were a bunch of former players here tonight. I know they’re happy and wanted to see us win it, too.”

Nelson was an assistant coach to Jim Lovell when Ooltewah won titles in 1990 and ’92. She no longer has her rings because of a house fire in August. “I know this feeling,” Nelson said. “It’s been a while. The thing is my rings burned up in the fire. Now I can get me a new one.”

Winning pitcher Holly Thomas did not allow an earned run in four tournament games. She pitched a four-hitter with three walks and seven strikeouts. “Every year has been such a joy at Ooltewah,” Thomas said. “We all get along so well. We have outstanding team chemistry. Sometimes that can mean more than talent on the field.”

Ooltewah’s Jessica Chernak doubled to left-center with one out in the first inning and scored the first run when Thomas grounded a hard single into right field and the hit was bobbled. Junior leadoff batter Kristin Whitmire went 2-for-4 and scored the tiebreaking run for Ooltewah (46-3-1). In addition to the battery of Thomas and Neil, Ooltewah’s other seniors are Tabitha Farrow, Linley Gannon, Morgan Shelton and Lexie Whittenburg.

“It topped everything,” Thomas said. “It was a big way for us five seniors to go out.

May 22, 2008
Ooltewah's Lady Owls, ranked 18th in the nation, are just one win away from their first class 3-A softball state championship since 1992. Bri Shoemake got a second inning single in Thursday night's game against Beech... she scored the game's first run on a Linley Gannon single.

Shoemake started the 4th inning with a single then scored run number two on a Sara Kelly groundout.

That was plenty of offense for Holly Thomas, who gets another complete game 4-hit shutout. Thomas struck out 7 in tonight's 2-0 win... she struck out 10, gave up 4 hits in yesterday's 1-0 win... she struck out 10 gave up just 1 hit in Tuesday's 8-0 win.
That's 9 hits, 27 strikeouts in three games, in which the Lady Owls have outscored their opponents 11-0.

Beech plays Farragut in Friday morning's loser's bracket finals. The winner plays Ooltewah Friday night. If the Lady Owls win, they're state champs... if they lose, there'll be a rematch Saturday to decide the class 3-A state champion.

Ooltewah Finds New Winning Formula

So far it hasn’t mattered that Ooltewah graduated more than half of the regular starting lineup that helped win the 2008 Class AAA high school softball state championship. The Gatorade state player of the year was among them.

Lady Owls coach Norma Nelson sees room for improvement with this year’s team. Yet, it’s hard to improve on 7-0, which is what they are heading into the Bob Jones tournament this weekend in the Huntsville suburb of Madison, Ala.

“We hear all this stuff, people saying we can’t make it back to the state tournament because we lost this person and that person,” senior Bri Shoemake said. “I think a lot of people don’t think we’re capable of getting back. We’re showing them so far we can. We’ve still got the potential to win it.”

Finding a successor for current Tennessee Tech freshman Holly Thomas was Nelson’s first order of business. Thomas collected every local, regional and state honor last season for her combined effort in the pitching circle and from the No. 3 spot in the batting order.

Senior right-hander Stephanie Braz has stepped into the role of No. 1 pitcher. She came directly from the basketball court where she was averaging around 16 points per game and has compiled a 5-0 pitching record with an ERA of 0.47.

“It’s hard to follow Holly,” Braz said. “She’s such a great pitcher. Everyone is going to make the comparison with me and her. That’s always going to be tough.”

Nelson said instead of Braz being a dominant force like Thomas was last season, her pitching success has been a result of equal parts ball-movement and accuracy. She’s averaging almost a strikeout per inning. Her only walk was intentional. “I’ve got a good defense behind me,” Braz said. “I always want to try to make them earn their way on.”

Nelson seems to have settled on Shoemake, last year’s fifth-place batter, as the No. 3-batter, although she’s been out the last three games with a shoulder injury. The coach first tried senior shortstop Kristin Whitmire — the Lady Owls’ only returning starter in the infield since Shoemake has moved from first base to catcher — as the third batter and wasn’t displeased with her. The problem was then finding a suitable leadoff batter. Whitmire has since returned to the top of the order.

“There’s been at least two games she’s led off with a home run,” Nelson said. “That kind of puts the other team down to begin with.”

Among the pleasant surprises has been that junior left-fielder Morgan Sullivan, primarily a defensive player last season, is the team’s leading hitter so far this year at 11-for-22. Nelson said another surprise has been senior Chrystal Brown, a first-year varsity player that has swung the bat so well she’s earned a regular place in the order as the designated player.

“Our batting lineup is pretty well-rounded,” Shoemake said. “We know it’s critical that you have to hit to win.”

Jessica Chernak in center and fellow senior Abby O’Rear in right have help solidify the outfield.

Because Thursday’s game against Red Bank was rained out, Ooltewah’s District 6 opener will now be Tuesday against rival Soddy-Daisy in a game that has been moved from Ooltewah to Soddy-Daisy and will start at 5 p.m. Winning the district regular-season title is again the first goal for the Lady Owls, but Nelson forsees bigger possibilities, if the players keep working hard.

“I really think we can go back to the state tournament,” Nelson said. “If everything falls in line, we could have the opportunity to win it again.”

Ooltewah's Shoemake Signs With Carson-Newman
by Stan Crawley
posted April 15, 2009

Ooltewah's Bri Shoemake, one of the city's most versatile high school softball players, signed a scholarship Wednesday with Carson-Newman College. Shoemake signed during a party at Ooltewah High School.

"I really liked the coach at Carson-Newman (Vickee Kazee),'' Shoemake said. "She's amazing. "I think I'll fit in because it's a smaller school, about the same size as Ooltewah. It shouldn't be that big of a transition. I knew in my heart it was the right school for me when I visited.''

Shoemake has played several positions for summer league teams (Eagles and Fury), and played first base last year when Ooltewah won the Class AAA state championship.

This spring, Shoemake is catching for coach Norma Nelson's Lady Owls. "Really, catcher is my more natural position,'' Shoemake said. "And Carson-Newman wants me to catch. I may be able to fill a starting position. I sure hope it works out like that.''

Shoemake has started four straight seasons for the Lady Owls. She was Ooltewah's designated-hitter as a freshman. "Bri has hit over .300 every year and this year she's over .400,'' Nelson said. "She has all the tools -- she's quick, strong and versatile. She could probably play every position except pitcher.

"She is so consistent, and is such a good baserunner, too. She's a player, a gamer. She's always ready to play.''

Shoemake's teammates -- Kristin Whitmire and Jessica Chernak -- each signed with Austin Peay State University.

Shoemake believes the Lady Owls can make another run at a state championship. "I definitely think we can make it back to state,'' she said. "We've got great hitting, defense and pitching. If we work hard, we'll be there.''

 

Ooltewah Softball Duo Signs with Austin Peay

Jessica Chernak and Kristin Whitmire fulfilled pledges Wednesday and will continue being softball teammates beyond their senior seasons at Ooltewah High School this spring. Both signed scholarship papers with Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn.

The two were among several that attended a camp at Austin Peay in September. Chernak said her college considerations were between five to 10 schools. She said Austin Peay was always among her top three or four.

“I liked it because it’s not too big, and not too small,” Chernak said. “It seems like the perfect size for me. The girls are nice. There’s pretty scenery. It made me feel like home — like Ooltewah.”

Whitmire had offers ranging from schools at the NAIA level to NCAA Division I. She said she felt like she needed the challenges that playing in a league like the Ohio Valley Conference will bring.

“I loved it,” Whitmire said. “I love the coach. I love what they’re trying to do with it. I love everything they’re trying to accomplish up there. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

Chernak and Whitmire each attested to feeling a good connection with Lady Governors first-year head coach Casey Dickson. Chattanooga native Lee Dobbins is also a member of APSU’s staff.

Dickson is from Arizona and has coached at the college level since 1999 when she was an assitant at Tulsa. She came to the Lady Govs from Philadelphia where she was Temple University’s head coach the previous three years.

“She played at Oklahoma,” Chernak said. “She’s been a lot of places. I know she knows what she’s doing. I feel confident around her. She’s said she’s not going to try to change my hitting style, so I like that.”

Whitmire started some as a freshman for the Lady Owls and has been their everyday shortstop and leadoff batter the last two seasons. Chernak has played center field and batted right behind her the last two years.

With some of the power gone from the middle of the batting order off last season’s Class AAA state-championship team, Ooltewah coach Norma Nelson is considering moving Whitmire to the No. 3 spot. Whitmire had eight home runs among her 24 extra-base hits last spring and was more than satisfactory in the leadoff role — batting .429 and scoring 54 runs.

Chernak hit .365 with eight extra-base hits and scored 38 runs. They contributed 53 RBIs combined.

“They’re getting two quality kids and two quality players,” Nelson said. “I think they haven’t reached their peak yet. They work hard. They want to get better.”

Chernak and Whitmire each expressed a relief in signing during the November signing period.

“I feel like a weight has been lifted off of me,” Whitmire said. “Now I’m so much more relaxed at school.”

Chernak plans on majoring in business administration and specializing in marketing. Whitmire is also considering business as her major.

 

Abby O'Rear Signs with Cleveland StateOoltewah High School senior Abby O'Rear recently signed softball scholarship papers to continue her career at Cleveland State Community College. Abby is a member of the 2008 state championship softball team.

O'Rear stated she chose Cleveland State because it seems like the best fit for me. After winning a state championship and our NSA A word series, I knew I wanted a future in softball. I love playing softball and I love the team atmosphere at Cleveland State.

Ooltewah head coach Norma Nelson states that "I am looking for big things this year from Abby. She word hard in the classroom and on the field. She is a team player and wants the team to be successful. She has the potential to be a good player for us this year. She is just a super young lady."

O'Rear summer ball coach echoed many of the same sentiments. "Abby played for the Chattanooga Force since the team’s inception in 2000. She has been the first baseman and plays excellent defense. Abby has been known as "Miss July" for her late season heroics in hitting in big games. She is a very loyal and dedicated part of our team," states Ken Chernak.

Suzanne Bayne, Cleveland State head coach states, "Abby is a great person that works hard both in the classroom and on the field. We plan to use her at first and see how well she grows as a player."

Dedication of the Lovell softball field.