Marion softball team proud of advancing to AA state championship series

Marion – The ultimate goal was not attained, but the Marion High School softball team was proud of what it accomplished and the season it had.

After coming up a game short of playing for the AA state title last year, the Swamp Foxes reached the best-of-3 state championship series this year. They were swept in two games by Gray Collegiate Academy, losing by the scores of 9-1 and 8-4, but finished the season with a 22-4 record.

“It actually feels good even though we lost,” said freshman Kynnedi Jenkins following Marion’s Game 2 loss in West Columbia on May 22. “We made a big step up from last year. To make it this far after losing our two top players is really, really good.”

The Foxes were in position to play for the title last year. They were the last undefeated team in the lower state tournament, needing one win over Chesterfield to advance. Instead, Chesterfield beat Marion twice and went on to win the state title.

“It means a lot because last year we came up short,” said senior catcher Anna Grace Page, who has been a starter since the seventh grade. “And the years before that we didn't come anywhere close to being here, so it means a lot.”

The Swamp Foxes were playing for a state championship for the first time in 30 years. Even though they were returning a large portion of the roster, head coach Kenosha Hyman admits she had some doubts early in the season.

“My girls started out slow with the batting, and we weren't mentally prepared,” Hyman said. “As the games started going though, we felt like we could get to the state championship.”

Marion’s other two losses were both by one run. The Foxes lost to Dillon, which reached the AAA lower state tournament, 4-3 and fell to AAAA state runner-up West Florence 6-5 in eight innings.

Senior pitcher Hallie Libiedz said hard work was the reason why Marion was able to take the next step.

“I think we did a lot of work to improve ourselves from last year to this year,” said Libiedz, who has signed to play collegiately with Columbia College. “It was a very big improvement from my teammates and from me myself. A lot of us stepped up into different positions we hadn't played before.”

Both Jenkins and Page agreed with their teammate.

“I think we worked harder in practice, and just studying the teams that we had played,” Jenkins said.

“Our bats improved a lot and our fielding improved a lot,” Page said.

Page and Libiedz were selected to the South Carolina Association for Women’s Sports AA All-State team. They were also members of the All-Region 8 team along with sophomore Maliyah Williams, freshman Peyton Sawyer, junior Ja’Shaya Page and Jenkins.

Libiedz and Anna Grace Page are the only seniors. While their departure will leave some big holes to fill, Libiedz believes a state championship awaits her younger teammates.

“I know next year these girls have it in the bag,” she said. “That's how much I trust my teammates. I love each and every one of them like their my own sister, and I wouldn't trade my team for anyone else.”

            NINE ATHLETES PLACE IN AA STATE MEET

           Marion scored in five girls events and four boys events in the AA track and field state meet on May 18 at Lower Richland High in Hopkins.

           Jaeda Davis and Ashanti Gause finished third in the 100- and 400-meter dashes, respectively. Shamyah McKelvey was fourth in the discus, and the 4x100-meter relay team was fourth. Nevaeh Gamble was eighth in the 100-meter hurdles. The girls finished 12^th with 23 points.

           For the boys, Jamere Legette finished second in both the high jump and the long jump. Taj Lathon was eighth in the 200 dash and the 4x1 relay team finished eighth. Marion was 13^th with 21 points.