By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Millington Head Softball Coach Whitney Horton has never known Lady Trojan Softball without Hannah Clifton.
Entering her fifth year as the skipper in Millington, Horton has to bid farewell to one of the best Lady Trojan players to wear the black and gold.
“Losing Hannah was always going to be tough,” she said. “She was a good leader. Some of the girls who played with her know what is expected out of a leader.
“I probably have had a handful of girls stand-up and try to fulfill that role,” Horton continued. “I’m very excited about the leadership of this team and the team chemistry. I am excited about their chemistry. It’s great to be around. Their team chemistry is about the best I’ve coached.”
Clifton is now up at Dyersburg becoming a part of the fabric of the Lady Eagles. Meanwhile her old teammates are welcoming in some new faces including freshman pitcher Daphane Fowler.
“I have three arms,” Horton noted. “You’ve got Katilyn McDonald coming back as a junior. We loss her last year to a season-ending injury with an ACL tear. We got “Jay” Jamiya coming in as a senior to fulfill some pitching duties as well as playing first base.
“Then you’ve got a freshman,” she added. “She’s a beast. Her name is Daphane Fowler. She’s going to be fulfilling the role Hannah left at short. And she’s also probably going to be starting a lot pitching.”
Turner has earned captain status on the team. She and fellow senior Makalia Davenport will be counted on to provide leadership in the dugout, practice field and during games. The duo will also be assets in the batting order featuring a lot of speed throughout the lineup. Horton will put a focus on small ball to combat league opponents like Covington, Bolivar Central, Fayette-Ware, Ripley, Haywood and Bolton.
Turner, Davenport, McDonald, Abbie Powell, Chloe Munston and Ally Marona will provide the pop in the lineup to get the runs across homeplate.
“You can never forget about Ally Marona,” Horton noted. “She’s a vital piece to this program. She’s only a junior and she’s one of those players who shows up every day ready to work. She always gives you 110 percent.
“Her teammates see that and it feeds into them,” she added. “The team attitude and effort is here every single day. I’ve never had a group of girls ready to come work every single day like these girls do.”
The collection of speed known as Black Lightning has Horton excited for the RBI chances for Marona and the Gold Crush.
“This probably the fastest team I’ve had here too,” she said. “I have six girls who could fulfill the No. 1 or No. 2 spots in the lineup. You’ve got Ann Howard, Erica Wright, Daphane Fowler, Abby Gallo, Alexis Jordan, Alex Gordan and Mallory Howard. She’s a freshman who definitely has some speed behind those feet.”
Horton said all phases of the game offense, defense and pitching will have to be locked in by May in order to grab a Regional spot.
“You’ve just got to show up every single day ready to play,” she said. “Every day is different. Some of the girls on the team might have a bad day. That’s part of the game. It’s their teammate who has to fulfill what not happening for them right now.
“That’s why it’s a team sport,” Horton concluded. “It’ takes more than one. It take the whole army who is out on this field. These girls have each other’s back. I’m excited for what is about to happen on this field.”
