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Atlanta Vipers qualify for gold national tournament

The Atlanta Vipers 18-Under Gold Team located here in Fayetteville has qualified for the ASA GOLD National tournament. The Nationals will be held in Marietta, Aug 8-15 at Lost Mountain Park.

The Vipers Gold traveled to Lynchburg, Va., last week to play in a Gold Sector Qualifier, playing teams from across the country. They defeated the Southern Cal Diamonds (6-5), Ca Jets Gold (3-0) and the Chattanooga Yankettes (11-1) to pick up the National berth.

The team which consists of some of the finest young talent in the metro area features 12 girls on Division 1 or Division 2 scholarships. Their current record is 41-13. Local senior players from this area include Stefanie Norman, a University of South Carolina signee, and Jennilee Huddleston, a Indiana University signee.

Norman, a former Fayette County High All-State Senior All-Star and a member of the 2002 AAAAA state championship teams, leads the team with a .405 batting average and 48 RBIs. Huddleston, an All-State Senior All Star as well as a member of the 2003 AAAAA state runnerup Starr’s Mill team and the Fayette Player of the Year also provides punch to the Viper lineup.

Rising Senior Rebecca Aszman of Starr’s Mill, a member of the state runnerup team, is also a team member and is gaining some valuable experience behind the plate. Paige Phillips a 2003 FCHS graduate has returned from Tallahassee Community College to add some offensive power to the lineup with a .300 average. Phillips was also a member of the Fayette County State Championship team.

Pitcher Blair Potter, a sophomore at Wallace Community College, has been strong since returning from school this summer with a 12-2 record and 0.44. ERA and 4 saves. Eagle’s Landing graduate Allison Cantrell, Henry County Player of the year and a Coastal Carolina signee, provides speed and defensive support from the right side at second base.

Other team members rounding out the team: Leadoff batter and centerfielderÐ Kacey Ivey, a Georgia Tech signee from Chapel Hill High School; Jamie Fitzpatrick from Woodland High School and Kent State, leads the team with seven homeruns; Jamie West from Alexander High School and UNC-Charlotte; catcher Jennifer Golden, former Heritage HS alumni and current sophomore at Texas A&M Corpus Christi; sophomore Brittany Daniel Ð Heritage HS; senior Jacqueline Wetherbee, Harrison HS, with a .352 batting average; pitcher Meredith Ray, also a Heritage High School alum and current sophomore at Piedmont College; Rachel Darr and Aileen Morales, both from Hardaway High, Columbus and the Pitcher and Player of the Year who will attend Tennessee Tech and Georgia Tech respectively.

The Atlanta Vipers Gold will participate in the Cardinal Classic Exposure tournament this week in Rock Hill, SC to get ready for the Nationals. The Vipers are one of sixty-four teams competing in this National Gold event.

“We feel fortunate to qualify. There are some great teams in the tournament, but we have a pretty solid ball club and are playing very well,” commented Manager Rex Norman. “If everything clicks at the right time who knows how well we’ll do. There is no better way to wind up some of these young ladies summer careers than with a National tournament right here in your own back yard.”

Joining the Vipers representing Georgia in the tournament will be the GA Elite, GA Fire Gold, Ga Fire Black, East Cobb Bullets and the East Cobb Angels.

The Atlanta Vipers Fastpitch Softball club is a locally based organization consisting of girls from the ages 10-18 with teams in all age groups. For more information on the Vipers see their website http://www.eteamz.com/atlantavipers