LONDON — The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Chris Edwards’ North Laurel Lady Jaguars will enter the season as one of frontrunners to bring home a 13th Region crown.
The Lady Jaguars are coming off a 31-3 campaign that saw their season abruptly end in the first round of the 13th Region Tournament.
With one of the most talented rosters in the region returning, North Laurel coach Chris Edwards likes his team’s chances in 2024.
“I do think we can make a run in the postseason, but this will be a grind and a season-long process. We graduated a terrific player and learning how to play without her will be a task,” he said. “Having said that, the core of upperclassmen that we have will need to step up and lead our team.”
Braylee Fawbush, Morgan Edwards, Bella Sizemore, Ellie Adams, Saige McClure, Katie Keen, Emma Carl, Bella Finley, Aubrey McCowan, Reeslyn Garland, and Katie Sams return this spring.
“Fawbush is our lone senior and we will need her to lead this year,” Edwards said. “We only have five upperclassmen and we will need them to perform as well as they did last year. We also have some younger girls that played last year and our newcomers, we just need them to continue to work hard, and when their time comes, they will need to seize the opportunity.”
North Laurel possesses one of the best pitchers in the region with Carl while Edwards said he will also depend on Tessa Monhollen and Brindalyn Fawbush.
“We will rely on Emma Carl after her basketball season,” Edwards said. “Tessa Monhollen and Brindalyn Fawbush, sister of Braylee, will have to pitch a lot of innings. We will have to be a committee of pitchers.”
Edwards’ squad will enter the season as the team to beat in the 49th District and one of the three frontrunners in the region.
“Jackson County and Clay County improved so much during last season,” Edwards said. “Coach Rice and Coach Tillery do a really good job. Clay had us down in the bottom of the seventh last year and we got a great swing to win on a walk off. We have respect both of those teams.
“We believe we can (win the district and region),” he added. “Certainly some very good teams and some really good players that will be in the way. District and region championships are always the goal.
“I would put South and Corbin at the top of that list and will be and will certainly be in the hunt for the region title,” Edwards continued. “But let’s not forget Clay and Jackson that I talked about earlier. Whitley County was so much improved as last season progressed. Besides all of the pitching Corbin and South have, Pineville has Rachel Howard, who is already a Division I pitching prospect. Whoever wins the region will probably have to get through at least a couple of those teams. It will not be easy.”
Edwards expects his team to be in the thick of things, but the construction of North Laurel’s softball facility not being completed could cause his team to get off to a slow start.
“We are not alone with the construction of our facility not being completed,” he said. “This has caused us to be a little further behind than we would want to be in this regard. But our girls have been working hard with different fields and different times. We are very excited to play a game. Go Jags.”
