After an early injury to their starting catcher ended their 16-game winning streak, 10 softball players 14 years old and under from around the Verde Valley rallied together to place third out of 12 teams at the second annual Cottonwood Classic.
The Verde Valley Heat Elite U14 club softball team reeled off four straight wins Sunday, Oct. 26, including a 1-0 shutout of longtime Camp Verde club team Juggernaut, to win the consolation bracket of the two-day girls fast-pitch softball tournament.
“This group of young women [is] the most determined group I have ever coached,” said John Brown, Heat and Mingus Union High School head softball coach. “They believe in each other and they pick each other up when someone makes a mistake. I have complete faith in them when the game gets tough, and they have always come through.”
Marauders sophomore Krista Earl pitched the complete-game shutout to reverse the Heat’s fortunes. An injury to fellow MUHS sophomore Morgan Mabery in the team’s 7-5 opening win led to two straight losses.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Oct. 29, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
