Getting to cover Jena High School athletics for the radio station and newspaper has always been one of my favorite things that I’ve been allowed to do. Growing up, being raised a Jena Giants fan, sitting at home listening to Larry Evans on the radio and on Wednesdays reading Don Tarver’s sports articles are a big influence on why I’ve always wanted to do this job. Growing up a Jena Giants fan and then attending Jena High School, it was always a dream for one of our teams to go far in the playoffs and win a state championship. In reality, we had become accustomed to being happy with only making the playoffs. One of my favorite parts of doing this job has been being able to follow the Jena Lady Giants softball program. When going to cover a softball game, there is now a new confidence in the air that our softball program is one of the best in the state. There is nothing better than seeing the Jena fan support for our athletic programs especially when we go on the road to a hostile environment.
With that said, the Lady Giants are once again on another playoff run.
This past Monday the #5 Jena Lady Giants would play #12 Mamou at home in the second round of the playoffs. The Lady Giants would get on the board in the bottom of the first as Sydney Williams would come in to score on an RBI double from Haylee Dangerfield. In the bottom of the second inning the Lady Giants would pick up two more runs as Hallie Paul and Claire Bailey would come in to score on an RBI double to left field from Cydnee Parker to make it 3-0. The Lady Giants would add three more runs including a solo homerun to right field from Autumn Sharp. The Lady Giants would go on to win 6-0. Kiette Cooper would get the complete game shutout giving up only five hits with one walk and nine strikeouts. Haylee Dangerfield and Hallie Paul would both have two hits each in the game.
With the win, the Lady Giants would advance to the quarterfinal round to take on #4 Kaplan on the road. Kaplan came into the game as the defending state champions after defeating Sterlington a year ago in the state championship game. Two years ago, the Lady Giants traveled to Kaplan and lost a heartbreaker 4-2 in nine innings in the second round of the playoffs. A lot of players for both teams played in that game two years ago. Kaplan returned a senior core of shortstop Kennedy Marceaux, pitcher Briley LeBeouf and catcher Addyson Hebert that would make them the favorites to repeat as state champion. Marceaux has signed to play softball with Alabama and LeBeouf was the winning pitcher two years ago over Jena and she shutout Sterlington in the state championship last season. But as I said earlier with the Lady Giants softball program it’s just different as they always seem to have a chance to win these big games. There would not be an empty seat as Kaplan’s fans showed up and the Jena fans made the three-hour trip to support their program as well. Kaplan would get off to a good start, in both the bottom of the first and second inning the leadoff batter would hit a double and, in both innings, Kaplan would have runners at second and third with less than two outs. Both times the Lady Giants defense would make great plays to get out of both innings without giving up a run. LeBeouf would look unhittable for Kaplan as her first time facing the Jena lineup, she struck out seven of the nine hitters and didn’t give up a hit. Through three innings the game would be scoreless. In the top of the fourth inning the Lady Giants lineup would face LeBeouf for the second time. Cydnee Parker would be the first Jena batter to reach base as she would hit a double to left field. Sydney Williams would then lay down a bunt and would reach first on a throwing error. Callie Decker would then hit a long fly ball down the left field line for a double to give the Lady Giants a 1-0 lead. Then with two outs in the inning and two strikes Kiette Cooper would hit a line drive homerun over the right field fence to give the Lady Giants a 4-0 lead. Kaplan would answer with a run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth inning to make it 4-3. In the bottom of the seventh inning Marceaux, the leadoff batter for Kaplan, would reach base on a walk and would steal second putting the tying run in scoring position for Kaplan. Kiette Cooper would strike out the next two batters and then the third batter would fly out to shortstop Callie Decker to end the game and send the Jena crowd into a frenzy. The Lady Giants won 4-3 to advance to the semifinal round. Kiette Cooper not only had a homerun, a double and three RBIs she also had six strikeouts in the game. The Jena defense was incredible as they did not commit an error in the game. Centerfielder Triniti Williams made key out after key out as it looked like she was covering from foul pole to foul pole in the outfield. Third baseman Haylee Dangerfield made some key stops on some hardhit balls to keep Kaplan off the scoreboard early. The team as a whole was incredible as they maintained their composure throughout the game and held on for a huge victory. The job that Jena head coach Sara Roark and her staff do with preparing these girls to perform in these environments is unbelievable. With the win, the Lady Giants, for the ninth time since 2011, will be heading to Sulphur. This will be the seventh time since 2013 that the Lady Giants have made the semifinals of the playoffs. Since 2013 this was the sixth time that the Lady Giants had to travel south of Alexandria not including trips to Sulphur in the playoffs. In those six games that are against some of the best teams in the state on those teams’ home fields the Lady Giants have won five of the six games. This is why when it’s late April and spring is in the air you know the Lady Giants are more than likely making another playoff run.
The Lady Giants will play #1 Sterlington in the semifinals just as they did a year ago when Sterlington beat them. The Lady Giants played Sterlington twice this year losing at Sterlington 4-1 on February 26th and then losing in the Buckeye tournament 2-1 in nine innings on April 6th. Everyone, make the trip to Sulphur to cheer on the Lady Giants. If you have never been when the Lady Giants are playing then you are missing out. If you can’t make it to the game then you can hear all the live action on 102.7 KJNA with first pitch at 2:30. If you are not in the listening area then you can download the MIXLR app and search for KJNAFM or go online at www.kjnafmjena. mixlr.com.
Photos from the games against Mamou and Kaplan:
