By Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



Perseverance. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it means to continue in a course of action, despite difficulty. The term well describes the Mortimer Jordan Lady Blue Devil softball team. For four years, the club’s seniors—Natalie Brodie, Michelle Cheatwood, Kayla Cox, Shelbey Faucett, Erin Whitlock, Brittany Witt, Logan Woodward and Brandy Worden—have persevered in their quest for a state championship. In 2005, they finished eighth in the state. In 2006, they finished second. In 2007, they finished third. Instead of accepting finishes close to the top, their perseverance finally paid off this past Saturday, as they achieved their goal when they whipped Hartselle, 11-3, in the championship game of the Class 5A tournament.

Jordan ended the year with a 50-4 record and brought home the second blue softball trophy in school history.

“I honestly can’t believe that this has really happened,” senior third baseman Shelbey Faucett said. “This is a huge accomplishment for us, but we deserved to win it. We’ve worked our butts off for four years trying to get this title.”

The Lady Blue Devils trailed for the first time in the postseason when Hartselle scored three runs in the top half of the first inning off tourney MVP Michelle Cheatwood.

The Lady Tigers started fast, collecting hits on the first two pitches Cheatwood sent to the plate.

“They jumped on us fast,” Faucett said. “But we have a saying, we’ll lay down and bleed awhile and get up and fight again. We were shaken when they went up 3-0, but we knew that none of us would quit.”

Jordan would answer back with one run in the bottom of the first and two more in the bottom of the third.

In the fifth inning, Jordan broke the game open with five runs for an 8-3 lead and the state title was within reach.

The big hit in the inning was Faucett’s grand slam. The Lady Blue Devils added three more runs in the sixth inning and won their second title in nine seasons.

In 1999, the school won the state’s 4A/5A crown.

“This is kinda awesome,” Cheatwood said. “Everyone of us knew it would be a fight and that Hartselle would be going for the title as hard as we were. When they went up 3-0, that really got our attention and we started playing even harder.”

Most players couldn’t contain their joy at being part of a state title squad.

“This is pretty amazing,” freshman pitcher Blair Johnson said. “I don’t think it’s really hit me yet, but this the best thing that could have happened to me.”

“I’m really excited,” sophomore catcher Morgan “Mo” Estell said. “It seems crazy how this worked out for us. Blair and Michelle worked their butts off pitching and our hitting came on later in the tournament, at just the right time.”

Estell, who ended the year with a .490 batting average, smashed her ninth homer of the season on Friday morning as the Lady Devils whipped Spanish Fort, 3-1, behind the pitching of Cheatwood.

A win over Springville, 3-0, followed, so Jordan went to sleep Friday night only two wins away from a state championship.

On Saturday afternoon, Jordan led St. Pauls, 6-0, before exploding for 14 runs in the top of the fifth inning and went on to a 20-0 win.

With the win over Hartselle, the Lady Devils ended the postseason by scoring 97 runs and allowing only five in seven games, including two in the first round of the sub-state playoffs, two in the second round of the sub-state playoffs and in four state tournament games.

Estell paid tribute to the senior class, explaining that the group set the tone for the other players and led the way for the entire season.

“Our seniors meant so much to us,” Estell said. “They showed us from day one of practice, what the work ethic would be and what we had to do and how hard we had to work as a team to get to state.”

Estell, along with Faucett, freshman Alyssa Linn and Cheatwood were named to the 5A All-tournament team.

“We’re all excited,” Cheatwood said. “Especially our seniors. Our eight seniors have left a mark. It’s been nine years since Jordan has won a state softball title and now we’ve got one. I think we’ve left our legacy.”