[June 17, 2011] Smith comes full circle as all-star softball player, coach Tweet Jun 16, 2011 (The Charleston Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Missy Smith still remembers her first North-South All-Star experience. "They housed us in the cabins at Cedar Lakes in Ripley," recalled Smith of the 1996 games. "It was really a lot of fun. I still talk to some of the girls I played with. I made some pretty good friends." Smith will now help other players make those memories as the head coach of the South squad when the 19th annual North-South All-Star games get underway today in Buffalo for senior softball players. "I was pretty excited when [North-South game director] Darrell [Moore] asked me if I wanted to coach," said Smith, who will be coaching her first North-South event. "I said, 'What do you mean do I want to coach? Of course I want to.' It's definitely an honor. It's something new in my coaching career, another step. It's nice to be asked to do this. They can pretty much pick whoever they want to coach. Once softball gets in your blood it's hard to get out." Eleven players from the Kanawha Valley were selected for the event. Buffalo's Tara Mays and Hannah Jordan, who helped the Bison to the Class A state championship last month, Herbert Hoover's Marissa Shaffer and Mandy Edmonds, Nitro's Jenn Young, Hurricane's Auburn Hensley, George Washington's Brooke Thevenin, Sissonville's Kaytee Gibson, Lindsay Ballard and Katie Holmes and Charleston Catholic's Marty Kay Wilcox will play for the South. Mays and Wilcox were Class A first-team all-state selections. (See Page 2B for rosters.) Other notable players for the South include Cabell Midland's Victoria Crawford and Huntington St. Joseph's Sara Sang. Crawford (Class AAA) and Sang (Class A) were all-state second-team honorees in their respective classes. "You always want to get a hit your last at-bat and win your last game," Smith said. "This gives all those seniors another chance to win with their high school jersey on. I think we picked some pretty good ones. It's kind of their last hurrah. I hope they all go out with a bang." The North will be led by Ashley Knight, who guided Ritchie County to the Class AA state title, Madonna's Samantha Myers, Clay County's Abby Smith and Carli Caldwell and Nicholas County's Hilary Young, Renee Yeager and Heather Roberts. Knight and Myers were Class A all-state first-team selections while Young was a second-team pick in Class AAA. Other top players for the Bears are Clay County's Abby Smith (AA) and Madonna's Ashley Jones (A) both of whom were all-state second-team picks. Morgantown's Lori Lipscomb and Parkersburg South's Jennifer Null will serve as head coaches for the North. "I just think we got a lot more interest this year from the northern teams," said Moore. "We've got a lot of people coming from all over the state. I just think it's growing and getting better." Briefly There will be two seven-inning games at 1 and 2:30 p.m. and one five-inning game at 4 p.m. ... Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students with all proceeds going toward awards for the players. ... The home run derby, fastest arm (overhand and underhand), 20- and 60-yard sprints, accuracy throw and bunting contests will start at 10:30 a.m. ... Players who earned first- and second-team all-state honors will receive their awards. ... An MVP from each team for each game will be given out along with awards for the contest winners. ... The North-South series is tied 20-20. Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at [email protected] or 304-348-4811. To see more of The Charleston Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wvgazette.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Charleston Gazette, W.Va. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]