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To say the Ellis softball team dominated the 2022 season would be an understatement. The Jaguars outscored the competition 136-17 on the way to an 11-0 season, including a 13-1, five-inning win over North Davie in the conference tournament championship game on May 5.

The Jags piled up a season-high 16 hits against the Wildcats, including multi-hit efforts from Raegan Davis (three), Jadyn Davis (three), Kaleigh Allen (three), Carly Crouch (two) and Abby Lankford (two). Brianna Tolar, Brylie Creel and Makayla Vanmeter had one hit each.

R. Davis pitched all five innings for Ellis.

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South Davie finished the season with a 3-8 record, showing significant improvement from recent years. Coach Donnie Brown couldn’t have asked for more from a team that had just one eighth grader.

“We had injuries and played the last two games with eight players,” Brown said. “One girl got a broken wrist. One got a hurt shoulder. We had 11 girls show up (for tryouts) and that’s what we kept.”

Two girls had spectacular seasons for the Tigers, and both are seventh graders. Addie Brown, the catcher and the No. 3 batter in the order, was unstoppable with the bat, hitting .766. No. 2 batter Raney Phelps was next with a .480 average, and she was so good in the circle that she averaged double-figure strikeouts (117 Ks in 10 games pitched).

In a 6-3 win at Watauga, 20 of the 21 outs were Phelps strikeouts. In a 5-2 loss to North Carolina Leadership Academy, she fanned 15 and scored both runs.

The Tigers closed with a respectable 9-7 loss to North Davie.

“The girls improved a lot,” Brown said. “We’re not anywhere near as strong as the other two middle schools just because we don’t have the numbers. But it sure does beat getting blown out 15-0.”

First baseman Sarenity Miller and second baseman Madison Shaw, in particular, made big strides.

“Sarenity came through with some good hits in the last few games,” he said. “Madison worked real hard this year. She primarily played second and she really stepped up. She got us a lot of outs.”