The 2016 season was one to remember for the Adams County Christian School softball program.

The Lady Rebels achieved many goals, including winning a district championship, defeating MAIS AAA champion Silliman Institute for the first time in six years, finishing fourth overall in the state tournament among more accomplishments.

For their efforts, first-year coach Tate Lipscomb was named the MAIS District 4-AAA Coach of the Year and pitcher Brianna Henson was named the district’s Player of the Year.

“It makes me feel good about myself,” Henson said. “It makes me want to work even harder and keep it up. I can’t get cocky. I have to stay humbled.”

Additionally, ACCS had six players named to the first-team all-district team and had four more named to the district’s second team.

“I saw the potential in all the girls,” Lipscomb said. “It makes me feel good, tried and succeeded.”

Lipscomb, who also serves as an assistant for the schools’ baseball team, said he could see the growth of his team throughout the year, culminating in a second-place finish at the South State tournament and its deep run in the state tournament a week later.

“We started out kind of sluggish, but we came together as a team,” he said. “We stuck it out, fought hard, and we had some big wins.”

Two of those big wins came over crosstown rival Cathedral High School, which also advanced to the state tournament. The Lady Rebels and Lady Greenwave split the regular-season matchup, 1-1, but ACCS topped Cathedral 2-1 in a south state elimination game on its way to securing the South’s No. 2 seed for the MAIS state tournament.

“We came together and cheered for each other,” Henson said. “Every game we cheered for each other, we did well in.”
Lipscomb said what separates Henson from others is not only her athletic ability, but also her intelligence on the softball field.

“She’s got a step above,” he said.  “Brianna practices hard, and she works hard. It’s shown on the field, and she carries herself in a softball manner.”

The junior standout said she thinks the reason for this year’s success comes down to Lipscomb’s ability to get the players to buy-in to his teaching.

“We would do drills over and over again,” Henson said. “We were focused on getting 21 outs. In practice, we focused on not committing any errors.”

With seven starters returning and only two graduating seniors from this year’s squad, Lipscomb said he expects the program to continue to ascension next season.

“We’re looking to get back where we were, if not farther,” Lipscomb said. “We want to be repeat as district champs, win south state, and hopefully compete at the state tournament.”

Henson, Bailey Boyd, Lexi Emmanuel, Marlee Magee, Shelby Mason and Anna McDaniel earned first-team all-district honors.

Geri Brumfield, Carly Delaney, Harley Martin and Savanna Spear earned second-team all-district honors.