The North Georgia Scorchers 16-A fastpitch girls’ softball team was named United States Fastpitch Association Georgia State Champions recently in Dublin.

The traveling team won the title during tournament play on June 11, 12 and 13 as they went undefeated against teams from the East Cobb area and Milledgeville for a total of five games in three days.

This accomplishment qualifies the team to play in the 2004 USFA World Series in July.

Prior to this event, the team played in Panama City Beach, Fla. on June 4, 5 and 6 at the Fastpitch in Paradise tournament.

Playing six games in the event, the team went undefeated at the national qualifier event, facing squads from Panama City and Tallahassee, Fla. and Morgan County, Ga.

The team’s record stands at 27-16, with the losses happening at the beginning of the season. The group won three consecutive tournaments and will be playing in one more before the travel season ends.

James Gordy, Sonny York and Tim Robinson of Rockmart and Scott Dover of Cartersville coach the team. Coaches Buddy Harrison of Cedartown and Rick Poulie of Cartersville had to give up their positions when they were offered jobs at local high schools earlier in the season.

Team members are: Mary York, Lindsey Robinson, Kayla Gordy and Elizabeth Clark from Rockmart High School; Lindsey Swafford, Emily Harrison, Gretchen Sanders and Erika Vance from Cedartown High School; Jessie Weaver and Jessie Dover from Woodland High School.

Also on the team are Candace Cady from Cartersville High School, Bridget Ingram from Pepperell High School and Ashley Parker from Gordon Central High School.

Cedartown natives Swafford, Harrison, Sanders and Vance will join the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs softball team later this summer as they prepare for the 2004 softball season.