Weatherford softball is a week away from beginning the 2020 season and coach Rick Morris does not take it easy on the girls when it comes to who they play on the schedule.
“I do not like playing an easy schedule,” Morris said. “District play comes up really quick in the season. Our district is really tough and the tournaments we are playing in will be tough as well.”
Weatherford plays each team in its district twice and will play in two tournaments — the I-40 Classic tournament hosted by Weatherford August 14-15 and the Bethany tournament, September 10-12.
“Our schedule is tough and I am up for the challenge,” Pitcher Meliah Brown said. “We play a hard schedule and play in two challenging tournaments. Our district used to be way easier, but now since our schedule and district are tougher, we will have to work a lot harder.”
Teams in Weatherford’s district are Anadarko, Cache, Clinton, Elgin, Elk City, Mount St. Mary and Tuttle. Their district is the only district with eight teams on the west side of the state as the other districts have seven teams. Some districts on the east side of the state have only six teams.
Weatherford plays each team in their district twice. Every team makes the playoffs, which begin with the Bi-District game before the Regional Tournament.
Weatherford is in District 3 and that district will be grouped with District 4. District 4 includes Bethel, Bishop McGuinness, Harrah, Pauls Valley, Purcell, Seminole and Tecumseh. The top seed in District 3 won’t play a Bi-District game because there’s only seven teams in District 4.
District 3 No. 2 will play District 4 No. 7, District 3 No. 3 will play District 4 No. 6, District 3 No. 4 will play District 4 No. 5, District 3 No. 5 will play District 4 No. 4, District 3 No. 6 will play District 4 No. 3, District 3 No. 7 will play District 4 No. 2 and District 3 No. 8 will play District 4 No. 1.
If they win their district, they get to host a regional.
“We have a really good schedule,” First baseman Abbie Moses said. “We are usually one of the better teams in our district, but teams like Clinton and Anadarko can sneak up on you. Tuttle is normally better than us, but we have played them close and always are excited for that game.”
Weatherford begins its season, 5:45 p.m. August 11 at home against Hydro-Eakly and it is senior night.