The Lady Hornets softball team is ready to take the field to kick-off the 2018 season.

Last season, Poplarville finished the season with a 15-11 overall record and clinched a spot in the state playoffs with a 6-4 Region 7-4A record. Unfortunately, the team saw its season come to an end after a 2-0 series sweep against Florence High School in the first round.

Heading into the beginning of the new season, Head Coach Jonathan Ray said the Lady Hornets only lost two players due to graduation. So, with the core of the team’s starters back for another year, he is excited to see what the team is able to accomplish.

“We have the potential to be really good offensively and defensively and so far, all the girls have shown a lot of excitement heading towards our first game of the season,” Ray said. “The girls motivate themselves and they take it upon themselves to get things done in practice and get better every day.”

Some of the returning players for the Lady Hornets include sophomore Aislynn Andrews and juniors Rakeya Travis, Manya Gilmore and Madison Pittman.

Ray said one of the team’s goals is to earn another trip to the state playoffs and even though the Lady Hornets play in a highly talented district, he believes the girls have the talent and experience to accomplish that goal.

“We have improved on different aspects of the game and this year, we have more experienced players, which will help us in the long run,” Gilmore said.

The Poplarville softball team will host a “Meet the Lady Hornets” event on Feb. 22nd, where parents, friends and the community have the opportunity to meet the Lady Hornets and watch them play as they prepare for their season opener on Feb. 24. The event will begin at 6 p.m. Admission will be $5.

“Our teamwork has improved a lot this year, we have also improved on our communication skills and we have set high expectations for ourselves and the team this year,” Kayliegh Netto said.