The Georgia Wild Thangs make their coach's heart sing.
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As for their competition this season, it's been far from groooovy.
The 14-and-younger girls fast-pitch softball team won the Georgia state championship last weekend in Jefferson, Ga., and are headed to Polk County, Florida, to compete in the Independent Softball Association World Series on July 17-21.
"We pretty much dominated the tournament," said Wild Thangs coach Jim Borum. "This team is legitimate."
The Wild Thangs are all high school freshmen and sophomores. The team draws players from Greenbrier, Evans, Westside and other schools in Richmond and Columbia Counties.
At the state tournament, the team was led offensively by 13-year-old Tiffany Blackburn, a freshman at Greenbrier.
"She's only 13, and she almost hit one out of the park, 200 feet," Borum said. "She's a real good hitter."
On the mound, the tandem of Cayla Hale and Austin Long was overpowering, as the Wild Thangs outscored the opposition 32-6 in four games.
Cayla is a sophomore at Westside, and Austin will enter the 10th grade at Evans in the fall.
Next up for the Thangs is the 16-and-younger Border Bash Tournament this weekend at Diamond Lakes.
The U.S. Fastpitch Association is sanctioning the event, which will feature teams from South Carolina and Georgia.
"We try to move up and play against real tough competition when we can to get ready for the World Series," said Borum, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jessica, is the Wild Thangs' catcher. "The average age of our girls is only 13, but playing the older teams helps us fine-tune ourselves."
The team is planning several fund raisers to help defray the costs of their trip to Florida next month. For more information on supporting the Wild Things, contact Borum at (706) 860-9489 or (706) 284-5483.
THEY'RE ROLLING: Danielle Candy, a 13-year-old from Columbia County, is headed to Lincoln, Neb., in August to represent the Augusta Stardust Skate Center in the 2003 National Roller Skating Championships.
Danielle placed second in her figures event at the Southern Regional championships last week in Conyers, Ga.
The Augusta Christian student competed against a field of eight girls from across the Southeast. She has been taking lessons at Stardust for seven years and is coached by Kathy Nave.
Other winners from Stardust are Cara Spenser, who placed second in the adult division, and Raymond Wingrove, a 45-year-old roller and ice skater who placed second in his division.
IDEAS NEEDED: We need your story ideas, results and accomplishments for The Chronicle's weekly "In the Game" package.
Send me an e-mail at robm99@hotmail.com or call me at (706) 823-3425, and we'll do our best to give local athletes the recognition they deserve.
