North Duplin graduate Kasey Jones talks with a television reporter after the Rebels defeated East Columbus to win the east regional and advance to the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A state softball championship series. Jones was one of four Rebels to receive postseason honors from the NC Fastpitch Coaches Association for 2023. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Tony Jones and Ricky Edwards vividly recall North Duplin’s first-ever, fast-pitch softball game.
The road contest at Union seemed to take forever.In fact, Jones said the Rebels’ baseball game ended faster and several players watched from the bus.
ND softball has come a long way since then — particularly in the past decade. The Rebels have earned respect on the diamond and established themselves among the state’s elite programs.
Multi-generational families saturate the tight-knit community that eats, breathes and sleeps softball. They witnessed a record-setting campaign that recently ended with a runner-up finish in the 2023 NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championship series.
“We finished as one of the top two teams in the state and I’m completely super stoked for that,” second-year ND head coach Jaime Kylis said. “They [Union Academy] are not a ‘true’ public school. We’re a ‘true’ public school. I’m glad that we got to represent the 1A public school class across the state of North Carolina.
“I’m super proud of my kids…couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Four Rebels — Reece Outlaw, Addy Higginbotham, Kasey Jones and Lilly Fulghum — earned postseason recognition from the NC Fastpitch Coaches Association. All four were named to the association’s Class 1A All-District 2 and All-State teams.
Outlaw and Fulghum were selected as the District 2 player and pitcher of the year, respectively.
An East Carolina commit, Outlaw emerged as the Rebels’ offensive leader in official at-bats (96), runs scored (60), RBI (50), doubles (nine), triples (13), home runs (14), on-base percentage (0.664), slugging percentage (1.437) and on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentage (2.102).
“Reece is just a great athlete,” Kylis said. “You put her anywhere [on the field] and she’s going to make an impact. She is that game-changing player on both sides the ball — in life and in leadership. Reece is a strong Christian girl and is someone that you want leading your team.
“She’s just a fun player to watch.”
The NCFCA tapped Fulghum as the 1A East All-State pitcher of the year. The freshman right-hander set the single-season record for victories (16) inside the circle, logged a 1.66 earned run average (ERA) in 105-plus innings and filed 158 strikeouts in the scorebook.
Higginbotham established single-season records for batting average (.638) and hits (67). Jones, who signed with Barton College, finished her prep career with 78 hits. She collected 25 RBI this season.
It doesn’t end there, however.
As a team, North Duplin rewrote the history book in numerous single-season categories — wins (23), runs scored (350), hits (357), RBI (231), extra-base hits (114), stolen bases (89) and home runs (37).
Kylis lost four seniors — Jones, infielder Riley Hatch, Adaisha Bernal and Dana Santibanez. The remainder of the roster returns for 2024 with Outlaw and Sarah Thomas Tucker as seniors.
“It’s been super fun,” Kylis said of the phenomenal season. “We’ve got great kids. I’ve been with these girls for many a long time, so I feel like they’re more than just athletes, but my family.
“To be able to watch them have these moments and then be connected together like that for the rest of their life, that’s bigger than anything. I look forward [to next season].”
So do the Rebel faithful.
Here are North Duplin’s previous All-District and All-State honorees selected by the NCFCA:
2023: All-District 2 — Lilly Fulghum, Addy Higginbotham, Kasey Jones and Reece Outlaw. District 2 Pitcher-of-the-Year — Fulghum. District 2 Player-of-the-Year — Outlaw. All-State — Fulghum, Higginbotham, Outlaw and Jones. 1A East Pitcher-of-the-Year — Fulghum.
2022: No selections.
2021: All-District 2 — Logan Taylor Jones, Reece Outlaw, Callie Thornton, Hannah Martin, Kasey Jones, Riley Hatch and Skyler Craig. District 2 Pitcher of the-Year — Thornton. All-State — Craig, Hatch, LT Jones, K. Jones, Martin, Outlaw and Thornton. 1A East Pitcher of the Year — Thornton.
2020: COVID
2019: All-District 2 — Hannah Brogden, LT Jones, Rayanna Koch, Hannah Martin, Natalie Ramirez and Callie Thornton. District 2 Pitcher of the-Year — Thornton. All-State – Brogden, Koch and Thornton. 1A East Pitcher of the Year — Thornton.
2018: All-District 2 — Courtney Brock, Rayanna Koch, Hannah Martin, Natalie Ramirez, Alyssa Santos and Callie Thornton. Co-Player of the Year — Rayanna Koch. All-State — Koch and Ramirez.
2017: All-District 2 — Haley Brogden, Brooke Cottle, Rayanna Koch, Natalie Ramirez and Alyssa Santos. District 2 Pitcher of the Year — Brogden. All-State — Brogden, Koch, Ramirez and Santos.
2016: All-District 2 — Courtney Brock, Haley Brogden, Mikayla Koch, Shaily McCarty, Rylee Pate and Alyssa Santos. District 2 Player of the Year — Brogden. District 2 Pitcher of the Year — Pate. All-State — Brogden and Pate. 1A East Player-of-the-Year — Brogden. 1A East Pitcher of the Year — Pate.
2015: All-District 2 — Mikayla Koch, Haley Brogden, Rylee Pate and Alyssa Santos. District 2 Pitcher-of-the-Year — Pate. All-State — Koch, Brogden, Pate and Santos. 1A East Pitcher of the Year — Pate.
2014: All-District 2 — Rylee Pate and Mikayla Koch. All-State — Pate and Koch.
NOTE: North Duplin had no All-District and All-State selections from 2007-2013, according to NCFCA records.
