North Duplin head softball coach Jaime Kylis (green cap) has a stern discussion with her team between innings during a game last season. The Rebels return seven starters who played on last year’s team which finished runner-up in the NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A state softball championship series. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
CALYPSO — Patience.
Trust.
Discipline.
Along with those attributes, North Duplin also developed a swagger of confidence and efficiency on its way to a runner-up finish in the 2023 NC High School Athletic Association Class 1A state softball championship series.
Expect the same this season — with a slight change.
Two key starters graduated off last year’s team that filed a 23-5 worksheet and “three-peated” as the Carolina 1A Conference champion. Finding replacements and “catching” up after another successful basketball season are the main challenges facing fourth-year head coach Jaime Kylis.
“Our preseason is always a little challenging as most of our athletes play on our very good basketball team,” Kylis said. “They typically go into the playoffs, which makes us late getting started. So, we focus on just getting out there, getting loose and getting to know each other.
“Most importantly, [we] have some fun.”
North Duplin rewrote the program record books in nearly every statistical category last season. The Rebels played for their fourth state title in school history and first since winning it all in 2015.
More than 80 percent of the team’s offense returns.
Kylis, once again, will depend on her “rabbits” – Reece Outlaw, Addy Higginbotham and Lilly Fulghum – to set the tempo. Outlaw signed with the University of North Carolina, while Higginbotham has verbally committed to Wingate University.
The trio combined for 178 hits, 168 runs and 115 RBI last spring.
Fulghum returns inside the circle. The confident right-hander logged more than 160 strikeouts in more than 110 innings of work. Spence backed up Fulghum on occasion, including throwing game two of the state championship series against Union Academy.
Also back are senior outfielder Sarah Thomas Tucker, junior utility player (UT) M’chelle Jaco, junior UT Iala Overton, sophomore UT Marissa Bernal, pitcher/infielder Ady Spence and sophomore outfielder Melaney Sanchez.
Kylis welcomes three freshmen into the dugout – catcher Abigeal Brown, UT Hannah Gonzales and UT Gabby Zamudio. Brown replaces Kasey Jones, who is currently playing at Barton College.
“The biggest challenge for us is getting ready quickly,” Kylis said. “We have a great group of newcomers who need to learn my style of play. We will have an adjustment period, but I expect that to be a short one. I’m confident this team will bring their best play every day they hit the field.
“I like our versatility and how fired up they get when someone does something great at practice.”
Weather has factored into the Rebels’ start, too.
North Duplin launches its 2024 campaign at home Friday against county rival James Kenan. First pitch is 5 p.m.
The opener begins a stretch of five games in a seven-day period that includes a doubleheader against East Central 2A power East Duplin (March 11) and battles again independent juggernaut Wayne Christian (March 12 and March 15).
