‘Battle tested’ Northside ready for State Championship Tournament

Northside is gearing up for what it hopes is a two-day stay in Oxford.

The Rams begin the Class 4A State Softball Championship Tournament on Friday morning against Brooks High School. The softball programs are well acquainted; Northside defeated Brooks, 3-2 in last years state softball championship tournament, eliminating the Lions.

It was one of three one-run-games Northside was involved in the tournament. Northside head coach Tommy Honeycutt expects similar parity this week, especially with the addition of Orange Beach High School and Houston Academy to Class 4A.

“(Class) 4A is probably the most competitively balanced of all the leagues in our state,” Honeycutt said. “We got the defending (Class) 2A state champion Orange Beach, the defending (Class) 3A state champion Houston Academy, and the defending 4A state champion Curry in the tournament this weekend.”

Northside is in the state championship tournament for the second straight year. The last time the program reached the tournament in consecutive seasons was 2015-17, culminating in the Rams capturing the Class 4A State Softball Championship. Honeycutt believes this group has the talent to compete for another ‘Blue Map’.

“We set our goal out at the very first practice that our goal is to win the whole thing,” Honeycutt said. “We feel like we have as good a chance to go win this tournament as anybody.”

Northside plays Brooks on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.