Beyond the Final Score: Crowder, EHS Golf and Legion Baseball

Most of you have heard of “travel ball” or AAU ball.

It’s in the off-season. The competition you play can be really good. However, it can quickly drain the accounts of the wealthiest families with food on the road, hotel rooms and the wear and tear on your car.

But last week, I bumped into more of a homegrown idea for local softball in the Easley area. I drove 10 or 15 minutes to the mountains to cover the Easley-Pickens softball game. I was looking forward to covering this big rivalry game, hoping for another walk-off home run in the final inning.

Instead, I bumped into something more than just a game article.

“It’s God, family, community and watching what you can do on the field,” said Noah Crowder, who had coached several of the Easley and Pickens softball players in the Park and Recs 14U league with a 76-9-1 record after eight seasons. “If you put those three things (together) at the home and at the school level, watch what it will become. They trust in each other, they believe in each other and they pick each other up. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Continued Crowder, who retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years, said,“We’re at the beginning of something great. It all started in a community-based rec softball team, and the kids did not have to pay.

“I couldn’t be prouder. I couldn’t be more supportive of both schools.”

Just a few of the Pickens players that Crowder has coached include: Alea Adams, Jessie Grace Hendricks and Addison Horn.

Green Wave freshman Journey Price is the starting left fielder for the varsity softball team and is an example of how the rec program has helped her. Price took some time to talk about her experience with rec softball.

“I really didn’t think I could get here (to varsity), but it proves that I could,” said the 14-year-old Price. “I did rec because I was taking a break from travel ball and I made a lot of friendships.”

According to the EHS website, a few of the other underclassmen who have a bright future for Green Wave softball include: Carmora Little, Payton Todd, Katie Briggs (“KB”) Marchbanks, Peyton Crowder and Emi Nalley.

Green Wave Golf: Just three weeks into the season, the Easley High School boys golf team is off to a 6-0 start in matches with wins over Pickens (twice), Daniel, Powdersville, Palmetto, and Westside. Their team low was a 156 at The Rock last Thursday. Jace Danbom and Hudson Clary have led the way. Danbom a low of 36 and Clary shot a low of 34.

JV Boys are 3-0 with wins over Westside, Pickens, and Liberty.

Coach Matt Smith and his Easley team will be hosting 13 Teams in the ‘Green Wave Invitational’ this week at Smithfields with some of the top teams in the state in the field.

Legion Baseball: There will be a Easley American Legion baseball players and coaches meeting on Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. at the post.