MaxPreps Florida Team of the Week: Tate softball

When Melinda Wyatt took over for the then-winningest softball coach in Florida State history, Charlene Varnell (597 wins), she could have only hoped for the type of team she has now.

The Tate (Cantonment, Fla.) Aggies are 24-3 and in the state Final Four of the 7A playoffs. They take on St. Thomas Aquinas in Friday's semifinals in Vero Beach, Fla., known as Dodgertown.

"We've never won a state (fastpitch) title, but this is definitely the most talented team I've had in 10 years as head coach," Wyatt said. "They could break the string."

Number one in the state according to the MaxPreps Computer Rankings, Tate has outscored opponents 263-61.

For their ranking, talent and accomplishments on the field thus far, the Aggies are the MaxPreps Florida Team of the Week, presented by the Florida National Guard.

"It's a great honor and I hope we can back it up with a couple of wins," Wyatt said.

Tate is led by their five seniors, all of whom have signed college scholarships, and junior hurler Tori Perkins (20-2, 0.66 ERA, 180 strikeouts, 137.2 innings).

"At the beginning of the year I knew I had a strong senior class with a lot of talent and the junior class was strong and right there with them," said Wyatt. "We've kept our same practice routine and try to stay loose. I don't give them many days off because I want them to touch the ball everyday and stay focused."

Perkins has already committed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. That is also where senior second baseman Rachel Dunsford, who has smacked four of her team's 19 home runs this season, will head next year.

"Not only is Tori our workhorse on the mound, but she is also a tremendous athlete," said Wyatt. "She's a very good defensive position player. On the mound, if she gives up a fly ball or a grounder, she has all the confidence in her team behind her and vice versa. Her team has a lot of confidence in her and I think they compliment each other well. Last year, Tori was in some tough games and she's grown up a lot and worked hard to improve this season."

Tate is located just 12 miles from the Alabama border on the westernmost tip of the Florida panhandle.

Dunsford also leads the team with a .467 average to go along with 27 RBIs.

"Rachel is a multi-position player and a dual defensive player, so she has the whole package," said Wyatt. "She's been playing high school ball with us since seventh grade and she's been coming to our camps we put on since she was seven or eight years old, so I've known Rachel for a long time. It seems like she's been around and on the team forever, but I know next year I'm for sure going to notice when she's not out there. Rachel is our best hitter and a great student. She is one of those types of kids who you just really enjoy being able to coach."

Other senior players who have earned scholarships for the Aggies are infielder Brooke Howell, center fielder Bailey Burk, infielder Bridget Dall and catcher Kaylen Rowell.

Rowell (.414) leads the team with 35 RBIs and is one of four girls with three home runs. The others are Perkins, junior Casey McCrackin and junior Rachel Wright.

Lauren Brennan is second on the team with 32 RBIs, followed by Perkins and Dunsford (27), Dall (24) and Wright (23). Brennan and Burk are each hitting .412.

"It's a close-knit group," Wyatt said. "Most of them have been playing together forever. They do everything together."

Most important, they play the game together very well. Last week, they won 10-0 over Navarre and 5-1 over East Ridge.

"At the very beginning of the season, we sat down as a group and had a little talk to see what direction we wanted to take the team," said Wyatt. "I told the players that it was up to them to follow through with that plan. The whole year, the seniors have been accountable for the team. That has been their job and responsibility. This is what the senior group has been expected to do."

Last year, the Aggies went 21-5 but didn't play in the state tournament, despite a 14-0 district record.

In St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), the Aggies face a squad (28-2) that is ranked fourth in the state and won the state 7A title last season.

"We've never played them and we know they are very, very good," Wyatt said. "But I know we're very, very good also. ...

"We know that we can only control what Tate does, not what other teams do. Sometimes we don't know what our opponents are like and so we have to come out and play how Tate plays. Each game this year we have approached the same way and tried to come out strong and play our personal best. We look at games like a boxing match, where we have to win seven rounds and the girls have really bought into that and have taken that into their own hands."

MaxPreps editorial assistant Kirstin Beal contributed to this report.

Do you know a team that deserves consideration for Florida Team of the Week? Email us with your nominations at FLteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.