Lady Dragons coach reflects on 2024 season and seniors
‘We knew this was going to be a special class for Clinton’
2024 Lady Dragons seniors were Marissa Eccles, Allyson Bender, Bree McKamey, Tomi Taylor, Heaven Britt-Kimbriel, and (not pictured) Tamara Rynes. (photo:Tony Cox )
The Lady Dragons, however, came up a little short of winning the Region 2-AAA championship and ultimately making a trip to the Spring Fling and the state tournament in Murfreesboro.
Clinton dropped a 7-0 decision to end its season last month, falling to eventual Region 2-AAA champion and state runner-up Carter in Strawberry Plains. The Lady Hornets defeated state power Gibbs at home in the region title game only to see the Lady Eagles exact some revenge in the state title game.
“There’s an empty feeling, and we feel like we have some unfinished business,” Clinton Coach Leonard Sams said. “Carter surprised me. They really did, and they surprised us.
“But when we see them next time, we’ll be ready.”
Despite a shorter postseason run than they had hoped for, the Lady Dragons’ senior class graduated and left the school as the most-decorated class in CHS program history.
After the season, Clinton said farewell to six seniors, all of whom left a big mark on the program.
Bree McKamey, Tomi Taylor. Heaven Britt-Kimbriel, Marissa Eccles, Allyson Bender and Tamara Rynes have now moved on, but they won’t soon be forgotten.
All these players contributed to the success that the Lady Dragons have enjoyed on the diamond in recent years.
“We knew that this was going to be a special class for Clinton, the one that set the bar,” Sams said. “They went to the region three times in a row after their freshman year. No other team has ever done that. This group was obviously our best senior class.
“They were also the first class that I had all the way through, from the time they were in the seventh grade,” he said. “This is a special group of young ladies. I’m very proud of all these young ladies and I miss them already.”
Three of those players, McKamey, Taylor and Eccles will continue their softball careers in college. McKamey is headed to Roane State Community College. Taylor is off to Maryville College, and Eccles looks to continue her career at Lincoln Memorial University.
“Three of these girls will play in college, and [Britt-Kimbriel] could’ve played college softball, but she chose another direction,” Sams said.
McKamey was one of the area’s top two-way players during her high school career. In 2024, she hit .378 with two home runs and 29 RBIs. She also had nine doubles, one triple and five stolen bases.
In the circle, she had 193 strikeouts last season, a single-season record. She also holds the career record, recording 661 punchouts in four years with the Lady Dragons.
“Bree is a great player,” Sams said. “She set another record this year for strikeouts and we’ll miss her.”
Taylor was a steady force in the middle infield, playing shortstop for Clinton, which won 19 games in 2024 and finished second in the District 4-AAA regular-season standings and was the district tournament runner-up.
She was the Lady Dragons’ leadoff hitter. She hit a team-high seven home runs. She posted a .331 batting average and had six stolen bases. She also came up with 13 doubles and three triples.
“She’s going to be hard to replace in the leadoff spot,” Sams said of Taylor. “A leadoff hitter can make your team go or make your team stall.
“She did a great job setting things up for our other girls in the lineup.”
Britt-Kimbriel hit .325 and was the Lady Dragons’ catcher. She was a standout defensively, posting a .986 fielding percentage.
“She was our catcher and she was a leader for us,” Sams said. “She had a .986 fielding percentage and that’s simply outstanding.”
Eccles, the Clinton centerfielder, was another elite area defender. She recorded a .978 fielding percentage.
“Marissa was great for us defensively,” Sams said. “She only made one error in center field all year, and that’s simply phenomenal.
“She took control of the outfield from the day she got here as a freshman,” he said. “She was a field general in the outfield. and I never had to worry about anything out there for as long as she was there.”
Bender didn’t get much playing time, but Sams said she was key to the team’s success.
“Allyson is just a smart kid; she showed up and worked every day,” Sams said. “She was one of those girls [who] didn’t quite get as much playing time as you would’ve liked for her to have.
“But she worked hard and she did the things that most players wouldn’t want to do. She’s a great kid,” Sams said.
Rynes was another player who was a force behind the scenes. She didn’t find her way into the lineup often. Still, she played a key role.
“She was our bullpen catcher,” Sams said. “She’s a hard worker and a great kid.”