The following article was submitted and is the opinion of David W. Goodman.
The Lady Tigers softball team fell to the Hebron Lady Hawks 11-0 Friday night. It brought a sad end to a stellar season of over 20 wins. Hebron has a quality ball team, but this disaster of a game for a team that has won 10 of its last 11 games does not have a simple explanation.
Players and parents have a lot of unanswered concerns over the decisions made by the athletic department of Irving High school on the playoff arrangements that put their team in an unwinnable situation.
District 6-5A had four bi-district games with district 5-5A. The playoff arrangements for L.D. Bell, Grapevine and Colleyville were for a three game series with district 5-5A. Why was it different for Irving High? Hebron High coaches wanted a three game series, why was it refused by Irving High coach Joshua Luttrall.
The playoff sites for the other three teams from District 6-5A were on a neutral field and/or home for home. Why did the Lady Tigers have to play one game at their opponent’s home field? The Hebron coaches wanted a neutral site, why was this refused by Coach Luttrall.
Why was the officiating crew of such poor quality as to appear to constantly favor the home team in their decisions and in their display of sloppy mechanics in overseeing the game. Does a playoff game not deserve the highest quality of officiating? These officials were scratched by a number of coaches in other districts for their poor skills and yet they were allowed to umpire this game.
Why did the Lady Tigers appear to be so, lethargic and unprepared for this type of contest? Eight errors were committed by players that openly expressed their feelings of betrayal for a coach that would not listen. Many of the players stated after the game that they wished they had another opportunity to play another game to prove which team was truly the best. The one person that could have given the hard working comeback kids that opportunity did not have their back when they needed it most.
These are the questions that outline the situation that doomed a team after a fine season for the Lady Tiger Softball team that came from nowhere to shine in competition for the 2013 season.
All but two of the players on the team this year are underclassmen. The parents feel that the ten returning players deserve better than to be placed in another unwinnable scenario. Changes need to be made in the decision making of the Irving athletic department before they set another team up for disaster.
