Tony Terry just wanted a couple minutes to step back and take it all in.
Moments after his Lady Whippets had closed out a sweep of Lawrence County to win the MHSAA Class 4A State Fast-Pitch Softball Championship, the veteran
Kosciusko Head coach began to field questions from reporters, as well as be congratulated by friends and supporters. But that really was not on his mind at that time; he just wanted to watch and absorb every precious moment of what had just happened.
"My favorite part of the whole thing was watching the kids celebrate," Terry said. "People wanted to talk to me, but I just wanted to watch them hug each other and run around and do whatever they wanted to do. That is what you coach for."
And while he watched, he wasn't just thinking of the 2018 version of the Lady Whippets that he saw make two dramatic comebacks to sweep Lawrence County 9-7 and 5-2 on Thursday and Friday at the University of Southern Mississippi's softball complex in Hattiesburg. No, he was seeing much more than that.
"This championship is for everybody who has ever worn the uniform," Terry said by phone on Monday afternoon. "Some mighty good teams and some mighty good players have come through here.
"The last few days I have been on the phone with a lot of former players. They all were excited and I made sure to tell them that each and every one of them was a part of this."
After a stint as pitching coach for the KHS baseball team in the last 1990s and early 2000s, Terry became head softball coach in the spring of 2005. They were a solid 14-6 the first year and won 27 games the third season.
"We have had some really good teams," Terry said. "I was pretty demanding at that point, but I have eased up a little bit. They bought into what I was selling and they worked hard."
The last four years Kosy has played for the North State championship, finally winning that title and advancing to the state championship last year, where they lost in two games.
Terry said last year's team broke through the barrier by winning the North State title, but that this year's team was determined to take it a step further.
"I just saw something in them," he said. "Last year's trip to the state championship gave them great confidence. Last year we stayed out there an hour and a half celebrating (after winning North State). This year they elaborated for about 10 minutes and then began to focus on what was next. I'm around them all the time and I can get a pretty good read on them. This year I really thought we would win."
That faith in his team and their faith in each other paid big dividends last Thursday as they rallied from a 7-1 deficit in the seventh inning to take a dramatic extra-inning win over Lawrence County.
"This team just did not give up," Terry said. "They just refused to lose."
While a state championship is a big deal anywhere, Terry said the community atmosphere in Kosciusko makes it even better.
"The fan and community support is amazing," Terry said. "They make the atmosphere at our games something special. Coaches tell me all the time that it's different playing here than anywhere else. Our fans are ringing cowbells and shouting Maroon and White and the crowds are great."
He said this championship is for even more than his current and past players and coaches.
"It's for everybody," he said."
The community certainly responded on Friday night.
While the team was enjoying their celebration meal at a seafood restaurant near Hattiesburg, the community was already getting ready to welcome home their heroes.
"We got in about 11:30 that night and there were probably 300 people waiting on us," he said. "They greeted the bus with a police escort. We had those blue lights leading us and people were lined up on both sides of the road headed into the softball field. It was really something special. It's something none of us will ever forget and made all the hard work and effort worth it."
And on Monday afternoon while Terry was busy preparing for the athletic banquet that night, he was also making plans for what was next — his 15th season as head coach of the Lady Whippets.
"We have tryouts Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday," he said. "I believe this is going to help us in the future as well," he said of the championship. "We have already built a good program. You don't play for that many North State championships without doing things the right way. But now we have broken through. I can't wait to see what's next.”
