COSBY — Anytime Cosby and Hancock County go head-to-head, the game at hand will not be for the faint of heart.
Cosby softball coach Mike Bryant is all too aware of that fact, noting that these games “are intense from start to finish, and they are extremely competitive with a lot of emotion.”
That’s what happens in a rivalry that has been labeled by some across this area as the high school version of Duke versus North Carolina.
So when Cosby emerged with a 3-2 win in their softball matchup on Monday, using grit to move past the Indians on a beautiful spring afternoon on The Hill?
Well, Bryant — who, along with every other coach, knows he is judged in part by how his teams perform against this rival — could not have been happier.
“It’s that important,” said Bryant, who noted “one of the big takeaways (he) got was how this team was able to respond.”
“They scored, we responded and took the lead, then they tied it up and we took the lead back,” said Bryant. “Then when they tried to respond in the top of the seventh inning, the girls shut them down.”
Reese Michaels threw all seven innings for Cosby, as the Lady Eagles relied on her steadfast approach in a matchup of this magnitude.
Cosby also relied on its defense, which has been brought back to full health since the return of Shylee Weeks at shortstop.
Weeks showed off her glove early Monday, snagging a pop-up for the second out of the game.
After the grab, Weeks jogged over to Michaels, and they shared a grin that reinforces the bond these seniors share — the kind of bond that makes Bryant confident in his team at the plate and in the field, regardless of opponent.
Cosby rewarded that confidence in a big way Monday, showcasing a resilience that made Bryant proud.
“We made our share of mistakes,” he said, “and that allowed them to score. But we made plays when we needed to.
“I told the girls after the game that anytime you cannot play your best game and still find a way to win is a good day! And anytime we can beat Hancock Co. Is a good day!”
Cosby will look to do the same again Friday, traveling to Sneedville for the second part of this week’s series.
But Monday’s win was certainly an excellent first step.
“It’s so good to get a huge district win at home,” said Bryant. “That puts a lot of pressure on them going into Friday’s game up there. That puts our destiny in our own hands.”
Still, knowing the ferocity of this rivalry, Bryant is all too aware that the Lady Indians will be ready to strike back.
“Hancock will be like a hurt wildcat backed into a corner come Friday,” he said. “So we have to expect that and match that same energy.”
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