Choudrant’s on the clock

The Choudrant softball team welcomes your skepticism.

After entering the Division V Non-select playoff field as the No. 9 seed, the Lady Aggies felt from the get-go they were undervalued – viewed as a fun little story while the giants of Class B would inevitably march to Sulphur once again.

Well, Goliath is no more.

Choudrant advanced to the state tournament after its 8-7 win over No. 1 Holden (the fivetime defending Class B champions) Saturday and now the Lady Aggies begin their own march to Sulphur with a matchup against No. 4 Converse today at noon.

The Aggies will try and win their second state title in program history.

Choudrant senior Mattie Johnson knows this squad is accustomed to being overlooked and even though they’ve made it this far already, the Lady Aggies are still comfortable flying under the radar.

“We have nothing to lose,” Johnson said. “ We’re the number nine seed, and for the nine seed to be in the semifinals, and to beat the number one team, that’s something that usually doesn’t happen and so we have no pressure from anybody else. If we were to go all the way, that’s already amazing.

“The fact that we’re coming in as the number nine team and they aren’t expecting much from us; that’s what hurt Holden is they re-ally thought this was going to be easy but we’re a bunch of competitors and we have fun playing like that,” she added.

And if there’s one note that’s become clear in this playoff run for Choudrant: don’t come in outwardly boastful. You’re giving an already fired-up group lighter fluid.

The Lady Aggies heard doubt and flat-out dismissal from Holden players and parents ahead of the April 22 quarterfinal game.

Johnson and pitcher Holly Bennett said multiple Holden fans openly said the Lady Aggies didn’t know what was coming their way once first pitch got underway and turned the confidence of winning five straight championships into blinders.

Turns out, that’s right where Choudrant wants you.

By the time Holden realized what it was dealing with, the Lady Aggies opened a 5- 2 lead after two innings and held on to upset the Rockets.

“The Holden parents came in saying they were going to beat us and, ‘we didn’t know what was going to happen’ and I think we all just kind of got mad, and when we get mad, we tend to do well,” Johnson said. “ Nobody’s going to talk about us like that because we’re better than most people think we are.” Antley himself didn’t hear any trash talk but knows he’s coaching a group that never turns down an external motivator.

Once the Lady Aggies heard they were doubted once again, it was game over.

“They were telling things they had heard before the game that had happened over there, and how much truth is in it, I don’t know,” Antley said. “High school girls use anything they can to motivate themselves. They’ll use anything. And I’m glad. They’re not afraid of anyone.”

Holly Bennett, a sophomore, will get the start in the circle today against Converse after starting the Aggies’ three other playoff wins and the sophomore believes this year’s team rallies around doubt as well as it does because of the chemistry amongst the roster.

Most of these girls have played with each other before they even got to high school and Bennett said friendship can’t be overstated with this year’s team.

It’s what makes them want to fight for each other and why they believe they’re never out of a fight.

“We don’t scream at each other when we mess up. We just encourage each other to move on from it and go to the next play,” Bennett said. “We always have fun honestly. There’s never a dull moment on this team.”

An example of the natural fun?

Johnson and Bennett admit they convince, and oftentimes trick, Antley into appearing in their TikTok videos.

Whether it’s the funny differences in the generational divide between Antley and his team or the quirky trends they try and get Antley into, Johnson said the Aggies love the time they spend with each other and building a strong family environment under Antley’s coaching.

“I feel like he’s put a lot of our love back into it,” Johnson said. “He takes it seriously but at the same time he knows we’re going to make mistakes and we’re not perfect, and it’s supposed to be fun. At the end of the day, if we don’t enjoy being out here then he doesn’t really see the point in us being out here.”

Bennett appreciates Antley’s coaching style as well but added a succinct review of Antley’s TikTok appearances.

“He definitely is a TikTok star,” Bennett said with a laugh. “He always says the funniest things. He cracks us up. He’s like, ‘what are y’all filming me for?’” How does Antley feel on the matter?

For starters, he doesn’t understand the app, and secondly, doesn’t get the reason his players want him involved as much as they do.

But he does recognize the Aggies are better when they’re together – whether fueled by the laughter of TikTok humor or the collective anger from outside doubters.

And if that makes his team their best, he can stomach social media stardom.

“They try to get me in those things, and I try to stay out of them,” Antley said. “This is the selfiest-taking bunch I’ve ever seen in my life. They’ll sit beside me and act like they’re talking to me and try to throw it up and they get them, and I can’t help it. They’re always asking, ‘Coach, have you seen this TikTok? And I’m always saying, ‘I’m telling you; I don’t have it.’” So, as Choudrant takes the field today in Sulphur – one win away from playing for a state championship – remember this isn’t just the No. 9 seed from Lincoln Parish just happy to be on the big stage.

They know they deserve to be here. And if you still doubt, Antley and his team say good luck.

“ We believe we belong, but we want everyone else to still look at that nine and say, ‘Hey, they’re only a nine seed,’” Antley said. “That’s what we want.”