Many of the 33-years in between the Smyrna softball state championship game appearances were very lean. It was just a few years ago wins were very hard to come by for the program. This year, they're the best in the state...

Bryan Barrett and Jon Dinkins had the call on WGNS State Farm Prep Sports as Smyrna defeated Dickson County 6-3 Friday to claim the Class Triple-A Blue Cross Spring Fling Softball State Championship. Behind strong pitching and clutch hitting by junior MaKenzie Prince, the Lady Bulldogs raced through the month of May undefeated to their first state title. They finished runner up in 1980, in only the second year of softball being a sanctioned T-Double-S-Double-A sport. They join Riverdale, who won it all in 2009, as the only two teams from Rutherford County to win a state championship in softball.

Spring Fling also included seven individual state titles for local athletes. Kip Kahler and Mark Claiborne won the doubles tennis title this year, the first state championship in the school's 51-year history. Siegel's doubles team of Ashlee Boles and Marissa Kovach won the Triple-A tennis championship. That was a Rutherford County first. In Central Magnet's brief three-year history, Andre Hillsman left his mark. He won the Class A-Double-A medal in the 3,200 and the team won the 4-by-800 relay. Oakland senior Brock Baker won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 events as well, taking all three medals for the first time in Rutherford County history. Congratulations are also in order for the Riverdale girl's 4-by-200 relay team, which captured the title earlier in the week. Adding to it all, the fact sports facilities in Rutherford County were highlighted all week with the championships being held in the "Heart of Tennessee," and the 20th year for the Blue Cross Spring Fling was special in so many ways. WGNS congratulates all Rutherford County athletes on an outstanding year.