Andrews – This year, Lady Wildcats head coach Matt Mealer is just trying to make sure his team can play to its fullest potential.
Entering the March 29 contest against Hayesville, he didn’t think they had gotten there yet. But he thought they got there against the Lady Jackets, besting them 8-3 for the program’s first Smoky Mountain Conference win since 2018.
“We didn’t let anything distract us,” Mealer said. “There really weren’t any negatives from the game.”
It hasn’t been an easy start to the season for Andrews, but Mealer hopes the win will be something to build off. The Lady Wildcats lost to Hayesville 9-4 and 16-0, then 14-2 and 14-4 to Cherokee. The day before beating the Lady Jackets, Andrews lost to Hiwassee Dam 27-4.
Mealer just wants his team to believe in themselves, which is something the coaching staff and parents already do. He thinks the win was a sign of what can happen if they buy in.
It’s just more a matter of believing in your own self-value and self-worth and the abilities that they possess,” Mealer said. “Right now, it’s just a matter of believing. Tuesday they bought in they believed; that game wasn’t a coaching win.”
Andrews (1-6 overall, 1-3 Smoky Mountain Conference) played Hayesville (3-3, 1-3) again Friday but lost 16-8. Mealer still found some positives to take away from the game.
Both Carley Clark and Emily Mealer hit home runs, and that was Emily’s second homer of the season. Summer Garrett has also hit a home run this year, and Matt Mealer isn’t sure the last time Andrews had three players hit homers in a season.
“I try to be positive whenever possible,” Mealer said. “Because we do want to build these girls up. We’re not in the business of tearing them down.”
Weather permitting, Andrews played Hiwassee Dam on Tuesday, after the Cherokee Scout went to press, then will play the Lady Eagles again Friday.