Stealing the Show(case): Area prepares for softball spectacular
Apr. 12—CANNONSBURG — The Tri-State Showcase hit another growth spurt this year and added another diamond destination to the midseason menagerie of softball that will descend on the area this weekend.
Boyd County coach Dave Wheeler, one of the founders of the event, said the aspiring list of attendees keeps expanding every season.
The Showcase turns 8 years old tonight after Ashland coach Scott Ingram and Wheeler envisioned an opportunity to host their own softball show that would challenge their teams instead of making travel plans to find one.
Wheeler occupied the Russell coach's box in 2016 and brought the event to Boyd County two years later. It was held on one day in its infancy. It has become a softball smorgasbord with 32 teams from three states playing 41 games over three days.
Wheeler spends all year making sure every detail is in place, but also takes a little time to appreciate what the Showcase has become.
"When we get it set up, it usually runs itself," Wheeler said. "When it's over, we still will have 24 or 25 teams that are already committed for next year. It's one of the biggest events in the state. It features really good players with several of them going to Kentucky, Virginia Tech and Marshall. It's a good brand of ball."
"It keeps spreading by word of mouth," he added. "We have Oak Hills from Cincinnati this year. They're a solid program. We heard through a connection that they wanted to come down and experience it."
Bath County has experienced what the Showcase has to offer, and now the Wildcats are excited to show visiting teams what Owingsville has to offer when they proudly display their facilities to Oak Hills and Sacred Heart on Friday night.
Williams said he will be interested to see the reaction of their opponents from the big city when they drive up to the secluded field.
"I'm sure when these teams get off the interstate and get on the road to the field, that's actually in the middle of a cornfield," Williams said, "they might think, my goodness, where are we going? We have a nice place here. It gives us a chance to show off the hard work our parks and recreation department and our school has put into this facility."
Oak Hills brings a 7-0 record, according to the team website, to Owingsville. The Highlanders have outscored their opponents, 53-7, this year.
Bath County enters the Showcase with its battle scars. Williams said the team's slate of games at spring break was some of the toughest he's seen during his time with the Wildcats.
The team arrived back home and immediately played district rival and unbeaten Rowan County in the Kentucky 2A, Section 6 semifinals on Tuesday. Williams said his team is ready for another challenge. They may not be aware of the gravity of the moment, but they are always ready to play.
"I don't know if my team realizes what this week's schedule entailed," Williams said. "It was a big week for us. It's the first year for us in the Kentucky 2A. We don't know anything about Oak Hills. We know that Sacred Heart had a pretty good basketball team. We don't have much history with Lawrence County. They're a good softball team."
"I never worry about the mental side of it," he added. "We've had hard weeks before. It was probably one of the most challenging trips we've had during spring break as far as the level of competition and pitching. We will take them one game at a time and see what happens."
Spring break trips serve a purpose, but Ingram feels the Showcase plays a significant role for every team in the field.
"It was kind of the thought process behind it," Ingram said of the timing of the Showcase. "It is different every year, depending on when your spring break happens. (The Showcase) is right at the halfway point of the year. All the early season stuff is over and out of your system. You can reevaluate where you are heading into the second half. You play good opponents, and you take it from there."
Scheduling the Showcase can become a challenging task. Teams can rely on one thing. The level of competition will always make the trip worthwhile.
"It's good to keep getting more teams involved," Ingram said. "We are always recruiting. Dave does a good job with this tournament. He does the heavy lifting. I always give him credit for that. I would say when you put out a good product, and that is what we've done, the word will spread. Word of mouth has helped. It has a good reputation now and you know when you come down here that you will not waste your time no matter who you are playing."
"I believe it's more attractive for Ohio and West Virginia teams as well," he continued, "because they only get so many non-conference games. When you play in the showcase, you are going to get tested."
The Showcase starts tonight with one game at Boyd County's new softball field. Greenup County and Rowan County had to delay their arrival because the two will face off in the Kentucky 2A, Section 6 final in Lloyd.
Boyd County will play Spring Valley, West Virginia, at 5:45. A junior varsity game will follow.
The softball extravaganza will continue on Friday and Saturday at six different locations that include Boyd County's new and old softball field, Ashland, Russell, Raceland and East Carter. Bath County will only host on Friday night.
Saturday's schedule will be the highlight of the weekend with 26 games. Sacred Heart, Highlands and Pulaski County are relative newcomers to the Showcase as it continues to stretch the spotlight throughout Kentucky.
Wheeler believes the event continues to empower area players and programs.
"It gives our players the chance to play good teams in their own environment," Wheeler said. "It means something. We have good facilities and beautiful campuses here. There's a lot to offer and we're trying to take advantage of it."
"Hosting this showcase, we have been able to put in an outside batting cage," he added. "It brings in money to offset the cost of anything we do in our programs, including spring break trips. It's the whole tri-state that comes together. It takes everybody involved to make it work so that every team can have a successful experience."
2023 Tri-State Showcase Schedule
TODAY
BOYD COUNTY (NEW COMPLEX)
5:45 P.M. SPRING VALLEY, W. Va VS BOYD COUNTY
7:00 P.M. JV— SPRING VALLEY, W. Va VS BOYD COUNTY
FRIDAY
BOYD COUNTY (NEW COMPLEX)
5:00 P.M. BOYD CO VS HUNTINGTON W. Va
7:00 P.M. SYMMES VALLEY, OHIO VS CABELL MIDLAND W. Va
9:00 P.M. LINCOLN COUNTY, W. Va VS BOYLE COUNTY
BOYD COUNTY (OLD COMPLEX)
5:00 P.M. LINCOLN COUNTY, W. Va VS IRONTON
7:00 P.M. IRONTON VS ROWAN COUNTY
ASHLAND
6:00 P.M. FLEMING COUNTT VS JOHNSON CENTRAL
8:00 P.M. FRANKLIN COUNTY VS ASHLAND
RUSSELL
5:30 P.M. RUSSELL VS SPRING VALLEY, W. Va
7:00 P.M. HIGHLANDS VS GREENUP COUNTY
RACELAND
5:15 P.M. RACELAND VS SCOTT, W. Va
7:00 P.M. PULASKI COUNTY VS WHEELERSBURG OHIO
EAST CARTER
6:00 P.M. LEWIS COUNTY VS MONTGOMERY COUNTY
8:00 P.M. EAST CARTER VS SCOTT, W. Va
BATH COUNTY
6:00 P.M. OAK HILLS, OHIO VS BATH COUNTY
8:00 P.M. SACRED HEART VS BATH COUNTY
SATURDAY
BOYD COUNTY (NEW COMPLEX
10:00 A.M. IRONTON VS BOYD COUNTY
12:00 P.M. LINCOLN COUNTY, W. Va VS LEWIS COUNTY
2:00 P.M. LAWRENCE COUNTY VS PULASKI COUNTY
4:00 P.M. LINCOLN COUNTY, W. Va VS PORTSMOUTH WEST, OHIO
BOYD COUNTY (OLD COMPLEX)
10:00 A.M. PULASKI COUNTY VS SCOTT, W. Va
12:00 P.M. PORTSMOUTH WEST, OHIO VS JOHNSON CENTRAL
2:00 P.M. JOHNSON CENTRAL VS OAK HILLS, OHIO
4:00 P.M. LAWRENCE COUNTY VS BATH COUNTY
ASHLAND
2:00 P.M. MONTGOMERY COUNTY VS HUNTINGTON, W. Va
4:00 P.M. MONTGOMERY COUNTY VS ASHLAND
6:00 P.M. HUNTINGTON, W. Va VS ASHLAND
RUSSELL
9:30 A.M. OAK HILLS, OHIO VS SYMMES VALLEY, OHIO
12:00 P.M. FRANKLIN COUNTY VS HURRICANE, W. Va
2:00 P.M. SYMMES VALLEY, OHIO VS HURRICANE, W. Va
4:00 P.M. RUSSELL VS FRANKLIN COUNTY
6:00 P.M. RUSSELL VS WEST CARTER
RACELAND
10:00 A.M. RACELAND VS CABELL MIDLAND, W. Va
12:00 P.M. SACRED HEART VS FLEMING COUNTY
2:00 P.M. BOYLE COUNTY VS ROWAN COUNTY
4:00 P.M. RACELAND VS BOYLE COUNTY
6:00 P.M. LEWIS COUNTY VS CABELL MIDLAND, W. Va
EAST CARTER
10:00 A.M. SPRING VALLEY, W. Va VS HIGHLANDS
12:00 P.M. EAST CARTER VS HIGHLANDS
2:00 P.M. EAST CARTER VS PIKEVILLE
4:00 P.M. SACRED HEART VS GREENUP COUNTY
6:00 P.M. FLEMING COUNTY VS PIKEVILLE
