Scenic City Fall Showcase: Recap of the Season’s Biggest Club Event

You can forgive Jeremy Higdon, the head of Connect Sports–producers of last weekend’s 2023 Scenic City Fall Showcase—if he sounds a bit exhausted.

The prestigious travel softball tournament saw teams compete from 38 different states and in front of nearly 500 college coaches at the two-day (Nov. 4-5) fastpitch event held in Chattanooga, Tenn. for the Top 25 Division, and also in Dalton, Ga. for the Open Divisions.

“I can’t thank the club coaches, players, parents, college coaches, event staff, parks crews, umpires, our local municipalities, and our Connect Sports team enough for continuing to make this event better and better year after year,” Higdon told Extra Inning Softball on Monday.

Not just an event producer, he is also a club coach in the Fury Platinum club program and was very appreciative of the cross-country representation of teams this year, especially from West of the Mississippi.

“We were so pleased with an influx of West Coast teams that we haven’t seen in the past,” Higdon continued. “Nearly 50 teams from California, Arizona, and Washington made the cross-country trip.”

While the purpose of the event is to get exposure and experience for the players and teams ranging in age from 18U down to 14U, the competitors also want to win and that’s what teams from two of the top organizations in the country pulled off last weekend.

In the 18U Top 25 Division, Corey Mathis’ Arizona Storm National team followed up winning the PGF Shootout the week before by taking home another highly-coveted trophy.

The coach explained that he loved the format of the event and also how his team rose to the challenge.

“It was a great event for competition and college coaches,” Mathis began. “It’s the Top 25 teams in the country based on last year’s finish and most games were seven innings and there wasn’t a bad team in the tournament.”

Even though the title match wasn’t held because the Storm’s opponent, Athletics – Mercado/Smith had to catch a flight back to California, the AZ Storm leader couldn’t have been happier with how the two days played out.

“My team killed it in all areas this weekend,” Mathis said. “We scored 53 runs in seven games and only gave up seven. Our pitching is really good this year but so is our offense and defense. No one person stands out because we batted .376 as a team and hit 11 home runs against some of the best pitching in the country. I also love how strong the chemistry is already so early in the season.”

In the 16U Top 25 Division, the Beverly Bandits National team from Michigan headed by Dean Freeland went back to the Midwest with some nice hardware in hand.

“It was an outstanding event with unbelievable competition!” Coach Freeland said. “We really came together as a true team and every single player contributed.”

“Led by the trio of Angie Eakman (2026 right-hander), Jaden Gohs (2025 right-hander) and Aubrey Strelow (2025 left-hander), our pitching was rock solid.”

“Offensively, Mak Sitarski (2025 outfielder), Emmy Coulter (2025 outfielder) and Mykayla Van Vossen (2026 middle infielder) seemed to be on all the time allowing the rest of kids to hit them in. Addie Trackwell (2026 outfielder) and Callie Shaulis (2025 catcher) were also on fire all weekend and, as a team, we played solid defense every single game.”

Another successful November showcase in the books, Higdon was especially appreciative of how all the elements came together, especially for those in blue behind the plate and the many folks who helped with facilities and running the showcase.

“We have placed an emphasis this year on our umpire experience and growing that community,” he said. “It paid dividends and will continue to enhance the overall experience for everyone in the future.”

“And we feel so fortunate for the investment that Chattanooga and the surrounding communities continue to make in youth softball,” Coach Higdon concluded.

“We couldn’t host this event without their efforts.”

The 2023 Scenic City Fall Ultimate Fastpitch Experience was BIGGER and BETTER than EVER 💯See you next time 🤩 #ConnectSportsEvents #TheUltimateFastpitchExperience pic.twitter.com/XipVdI05Y3

— Connect Sports (@ConnectSports_) November 6, 2023

*****

2023 Scenic City Fall Showcase Top Finishers

18U

18U Top 25 Division

Final Four

• Arizona Storm National – Mathis (CHAMPION)*
• Athletics Mercado – Smith (RUNNER UP)*
• Fury Platinum X – Higdon (3^rdplace)
• Select Fastpitch (3^rd place)

* = teams did not play championship game due to travel constraints

18U Open Division 

Standout teams 

• Team NC Huss (4-0)
• Tampa Mustangs – Torres (4-0-1)
• Southern Force 18U National Palmer (5-0)
• Washington Ladyhawks 18U – Miller/Simpson (4-1)
• Firecrackers Wallace (5-0)

*****

16U

16U Top 25 Division

Final Four

• Beverly Bandits Premier – Freeland (CHAMPION)
• Georgia Impact – Holcombe (RUNNER UP)
• Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier 2026 – Thompson (3^rd place)
• Athletics Mercado – Hovermale (3^rd place)

16U Super Pool Division 

Standout teams 

• Beverly Bandits Premier – Hardin (4-1)
• Fury Platinum National Davenport & Team NC Newell/Huffman (3-0-2)
• Impact Gold National 07 Wilmore (5-0)
• Rock Gold Premier – de Leon/Manetta (5-0)
• So Cal Athletics – Marinakis (5-0)
• NC Challengers Premier – Renzi (4-0-1)
• Tampa Mustangs 09 – Pynes (4-0-1)
• Impact Gold Premier 2025 – Warrick (4-1)
• Team NC – Baylog/Tracy (4-1)

*****

14U

14U Open Division 

Standout teams 

• Firecrackers Leles- Ortiz/Tucker (4-1)
• Ohio Stingrays 2009 (4-1)
• Tennessee Thunderbolts 2027 – West (5-0)
• OH Thunderbolts 2027 – Williamson (4-1)
• Fusion 14U National Unruh/Hobgood (5-0)

14U Super Pool Division

Standout teams 

• Fury Platinum X Pickett (4-0)
• Atlanta Viper Gold 09 – Crenshaw (4-1)
• TN Mojo 2027 – Pardue (4-1)
• Fury Premier 2027 Robinson (5-0)

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