Tiftarea Academy’s Lady Panthers meet in the circle with then-coach Rob Flick during a 2023 game.

CHULA — Tiftarea Academy softball is taking steps towards the upcoming 2024 softball season. Head coach Chance Benson described their practices as good at the end of June.

The lineup this year will be a bit different, however. “We’re young,” said Benson. “We’re so young.”

District 3-AAA should not start celebrating yet. Benson said they are impressing him each day. and historically, it’s seemed that every time Tiftarea has a young softball team, they come of age quickly and keep making deep playoff runs.

He said many are playing travel ball this summer.

The lineup is already a close one. “I love the way they interact,” Benson said. Katelyn Brown is the lone senior on the team and is stepping up well into a leadership role.

Tiftarea went 16-5 in 2023 — winning 3-AAA with a 9-1 mark — but graduated four seniors, all of whom were major contributors to the lineup, at the plate, on the field and in the circle. Three had started multiple years for the Lady Panthers.