Tift players, from left: Devyn Sand, Abigail Henderson, Gracee Wood, Gabbi Driggers, Alayna Batten, Macy Hand, Lora Lee Bennett, Camryn Collier, Bailee Williams. Coaches are Stan Wood, Brian Hand and Danny Gay.

TIFTON — The Tift County All-Stars 12U softball team are set to hit the road this week, hoping to bring the big state trophy back to their hometown.

State kicks off Tuesday at Augusta’s Diamond Lakes Youth Complex with Tift County scheduled to play Troup County at 2 p.m.

“We have a good chance of winning state,” said Stan Wood, who coaches the team. The group is an experienced one. Six of the 10 athletes play travel ball for him.

“They’ve played rec ball together this season,” Wood said.

Tift heads to state after a remarkable run through the District 3 tournament in late June in Bainbridge.

The squad won their opener June 23 via a 13-3 score against Grady County, but ran into Bainbridge later that day, dropping a 7-5 contest.

Fortunately, the tournament was double elimination. Play resumed June 25.

Wood said these games were “back-to-back-to-back.” Tift defeated Grady County, 10-2, to reach the finials against Bainbridge. Bainbridge had not lost a game in the tournament, meaning Tift had not only to defeat them twice, but also on Bainbridge’s own turf.

Tift won the rematch against Bainbridge, 9-3. In the tournament’s ultimate game, Tift won by a 12-1 score.

Wood said the final contest wrapped at midnight. Two pitchers, Gracee Wood and Lora Lee Bennett, were responsible for all three games.

“A good group of girls,” he said. “A good group of parents.”

Other team members are Alayna Batten, Camryn Collier, Macy Hand, Abigail Henderson, Devyn Sand and Bailee Williams. Wood, Danny Gay and Brian Hand are coaches.

State is the next step for Tift County.

If the team can get past Troup County in the first round, they will meet the winner of Swainsboro-Emanuel County and South Bryan on Wednesday, according to the official Georgia Recreation and Park Association bracket. Like district, state is also double elimination. The finals will be Thursday.

Physically getting to state has not been an easy task. The team sold Goo-Goo Express Wash Cards at the Tifton Mall last week. They have also set up a GoFundMe account at www.gofundme.com/tift-county-softball-goes-to-state. Wood has also been looking for a van to carry the team.