3A SOFTBALL: Golden Falcons show faith in teammates, God each time on diamond

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on June 2, 2016 1:48 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Two lines form a cross on the pitcher's mound.

It doesn't mark the standing location of a thrower or art resulting from a player's boredom.

The cross, however, represents Charles B. Aycock senior Allie Phillips' faith in the God she and her team play for -- in every game -- on every field.

"People ask me, like, 'What are you doing?'," Phillips said. "I'm drawing a cross."

The top-seeded Golden Falcons face Enka in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3-A softball championship series, which begin Friday at the UNC Greensboro Softball Stadium.

The cross will be present.

Phillips, who has thrown 99 strikeouts and allowed only 38 walks during 89 innings this season, will sign her unwavering faith in the sand, with her cleats displaying three important words to the Golden Falcons -- "Play for God".

"Usually before a game...I'll put on my hand, 'P for G', or on my cleats I have 'P for G'," Phillips said. "I always play for Him, no matter what. When I'm pitching, I always put a cross before I pitch to remind me that God and my defense is behind me no matter where I am at."

The Golden Falcons adopted the "P for G" after they won the 2012 state 3-A title against Newton Foard.

After every pre-game huddle, CBA head coach Lavon Matthews and his team yell "Play for God" to signal their allegiance to God, who the Golden Falcons believe is the reason they are even playing.

"It made a couple of coaches mad we were writing on their field," Matthews said. "We didn't care. We were playing for God, and all these girls feel that we would not be here if was not for Him."

Senior shortstop and Meredith commit Maddie Walton believes playing softball is not only for extra-curricular activities, but for sharing God's message to fans on and off the field.

"I think it ("Play for God") kind of just keeps me humble," she said. "And I know that not just me but every one of my teammates, all of our talents come from God, and if it wasn't for Him, we wouldn't have the ability to do what we do and what we love to do.

"I think playing ball is one way we can help spread His word through our actions and how we carry ourselves on the field. It helps me know that no matter what kind of game I have, if I have the best game of my life or if I have the worst game I've ever played, I know it's ultimately up to Him."

"P for G" will be drawn on the field Friday.

The Jets, the reigning state champions, will hear the words when Aycock breaks its huddle.

Matthews knows a challenge awaits for his Golden Falcons.

"They (Enka) got a good ball team," Matthews said. "They got a girl committed to Alabama. She's a good ball player. We played Orange and they got two girls committed to Mississippi State, and we beat them. We don't worry about the other team. We worry about us."