Although the Appomattox Raiders softball team entered the 2023 season with questions to answer following back-to-back Class 2 state championships and losing five starters from last year’s squad — including Virginia Cavaliers recruits Courtney Layne and Kelsey Hacket — they have responded by barely missing a beat on their way to winning another Dogwood District regular season title.

With two games remaining in the regular season, Appomattox is 10-0 in the Dogwood (18-1 overall) with Chatham second at 7-2 (10-5 overall).

While nothing is guaranteed in the world of sports (well, maybe except for Joe Namath’s famous guarantee that his upstart New York Jets of the AFL would defeat the powerhouse Baltimore Colts of the NFL in Super Bowl III), the Raiders appear poised to be a force to be reckoned with once again in this year’s upcoming regional playoffs.

On Monday, May 8, the Raiders made a trip to Altavista and dominated with a 12-0 win. Myah Kelso hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season and tied Haleigh Tweedy and Paisley Mann with three RBIs to lead the team.

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