A special senior group has spearheaded one of Aubrey’s best three-year runs ever, culminating in their first state championship softball game trip in nearly two decades.
The Lady Chaparrals have tallied 30 or more wins, won an outright district championship and advanced to at least the regional final round of the playoffs each of the last three consecutive seasons.
Aubrey made that historic push behind a bevy of key contributors, though perhaps none have been more impactful than this year’s five seniors — Carmen Alexander, Mya Cherry, Tamia Cherry, Molly Reid and Judah Van Rijn. They’ve long been key contributors and saved their best for last in leading the program to its third state title game ever and first since 2007.
“Without them, we’re not here,” Aubrey coach James Ramsey said. “They’ve laid the groundwork for everything we’ve done. They’ve been a huge part of the whole process. I’m just super proud of what they’ve become at this point.
“When we went [to state] two years ago, they were a little younger. Now, they’re a little bit more mature and know what to expect. We’re hoping that will pay off for us.”
Aubrey (33-3) carries that experience into the 4A Division II title game against Robinson (36-3) at 10 a.m. Friday at the University of Texas’ Red & Charline McCombs Field in Austin.
Ramsey, who led Pilot Point to a 2A state championship in 2013, took over as the Lady Chaps’ head man in the summer of 2022 with the program coming off a regional semifinal appearance. They immediately advanced to the 4A state semifinal round in his first year, falling 5-1 to eventual state champion Corpus Christi Calallen.
Alexander, the Cherry twins and Reid all played in 39 or more games for Aubrey that season as sophomores. Van Rijn competed for a Como-Pickton team that fell 4-3 to Weimar in the 2A title game before she transferred to Aubrey for her last two years of high school.
All five played key parts for the Lady Chaps in 2024, when they advanced to the regional final round of the playoffs before suffering a series sweep to Canton.
It spelled a tough end for a talented team that had loftier goals in mind.
Aubrey’s returners used it as fuel for their strongest season yet, earning a regional final rematch with Canton and returning the favor with a sweep of their own that they followed up with two semifinal wins over Snyder.
Alexander, a Fort Lewis College signee, credits the team’s step forward to the chemistry built from playing together for so long.
“We’re very comfortable with each other,” Alexander said. “We know when to get onto each other and, when somebody’s wrong, to step up and say something. We don’t go back and get embarrassed; we take the criticism well.
“I think it’s really helped with our team chemistry because we love each other. We’re literally like sisters.”
That continuity has served the Lady Chaps well during their playoff run.
Aubrey’s five seniors play all four infield spots plus pitcher and hit second through sixth in the typical batting order alongside junior catcher Abby Lynch-Buxton, an Ole Miss commit who bats leadoff. The seniors boast five of the team’s six best batting averages for the season and four of its top five RBI tallies.
Mya Cherry, a Texas Woman’s University signee, is the Lady Chaps’ ace in the circle with Reid handling some spot action as needed.
Reid primarily played first base and pitcher for much of her softball career but shifted to mainly playing second base this season to fill a position of need for Aubrey. She has made the adjustment smoothly with a .966 fielding percentage for the year, which ranks second on the team.
“I’m not a second baseman, but we needed a second baseman, so I stepped up and did it,” Reid said. “I’ve had to kind of change my mindset. I’m not as fast as other girls, so I’ve had to really focus on my form, tracking balls and getting behind stuff in order to make up for what I can’t do.”
Reid’s position change is far from the only challenge the Lady Chaps have conquered this year.
Mya Cherry pitched while dealing with a kidney stone in their district championship-clinching win over Krum on April 8. She struck out 12 batters while allowing just four hits and three walks in a complete-game effort as Aubrey took the contest 1-0 in eight innings.
The senior core was also without one of its members for much of the regular season.
Tamia Cherry, also a TWU signee, suffered an elbow injury during a Feb. 7 preseason scrimmage against Frisco Lone Star. The ailment kept her sidelined until an April 11 contest versus Krum, leaving Aubrey without a potent hitter who in 2024 racked up 12 home runs and 60 RBIs.
She made an instant impact upon returning, with a home run, 10 RBIs and 14 runs scored on a .368 batting average across Aubrey’s last 12 games ahead of the title tilt.
“I couldn’t do anything for two months straight,” Tamia Cherry said. “I had to keep it at a 90-degree angle, couldn’t do anything, couldn’t move it. I was just sitting on a bucket in the dugout, doing the book and watching my team.
“It wasn’t my ideal senior year, but I made it to state, so I guess it all turned out fine.”
Despite those bumps in the road, Aubrey found its way back to Austin and earned a shot at its first state title.
It’s a familiar spot for many of the players who were part of the Lady Chaps’ state semifinalist squad two years ago, including their quintet of seniors. The group hopes that experience and their growth since then will help calm some of the nerves that come with the game as they pursue a breakthrough.
“The big thing is to stay loose, just go have fun and let it rip,” Ramsey said. “If you go down there and you’re tense and all tight, you’re not going to win. You have to play loose and try to make things as normal as possible."