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By MATTHEW BROWN
Journal Sports Writer
The senior class of softball players at Houston County High – the one that won four Region 1-AAAAA championships in a row and came one game shy of winning the state title of GHSA – is a tight-knit group for certain.
No pairing defines this closeness better than the friendship between Taylor Fountain and Erica Vasquez. It was only fitting, then, that the catcher and first baseman for Angela Crawford’s Lady Bears sign their college papers on the same day.
Fountain decided to join the four-year program at Reinhardt College in the Cherokee County town of Waleska. Vasquez is taking a different route as she signed with Northwest Florida State (formerly known as Okaloosa-Walton) junior college in Niceville, Fla.
“She was my best friend,” said Fountain about Vasquez.
Vasquez said it’s more like a family between the two.
“It had to end up like that,” she said. “We’ve been through everything together since seventh grade. She’s always been there for me.”
FOUNTAIN
Crawford’s starting catcher, Fountain hit three home runs as a senior. None was bigger than a grand slam that put to rest any doubts that Houston County would win another 1-AAAAA championship. It came in the finals of the region tournament against Lowndes.
“When I came up to bat, I thought ‘I want to put the ball in play’ so I could help our team score,” said Fountain. “I went up there with confidence, tried to put the ball in play, and I happened to hit it over.
“That’s the biggest hit of my career. I’ve hit home runs, but never a grand slam.”
Fountain drove in a total of 25 runs in 2009 and had a .340 average on a team loaded with offensive threats.
“I was blessed to play with such a great group of girls,” she said. “Houston County has a wonderful program. I love all the girls. They are all great ball players, and they would push me and make me better each and every day.
“I’m really competitive and I try to give it my all. I’ve played forever.”
Fountain started playing softball at age 7. She was a member of the Georgia Heat travel team under Phil Gilliam and played for Terry Thomas (Kourtny Thomas’ father) for two years. Her most recent travel team was the Southern Storm out of Americus.
At Reinhardt, Fountain will play for another Crawford, Glen Crawford, and for a team that competes in the Appalachian Athletic Conference in the NAIA. Last season’s Eagles team was 29-22.
“The coach had contacted me at an All-Star game,” said Fountain about her recruiting process. “I knew two of the girls there I had played travel ball with. I really like the campus, and they have a good program.
“I’m going to try my best to go there and start at catcher. I’m going to work my hardest. My primary position is catcher, but I would also play outfield if they needed me there.
“I think I want to major in early childhood education. I really like the kids, and want to be an elementary school teacher one day.
VASQUEZ
In 2009, Vasquez hit 11 home runs, which was significantly more than the six put up by soon-to-be University of Tennessee player Kourtny Thomas. Vasquez, however, dispelled any notion that there was a home run hitting contest within the Lady Bear ranks.
“Kourtny’s a great athletic,” said Vasquez, who recently rejoined Houston County High basketball with Thomas. “She’s always there to push me to keep going harder and keep getting better.”
Vasquez is originally from San Antonio. Her family moved to Warner Robins when she was 6.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said. “I have family back there, but my family is here. Taylor and her family, that’s my family. I grew up here basically.”
The Houston County High softball family wouldn’t want Vasquez anywhere else, either. In addition to her home runs, she drove in 50 runs and hit .404.
“We definitely put Houston County on the map,” she said. “I’ve met so many great girls … they built me. My character is around them. I wouldn’t want to play for any other school.”
Vasquez even remembers her coaches from her freshman year, like former head coach Christi Griffin and assistants Brian Rainwater and Maria Huelsman, helping her grow up as a student and athlete.
Continuing on playing for Angela Crawford, Vasquez has many great memories … except one. That would be losing the state championship last year to Collins Hill.
“It wasn’t great at all,” she said. “It hurt. There was no happy feeling about it. But I guess I could be happy that we could go that far.”
Vasquez can now see how far the Northwest Florida State program can go. The team is coming off a strong 44-10 season in the first for current head coach Jack Byerley.
“He’s a great man,” said Vasquez. “In the time I’ve spent with him, he’s a nice man. He was an assistant at Auburn, so I know he has a good program going. They have a top ranking in the nation for junior colleges. That’s where I want to be.”
Even with the power numbers from high school, Vasquez said she realizes that won’t mean much once she gets to Niceville. She knows she can’t go there swinging for the fences, and that it will take more work to prove herself at this level.
“Right now, I’m taking it one day at a time,” said Vasquez. “One year as it comes. I would love to go on to a great D-1 school. I’m going to take my two years and see what I can do.
“I’m not sure what I want to major in yet, maybe something to do with the art field and graphics.”
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