They've become giant killers, taking down teams they have no business beating. What else explains where the Atholton Raiders now find themselves: in the final four of the state Class 3A softball tournament for the first time since 2001.

"After our season last year, honestly, no, I didn't think we'd be here," senior Liz Sullivan said. "We only won four games" in 2007.

But after upsetting perennial powerhouse Northeast of Anne Arundel, 3-1, and then top-seeded Stephen Decatur, 6-3, to win a regional title, the Raiders met Franklin in the state semifinals. That game, delayed by rain, was scheduled to be played May 21, too late for this edition. The winner plays in the state championship game against either Damascus (17-2) or Northern-Cal (14-7) Saturday, May 24, in College Park, at the University of Maryland.

"We love being the underdog," said freshman Haylie Goheen, who had an over-the-fence home run -- her first -- and four RBIs in the win over Decatur (17-3).

"That was a great win," said coach Maureen Shacreaw, whose team is 15-5. Decatur "did not expect to lose that game."

Chelsey Ponce, a sophomore, pitched both wins and helped her own cause against Northeast by scoring from second on a bunt in the two-run, third inning.

But Ponce needed help from her teammates against Decatur after giving up a second-inning home run.

"It was a fat pitch and (the batter) hit it clean over the fence," said senior second baseman A.J. Ponce, whose immediate concern was the damage the hit had done to her sister.

"I went right to her but she was OK. She was focused" and got right back to work, A.J. Ponce said.

"I gave up that home run and I thought, gosh, that's the end of the game, but (my teammates) battled back," Chelsey Ponce said.

The Raiders rallied for four runs in the fifth. Laura Wells tripled to lead off, Sullivan singled and Melanie Slayton was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A.J. Ponce drove in two with a double to center field, and Goheen's single added two more.

"We're a classic fifth-inning team," A.J. Ponce said. "But it (offense) needs to come earlier for us" in the next two games.

With the turnaround, the Raiders have earned the respect they've missed in recent years. "We've changed," senior third baseman Robyn Biegel said. "We have a different mindset. Softball is not a big sport here at Atholton, but we're changing that."

"These kids have worked hard and they're proud," Shacreaw said.

E-mail Karen Brelsford at howard countysports@patuxent.com.

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