Playing in the state softball championship her junior year wasn't a dream come true for Janna Scheff, Excel's senior pitching ace.

That's because Scheff, who signed a softball scholarship Thursday to Chattanooga State Community College, said playing in Columbus simply had not crossed her mind. "I never thought I'd play on a team that would go so far in the state playoffs."

But once there, she made the most of the opportunity and the Lady Eagles finished fifth in the state, leaving their best on the field and her and her teammates with some great memories.

"Just going there was truly memorable," she said, "and playing there was just a good experience."

She added she wanted to return her senior year, but Excel did not earn a return trip to Columbus.

There's still a softball in Scheff's future as the Excel senior signed to play with the Tennessee two-year college and she hopes to keep enjoying the sport.

Steve Jaecks, athletic director for the college, said Chattanooga's softball program is nationally ranked.

"We are 14-3 this season and we were No. 9 in the preseason polls," he said.

Jaecks, who also assists head coach Beth Keylon-Randolph with softball, said he's one of the coaches who recognized Scheff's talents early on.

He said he was at a tournament last summer and Scheff's team had called on their pitcher to come in with the bases loaded and no outs to "straighten out the mess."

Scheff mowed down the opponents without letting another runner cross the plate and Jaecks said after the game he called the Chattanooga head softball coach with a brief assessment. "I think we have found who we want."

Jaecks said the Chattanooga State coaching staff is interested in her as a pitcher/hitter.

"We believe a good softball team is built from the circle out," Jaecks said. "We had occasion to watch her pitch and we talked to her dad in the fall and then it was a matter of being patient while she decided what was in her best interests.

"We are looking for her to come in and compete for our No. 1 pitching position. As a bonus, we're looking for her to hit a few home runs, too.

He said Chattanooga State is a Division I community college.

Scheff said she chose Chattanooga State because she likes the coaches there.

"They made me feel welcome and like they wanted me to come there," she said. "I felt like I could have come there the next day."

She said it is where she wants to start her collegiate education as well as her collegiate softball career.

"Hopefully, I will be weighing my options to pursue a softball career at a four-year college in another year or two," she said, adding her education plans presently are to seek an education degree.

Scheff played softball at Cartersville High her freshman and sophomore years.

She transferred to Excel right before her junior year and has accumulated some enviable stats there.

As an Eagle softball player, she made the Region 6A all-star team, played in the Georgia Dugout Club All-Star game at Mercer University, and was named to the 2011 All County team.

She has 178 at-bats with 72 hits, 13 doubles, 9 home runs, 45 walks, 61 RBIs, a .450 batting average and a .572 on-base percentage. On the mound, she has pitched 298 innings with a 1.07 earned run average, 496 strikeouts (8 strikeouts per game average) and 46 wins.

She said the school has been good away from the diamond, too.

"I knew a few people but no one all that well when I came here," she said, "but they all welcomed me."

The Excel star pitcher said once on campus, she began to make friends.

"I've loved all the friends I've made here," she said. "They are very near and dear to me. I've met a bunch of great people."

Excel head coach Danny Deems said Scheff is a rare person as well as a rare athlete.

"She has such a great work ethic and she is such a great person," he said. "You almost feel like it's a bonus that she is such a gifted athlete."