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Manti was celebrating a third straight title in 2007, and hopes for a fourth this year.
The interesting thing about the Manti softball team is that the players and coaches don't think too much about state titles.
    But they come, anyway.
    Plenty of them.
    In fact, the Templars are the collectors of the past three state banners and six overall, putting them in a rare category: softball dynasties. The only other team in the state that could be considered a dynasty right now is Tooele, the winner of four of the last five state championships in Class 3A (the Buffaloes are now playing in 4A).
    But with the Class 2A state tournament starting today against Millard at the Spanish Fork Softball Complex, the Templars can accomplish something only one other team has done since the inception of the sport in 1990, and that is win four straight state titles. Bingham did it from 1991-1994. Three other teams - Alta, Tooele and Box Elder - had this opportunity, but none was able to capitalize on the fourth try.
    "We've done something a lot teams don't," Manti coach Susan Hatch said. "For that, we've been lucky."
    But, of course, they don't want to look ahead. This year, the Templars aren't the favorite. That label belongs to San Juan, which not only captured the Region 12 title over Manti, but also beat the Templars twice in the process. If you think that's not enough obstacles for the Templars to overcome, think about the fact that they ended the
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regular season with a loss to North Sanpete.
    "People expect us to be in the top three," said McKenzie Hatch, one of the team's top pitchers. "I don't think they expect us to win it all. They want us to lose, but we try to beat that and do our best."
    It's hard to count the Templars out when you look at their season record. With the consistent production from catcher Haley Hatch, pitchers McKenzie and Haley Hatch and third baseman Tauni McFarlane, the Templars finished 15-7 overall.
    Five of the losses came from teams in higher classifications.
    "Everyone wants to see the good team get beat," said Susan Hatch, the coach. "That just comes with the territory. These girls realize they're probably going to have teams that want them to lose. They have to realize it's not that people hate them, they like to see the top team get beat."
    csun@sltrib.com
   
   
    Class 2A state tournament
   
    Today
    First Round
    At Spanish Fork Softball Complex
    Juab vs. Richfield, 10 a.m.
    ALA vs. Monticello, 10 a.m.
    Beaver vs. South Summit, 10 a.m.
    North Summit vs. Grand, 10 a.m.
    Parowan vs. Rowland Hall, noon
    Manti vs. Millard, noon
    San Juan vs. Duchesne, noon
    Enterprise vs. South Sevier, noon