Coming off an exhilarating 2-0 win over its cross-county rivals, Effingham County High School’s real season starts Tuesday

The Lady Rebels begin the Region 3-AAAA (B) schedule Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. game against a hot Wayne County team.

The Lady Yellow Jackets, who had a losing season last year, seems to have vastly improved.

They won the Region 3-AAAAA Invitational Softball Tournament at Paulson Complex in Savannah, defeating three Class AAAAA teams and perennial Class AAA playoff team Richmond Hill 11-3 to win the championship.

Other victims to Wayne in the tournament were Camden County (9-1), Jenkins (4-3) and Johnson (13-0).

ECHS coach Tesh Pace said if the girls want to keep their five-year regular season sub-region winning streak alive, they have to stay focused.

“I’m not worried about a letdown, but we have to keep our focus,” she said. “I really don’t think they will let down on it. They just have to keep working.”

Starting the season with a win over the No. 3 team in Class AAA Lady Mustangs certainly is a confidence booster for the young Lady Rebels, who have only one senior in catcher Marie Fogle.

“It was nice, exciting and exhilarating to beat our cross-county rivals, but come Tuesday it’s Wayne County,” Pace said. “It’s region time and we have to take it one game at a time and go from there.”