With time, Mia Best learned to let go of the bat.
When Best hit her first high school home run against Northern Durham on March 9, 2023 at the Knights old field along Latta Road, she was elated.
She was surprised.
She carried the bat around first base with her.
“I wound up throwing it behind my back across my back by accident,” Best said. “It was great.”
She did get a warning.
Last month, Best formally signed to play softball at Division III Meredith College in Raleigh during a ceremony at Cedar Ridge’s J-Wing. She becomes the latest Cedar Ridge product coached by Allan Byrd to play at the next level, joining such players as Takia Nichols of North Carolina Central, Tori Dalehite at UNC Greensboro, Kimber Shambley of Western Carolina, Ava Lowry of North Carolina Wesleyan and Olivia Aitkin of Amherst.
Best was joined in the ceremony by her mother Brittany and her grandparents Tommy and Rebecca Best.
“Watching you grow into the young woman and athlete you are today has been one of life’s greatest blessings,’ Brittany said at the podium in front of a crowd that included coaches, classmates and teammates. “I’ve seen you evolve from a tiny girl with a softball glove nearly bigger than her to a leader. Someone with confidence and a love for the game that shines through every time you step on the field.”
Best’s journey to the Meredith softball team didn’t come overnight.
It’s a story of years of hard work, early mornings, sweltering afternoons on the summer travel circuit and cold evenings when Cedar Ridge starts its season.
Rylee Capps, who played right field last season, couldn’t hide her emotions when she paid tribute to her best friend. They were first teammates in sixth grade at Stanback Middle School and became friends when Best asked Capps to throw with her during pregame drills.
“Little did I know that I would still be friends with you today,” Capps told Best at the ceremony.
They’ve remained throwing mates to this day, developing a routine where Capps gets the gloves and Best gets the rest. They alternate who gets to stand on the third baseline with each game.
Not even the Covid-19 pandemic, which shut down middle school athletics for over a year in Orange County starting in 2020, could stop Best and Capps from working out. Though their sixth grade season was cut short, they would use the excuse that Best was a pitcher and Capps was a catcher to throw at each other’s houses while mixing in some gossip along the way.
Once regular life resumed in eighth grade, Capps and Best saw each other almost daily, playing with Stanback and the same travel team.
“Your energy is so contagious,” Capps said. “Your presence is so undeniably strong. I can’t wait to see what our senior year has in store for us as a package deal.”
Best served as the student body secretary in her sophomore and junior years. She currently is the student body Vice President.
“Nights like these are one of my favorites on the job,” said Cedar Ridge assistant principal Sam Wilkins. “I’ve been to many softball games and I’ve seen what Mia does. Mia’s family has a lot to be proud of based on who they’ve raised.”
At Meredith, Best plans to study pre-law with a goal of attending law school. She started playing softball at New Hope Elementary.
“Over the past three years, Mia has been the definition of consistency, excellence and leadership,” said Cedar Ridge athletic director Emily Parker. “She’s a teammate who has represented the Red Wolves with pride, character and class.”
Last May, Best was named to the 3A All-State team by the North Carolina Softball Coaches Association after a season where Cedar Ridge defeated West Johnston 12-1 to win its first state playoff game since 2019. For the season, Best hit .441 and led the team with 41 hits and 12 doubles. She also registered 27 RBIs, tied with Shambley for second on the team.
“What truly sets her apart isn’t just her talent or her drive,” said Cedar Ridge softball coach Allen Byrd. “It’s her smile and her personality. No matter the circumstance, she brings an energy that lifts everyone around her. She makes the tough days easier, the good days even better and she never fails to remind us why we love this game. She’s genuinely a joy to be around.”
The Red Wolves finished 17-8 in 2025 and narrowly missed winning the Central Conference championship. Cedar Ridge suffered two narrow losses to league winner Eastern Alamance, both in extra innings.
She made the All-Central Conference team three times. In 2024, Best hit .473 with 35 hits, 22 RBIs and one home run. In 2023, she hit .358 with 19 hits, two home runs and eight RBIs.
Best has regularly played third base, but has also made 29 pitching appearances, compiling a career record of 10-0 with a 3.46 ERA. She has 132 strikeouts.
For years, Brittany Best has kept a photo of her daughter suiting up at New Hope from her very first practice. After Mia committed, she photoshopped a Meredith College jersey into Mia’s frail, adolescent body from years ago.
“I did it party because it was adorable,” Brittany said. “But I also did it because it was a powerful reminder that the little girl in the picture with big dreams and even bigger innocence would be so proud of you today. She would look at the athlete you’ve become and say ‘Look at us. We did it.'”
