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Bogue Chitto, coached by Scott Leggett, drives to Sebastapol today. The Lady 'Cats host Sebastapol Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. It's also a best-of-three series, with the third game, if necessary, set for Bogue Chitto.
If Loyd Star and Bogue Chitto win again this weekend, they advance to the South State finals next week. Under a new MHSAA format, the following weekend's state championship finals will be held at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland, May 1-2.
In an effort to centralize the state finals for all 5 classifications, the MHSAA created a championship weekend in Ridgeland. It should be exciting.
The main reason slowpitch softball remains alive as a sanctioned sport in Mississippi is money. The state finals drew huge crowds to the late October gathering at Jackson's VA Fields. Plenty of financial and fan support keep slowpitch breathing in the fall, although every other state high school activities association has discontinued the outdated sport.
For the record, slowpitch is still a popular item in southwest Mississippi. West Lincoln was Class 1A state runner-up last year.
Colleges, junior and senior, play fastpitch exclusively. They also provide valuable athletic scholarships for the most talented prep players.
Moving on to baseball, several area teams have high aspirations as the first round of the playoffs kicks off Friday. Like softball, it is a best-of-three series.
In Lincoln County, Brookhaven is at Long Beach Friday night in Class 4A and returns home to host 2 games, if necessary, Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
In Class 2A, Loyd Star visits Lumberton and Enterprise hosts St. Patrick Friday. Neighboring Wesson entertains defending state champion Richton tomorrow night. Locations are reversed for Saturday's games.
Also in Class 4A, Lawrence County invades D'Iberville Friday night and hosts the Warriors Saturday for 2 games, starting at 2 p.m.
In Class 1A, West Lincoln and Bogue Chitto battled down to the wire in settling the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. No. 2 West Lincoln visits Nanih Waiya Friday and No. 3 Bogue Chitto entertains Ethel. The Bobcats visit Ethel Saturday and West Lincoln's Bears host the Warriors.
Brookhaven Academy's Cougars are competing in the MPSA Class 2A state playoffs and seek a wild card berth. The Cougars meet Centreville Academy today at 5:30 p.m., at Adams County Christian School in Natchez.
Mix in the threat of rain to the weather forecast and the situations become chaotic. If rain cancels Friday night's games, they will be played Saturday. Meanwhile, Saturday's games would be moved back to Monday or Tuesday.
In Class 3A, Franklin County is at Morton Friday and North Pike visits Newton County. Saturday finds the Bulldogs hosting Morton and North Pike hosting Newton Co. for possibly 2 games.
Community College baseball and softball are going strong as the season winds down. Co-Lin's Lady Wolfpack entertains LSU-Eunice for a twinbill, starting at 4 p.m. today. Co-Lin, coached by Allen Kent, is contesting for the top rung in the South Division.
If the Lady Wolves manage to win the South Division, they will host the MACJC State Tournament next week, April 24-26.
Meanwhile the Co-Lin baseball team visits Southwest for resumption of the Fourth Annual Coca-Cola Classic Baseball Challenge. The Wolfpack split the first twinbill that was held March 24, at Co-Lin, losing 5-2 but rebounding to win the nightcap 4-1.
Coached by Keith Case, the Wolves are battling for fourth place in the South Division. Southwest is planning a big day Saturday, complete with an afternoon cookout and a softball doubleheader.
For sure, the Eighth Annual Human Performance Company Mississippi Grand Prix Race will bring hundreds of visitors to Brookhaven this weekend. Some riders are from as far away as California.
Frank Moak, founder and team captain for the Herring Gas racing group, is the local favorite. Moak said he anticipates 80 riders for Friday night's Bank of Brookhaven Criterium in downtown Brookhaven.
The criterium is a fan favorite as racers navigate a tight course with many turns. It usually lasts around one hour.
On Saturday, the Road Race begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Heucks Retreat community. Hundreds of riders, male and female, will compete in various divisions. There will be a time trial that afternoon at Union Hall Baptist Church. A Sunday morning circuit race around the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus, starting at 7 a.m., will conclude the weekend.
Over $9,000 in prize money will be up for grabs this weekend. All proceeds from the races are earmarked for the Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital at UMC in Jackson.
Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O. BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mail sports@dailyleader.com
