Sports
North/South State titles up for grabs
"You could see it coming."
Those were the words of veteran Southeast Lauderdale coach Mack Fanning once his team advanced to the Class 3A state semifinals tonight against rival Newton County.
In fact, truer words couldn't be spoken of nearly every one of tonight's area matchups in the MHSAA slow-pitch softball playoffs.
Just call it rivalry night.
Eight area teams will battle for North or South State championships tonight in best-of-three series which will decide who goes to Jackson Saturday.
Four of those eight are playing against one another: Newton County hosts Southeast for the Class 3A South State title in Decatur at 5:30, while Enterprise entertains rival Clarkdale for the Class 2A South State crown at 6 p.m.
State championships will be decided Saturday at the V.A. Fields in Jackson.
In Decatur, the host Lady Cougars are 23-5 and riding a 15-game winning streak. In fact, the last team to beat No. 4 ranked Newton County was Southeast, which is 19-7 on the year.
Louisville (25-4) and North Pontotoc (23-6) battle at 4 p.m. in Ecru for the Class 3A North State crown.
In Enterprise, the host Lady Bulldogs — the defending Class 2A state runnerups — are 19-10 on the season while fifth-ranked Clarkdale sports a 17-6 record. Enterprise beat No. 10 ranked St. Andrew's in second-round action, while Clarkdale needed three games to dispose of area rival Union.
The Clarkdale/Enterprise winner gets either Baldwyn or Hamilton in the state finals.
At Northeast Park this afternoon, Meridian High School will go for a second straight South State crown when the Lady Wildcats host Northwest Rankin. Game 1 is set for 4 p.m.
The No. 9 ranked Lady Cougars (22-6) topped MHS twice to win the division title this fall, but the Lady Wildcats earned the right to host the South State finals after going on the road twice during the postseason.
Meridian, the defending Class 5A state runnerup, is 18-10 on the year. The MHS/NWR winner gets either Grenada or Tupelo in the finals.
In Quitman, the No. 2 ranked Lady Panthers (19-1) entertain No. 7 ranked Poplarville (18-4) for the Class 4A South State crown. Game 1 of their series is set for 5 p.m.
That winner gets either Neshoba Central or New Hope, who will battle once again at 5 p.m. at New Hope today for the Class 4A North State crown. The Lady Rockets are 16-8 after knocking off No. 6 Pearl and Pontotoc in the playoffs.
New Hope, meanwhile, is 24-2 and ranked No. 1. The Lady Trojans have won seven of the last eight 4A state championships.
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