Folks from all over the state of Louisiana descended on the Jackson Parish Recreation Department Sports Complex this past Thursday as the Dixie Youth 8U “Coach Pitch” state tournament began play.
Twenty-four teams in were divided into six “pools” of four teams each with the winners of each pool and the two teams who survived the play in games among the second place finishers advancing to an 8 team championship bracket.
As of Saturday evening, six teams were left. Jackson Parish was not one of them.
The host squad was eliminated in pool play after falling to West Monroe 11-0 on Thursday and dropping a pair of games on Friday, to Oakdale by a 12-1 score and to Benton 11-0.
The JP8U team was coached by Joshua Jones and assistants Joshua Henderson, Jacob Otwell and Jacob Norred. Team members included Ashton Anderson, Briggs Craighead, Duck Henderson, Jeremiah Jones, Carson Knox, Rafe Lewter, Levi Norred, Brennon Otwell, Isaac Sessions, Braxten Theriot, Sutton Vail and Austin West.
Coach pitch tends to be so tricky. So often the coach can inadvertently have too much of an impact if he’s not exactly on, not throwing strikes where his guys hit the ball best.
Good effort anyhow, JP8U.