By Myra Bean

How to upset the household?

Get your head shaved because you made the playoffs and don’t tell your moms or your wife before hand.

Upon learning they had made the baseball playoffs, most members of the South Panola baseball team kept promises they made to each other in February and shaved their heads Wednesday.

"I told them if we made the playoffs, I would shave my head," head coach Patrick Robey said.

Robey’s wife, Ginger, was not aware of this blood contract and still could not believe what he had done when recounting her experiences Thursday.

Many players could have forgotten their pledge but senior leader, Fred, made them keep their promise
.
Fred’s mom, who wished to remain nameless, said she saw him take the clippers but did not know what he was going to do with them. She protested her innocence throughout the horrifying recounting experience of other mothers and the coach’s wife.

One mother, who also wished to remain anonymous, was barely able to pull herself together to come to the ballgame Thursday night.

"It was just so awful," she exclaimed.

The distraught mother said she just went to the floor and cried when she saw her son’s head. She said when his dad saw him, he was just so nonchalant and barely said anything about the new "do."

Again, Fred’s mother protested her innocence of any foreknowledge of the upcoming traumatic event that would change the households of the baseball team forever – well, at least until their hair grows back.

Three players just did not want to subject their mothers, who might not have as strong a constitution as others, to these distressing situations. Refusing to cut their hair were seniors Kyle Crofford, Barrett Johnson and freshman Ethan Bright.

Others who had seen players cut their hair in the past were quick to assure these distressed mothers and wife that the young men’s hair will grow back while others said they may not want it to grow back, making the situation even more precarious.

Oh well, we will continue to monitor the situation as the ball team prepares to face Olive Branch, again, in the playoffs Thursday night.
 

In the previous games, the Tigers had come close, but Olive Branch always found a way to pull away and take the win.

Thursday was about the same.

The Tigers (14-11 overall, 3-6 district) went through five pitchers in the 11-6 loss, but still could not find a way to contain the ‘Quistors.

The game was tied at one at the first inning. Senior left fielder Barrett Johnson scored on a senior shortstop Jameson Rodgers RBI when Rodgers grounded out to second.

The Tigers took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Freshman third baseman David Renfroe singled to center field and junior catcher Mitchell Houston doubled to right field to get in scoring position.

Sophomore second baseman Tyler Benson grounded out to second, and drove Renfroe in. Then senior pitcher Lance Hendrix grounded out to the shortstop to score Houston.

Going into the top of the fifth inning, the Tigers had a 3-2 lead.

Olive Branch scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to put the game away.

Before the game, the six seniors on the team were recognized in a small ceremony. Seniors this year are Barrett Johnson, Kyle Crofford, Josh Boren, Bud Barthold, Lance Hendrix and Jameson Rodgers.

The Tigers finished the season by splitting a doubleheader with Water Valley on Saturday.

Water Valley won the first game 4-3 and the Tigers won the second game 15-0.

"Despite the loss, I am still proud of the way we fought back," said head coach Patrick Robey. "We pitched extremely well, and you can tell from the score of the second game, we had a great day at the plate."

Water Valley is one of the toughest teams in the state and won their district, according to Robey.

Renfroe pitched five innings in the first game and was relieved by Heath Bolton. Bolton started the second game and pitched six innings. Crofford relieved him for the final inning.

Getting some big hits in the second game were Hendrix with four hits and Boren with two doubles. Robey also said Flint and Mitchell had "big games at the plate."

Afterwards the two teams got together for a Fellowship of Christian Athletes cookout.

The Tigers will start postseason play Thursday at Madison Central against Olive Branch at 4 p.m. The winner will play Madison Central at 7 p.m. The loser will drop to the loser’s bracket and play the loser of Thursday night’s game on Friday at 4 p.m.
"Olive Branch is solid but beatable," Robey said about meeting the Quistors again so soon.

He said the Tigers will experience that win once they mentally see the win.

Lady Tigers
The South Panola Lady Tiger fastpitch softball team finished off their season with a 4-1 win over Oxford.
Lauren Suratt got the win.

The Lady Tigers ended the season 9-11-1 overall and 2-4 district.
 

The mixed doubles match with Tigers Marlee Goforth and Blake Goodwin was the deciding match of the afternoon. Goforth and Goodwin won in straight sets 6-4, 7-6 but had to play a tiebreaker for that win.

Other winners include Grant Goforth 6-1, 6-1 who is 7-1 on the season. The boys doubles team of Jonathan Ware and Josh Garrott won 6-4, 6-2.

Losing in a tight match was Ashley Roberson 4-6,
3-6.

Thursday, only the brother/sister duo of Grant and Marlee Goforth won their matches. Marlee won the girls single match 6-3, 6-4 and Grant won his match 6-1, 6-0.

Another tight match was the mixed doubles with Roberson and Goodwin falling in three sets 6-4,
3-6, 4-6.

The Tigers played their final match of the regular season at Olive Branch yesterday. District play will be held in Olive Branch Thursday.
 

In girls events at New Albany, Batesville girls did not perform as well as head coach Will "Pete" Robertson expected. They only earned 26 points. There were three third place finishes, two fourth place, four fifth place finishes and one sixth place finish.

Placing third were Noel Griffin in the 3200 meter (2-mile run); Ricca Proctor in the 100 meter dash, and Kierra Robertson in the long jump with a 13’1" distance.

Bringing home fourth place finishes were 800 meter relay team of Kierra Robertson, Zandreyia Williams, Aquarius Wallace and Ricca Proctor; and Jasmus Johnson in the 800 meter run with a 3:20.08 time.

Fifth place finishes were Noel Griffin in the 1600 meter (1-mile) run, the 400 meter relay team of Kierra Robertson, Williams, Wallace and Proctor; the 1600 meter relay team of Noel Griffin, Johnson, Jacambria Ladd and Proctor; and Kierra Robertson in the 200 meter dash with a time of 30.9 seconds.

In Byhalia, the girls had a much better showing with 51 points and two first place finishes, four second place finishes and two third place finishes.

In first place were Ricca Proctor in the 100 meter dash with a time of 13.87 seconds and Christen Savage in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:13.22 minutes.

Finishing second was Noel Griffin in the 3200 meter run with a time of 15:41.90 minutes. The 800 meter relay team of Kierra Robertson, Zandreyia Williams, Jacambria Ladd and Ricca Proctor finished second with a time of 2:04.18 minutes.

Ladd finished second in the 800 meter run with a time of 3:14 minutes and Proctor ran the 200 meter dash in 30.1 seconds for second place.

Griffin ran the 1600 meter run in 7:14 minutes for third place. The 400 meter relay team of Kierra Robertson, Williams, Wallace and Proctor clocked a time of 58.12 seconds for third place.

The girls also placed third with the 1600 meter relay team and clocked a time of 5:12.08 minutes with members Griffin, Johnson, Ladd and Savage.

Boys Track
The Batesville Jr. High boys logged 63 points at New Albany and 94 points at Byhalia.

At New Albany there were two first place finishes by Ronald Ware in the 3200 meter run and the 800 meter run. His time in the 800 meter run was 2:29.31 minutes.

Nolan Parker received one of the two second place ribbons in the 3200 meter run. The other went to the 800 meter relay team of Dennis Draper, Jeremiah Watson, William Hentz and Montez Griffin with a time of 1:40.85 minutes.

There were three third place finishes in discus throw by Corey Hill with 117’0"; William Hentz in the 200 meter dash in 24.8 seconds and the 400 meter relay team of Dennis Draper, Michael Johnson, William Hentz and Montez Griffin with a time of 48.8 seconds.

In fourth place were Hayden Renfro in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:54.38; and Dennis Draper with a long jump distance of 17’9".

In fifth place were Chaven Marshall in the 400 meter dash in 1:03.62 minutes; and the 1600 meter relay team of Jamarcus Andrews, Tilmus Jackson, Martez Hooks and Lakerdrich Moten with a time of 4:24.62 minutes.

The Jr. High Tigers earned five first place finishes at Byhalia, seven second place finishes, four third place finishes, and one fourth place.

Nolan Parker finished first in the 3200 meter run with a time of 14:27 minutes, followed by teammate in second place Ronald Ware with a time of 14:41 minutes.

Parker ran the 800 meters in 2:29.00 minutes, followed by Ware in second with a time of 2:31.07 minutes.

The 800 meter relay team of Draper, Johnson, Hentz and Griffin finished first with a time of 1:42.29 minutes for first place.

Also in first place, Jamarcus Andrews finished the 300 meter hurdle in 48.5 seconds and Cameron McGhee throw the discus 94 feet.

Montez Griffin placed second in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.94 seconds. In the 1600 meter run, Hayden Renfro was second with a time of 6:01.11 minutes followed by teammate
Ty Ferguson in third with a time of 6:14.12 minutes.

Also in second place was the 400 meter relay team of Draper, Watson, Hentz and Griffin.

William Hentz ran the 200 meter dash in 25.8 seconds for a second place finish. Draper had a 17’4" high jump distance to finish in second.

Third place finishers were Chaven Marshall in the 100 meter low hurdles and the 400 meter dash in 1:03.12; the 1600 meter relay team of Andrews, Moten, Jackson and Hooks.

Conor Ferguson placed fourth in the shot put with a 43’8" distance.