Along with that win came the District 1-5A Division 1 championship. The Lady Tigers (24-4 overall, 5-1 district) earned the right to host the first round of the playoffs.

This is the first time the fastpitch team has made the playoffs and won the district.

Today, they will host Clinton in the best two of three series. A double-header starts at 4 p.m. with the second game scheduled for 5:30 p.m. The third game, if needed, will be played Tuesday.

The winner of this series will play the winner of the Tupelo/Vicksburg series April 19 and 21 in another best of three series.

The No. 5 ranked Lady Tigers and the No. 4 ranked Lady Eagles were locked in a battle for the top spot. Horn Lake had defeated the Lady Tigers 1-0 on March 2. South Panola needed to win by two runs to take the title away from Horn Lake.

"This was a dream come true," said first year Lady Tiger head coach Ashleigh Hicks. "We knew coming into the game we were going to be locked into a battle."

The Desoto Times in Southaven jumped the gun in its Tuesday publication declaring Horn Lake the district champs.

"On the softball field, there is no mystery about who is in and out of the state playoffs as Horn Lake has won Region 1-5A and will host an opponent still to be decided on Saturday in the first two of the best of the three series," the article stated. "Before they get to the first-round playoff game, however, Horn Lake will play at South Panola tonight at 5 p.m."

Horn Lake scored first in the top of the first. The lead off batter tripled then scored on a Lady Tiger fielding error.

That was the extent of their scoring. The Horn Lake pitcher struck out nine Lady Tigers.

Kiihnl pitched the complete game which went seven innings and struck out 15 batters, but walked five, allowed two hits and one earned run.

"They did everything I asked them to," Hicks said. "To be down by one and come back and score four runs is tremendous for this team."

The game remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fifth inning. Designated hitter Bethany Moore singled to left field. Shortstop Hillari Plummer singled and got to base when the Horn Lake pitcher failed to secure the ball. Kiihnl hit a single RBI (run batted in) and drove home Sabrina Townsend, courtesy runner for Moore, for the tie.

Plummer scored on a passed ball to give the Lady Tigers the lead, 2-1.

In the sixth inning, third baseman Haylei Plummer walked to get on base and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by catcher Casi Brooks, who got the first hit of the game, a triple, in the fourth inning.

Moore singled again to drive home Haylei Plummer for the 3-1 lead. Hillari Plummer singled to drive home Latara Farrell, courtesy runner for Moore, for the fourth and final run.

The Horn Lake pitcher retired the first three Lady Tiger batters in the first inning with strikeouts. In the second inning, the next three Lady Tigers grounded out.

In the third inning, Leann Parrish got on base on a walk, but was unable to advance. As the game progressed, the Lady Tigers hit their stride and took away Horn Lake’s advantage and managed to rattle the pitcher.

Horn Lake is No. 2 in Division 1 and will be on the road to play Brandon in the first round of the playoffs.

The winner of that series will take on the winner of the Madison Central/Columbus series.

The Lady Tigers finished the regular season at home last night against Hernando, but the score was not available at press time.

Tiger Baseball
The South Panola Tiger baseball team (17-7-1) was set to host Olive Branch in a district game Tuesday night.

The junior varsity game was played and Olive Branch won 9-3. The varsity game was started and the Tigers had a 3-0 lead going into the top of the third.

The rain which had been intermittent throughout the evening came in a steady downpour and the two coaches and officials decided to postpone the game until Thursday night. The score was not available at press time.

The Tigers will play their final district game of the season at Olive Branch tonight at 5 and 7 p.m. If the Tigers win both of these games, they will make the playoffs.

If the Tigers lose, they will finish the regular season tomorrow hosting Water Valley in non-conference play at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Teams range from Buddy Ball, Tee Ball, 6 and under softball and baseball to 16 and under softball. Baseball stops at 11 and 12 year olds.

This weekend through Sunday J.P. Hudson Park will host the AA Tri-Lakes Classic which is a USSSA baseball tournament. Thirteen teams in the 10 and 11-year-old categories are scheduled to play.

In the varsity lift, the overall champion was Clayton Cole who lifted a total of 1,430 total pounds.

In second place was Conor Ferguson who lifted 1,365 total pounds.

Third place went to Andy Barns who lifted 1,285 total pounds.

In the junior high the overall champion was Will Dunlap with a total lift of 940 pounds.

Anthony Pike placed second with a total lift of 915 pounds.

In third place was Michael Magee who lifted 830 total pounds.

Placing in the varsity boys, coached by Richard Russo, were: Dakota Mabry – second, shot put; Josh Garrott – first, 1,600 meter run and second, 3,200 meter run; Austin "Reno" Atkinson – fifth , 400 meter dash; and Nick Douglas – second, 200 meter dash and 100 meter dash.

Placing in Junior High boys, coached by Russo, were Robert Moore – fifth, 200 meter dash; and Colton Robison – fifth, 400 meter dash.

Placing in the varsity girls meet, coached by Phil Douglas, were: Courtney McCullar – fourth, shot put.

In junior high girls, also coached by Douglas, were Linsey Hebert – first, high jump, second, 100 meter hurdles; Bonnie Beth Moore – fourth, high jump, third, 200 meter dash and fourth in 100 meter dash; Mary Ruth Womble – fourth, 400 meter dash.

The 4×100 meter relay team consisting of Bradi Beard, Lacey DuBravec, Sarah Waldrip, and Bonnie Beth Moore finished fifth.

The 4×200 Meter Relay Team consisting of Katelyn Still, Linsey Hebert, Sarah Waldrip, and Bonnie Beth Moore finished fourth.

The track team will participate in the district 1A meet at Lee Academy in Clarksdale April 16 through 21.

The Tigers defeated Horn Lake 5-0 Thursday, April 5 and defeated Southaven 3-2 Tuesday afternoon in Batesville.

The Tigers hosted Senatobia yesterday in non-conference action, but the results were not available at press time.

South Panola will play its final match of the regualr season at home Tuesday, hosting Center Hill in a non-conference match.

Trussell Park will be the site of the 2007 District 1-5A Division 1 Tournament next Thursday, April 19. The tournament will begin at 9 a.m.

Against Horn Lake last week, Gina Rehorovska of South Panola defeated Taylor Heges 6-0, 6-1 in girls singles.

South Panola’s Grant Goforth shut out his opponent Jorge V., 6-0, 6-0 in boys singles.

In girls doubles, Tigers Marlee Goforth and Ashley Roberson defeated Erica Franklin and Alexandria Davis 6-0, 6-0.

It took three sets in boys doubles for Tigers Manuel Henrich and Roy Lozano to defeated Chip Moore and Keith Corizario 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

In another long set for mixed doubles, South Panola’s Blake Goodwin and Alyssa Boren won 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 over Zach Gilmore and Esmeralda Lopez.

In the junior varsity match for boys doubles, Tigers J.P. Wallace and Matt Dooley defeated Matt Scruggs and Jessie Frazier.

In the match against Southaven Tuesday, there was only time for the varsity matches before the rain.

Rehorovska had a little more trouble with her opponent this time around, but defeated Stephanie Crider 6-1, 6-4.

Grant Goforth won his boys singles match against Phillip Waltman with little trouble, 6-1, 6-0.

The girls doubles team of Goforth and Roberson shutout opponents Moudy and Hardee 6-0, 6-0.

Coming up short were the boys doubles team of Heinrich and Lozano to Cairns and Scienzel 5-7,
4-6, and the mixed doubles team of Jordan Williams and Jonathan Ware to Valazuala and Harris 5-7, 7-6, 6-7.