With the spring sports season for Mississippi high schools in limbo, many coaches are playing the
“what if” game. That includes French Camp Academy softball coach Todd Chesser.
“I know all the coaches are saying 'this was our year.' We were weathering the storm this year. Literally, we were weathering the storm from rain outs and all that. Our girls were on the cusp of figuring it all out. They were right there of putting it all together to be big in our region.”
The Mississippi High School Activities Association is still hoping to salvage the spring sorts season. But with every passing day the outlook looks bleaker as the number of coronavirus cases in Mississippi balloons. In one week, from Sunday March 22 to Sunday the 29th, the number of confirmed cases rose 266 percent, from 207 to 758, including five in Choctaw County and nine in Attala County.
Prior to the hiatus, the Lady Panthers were 1-3, with a 16-1 victory over Louisville and losses to Ethel, Eupora and Kosciusko. But Chesser said the record does not reflect how well his team has played.
Just before Spring Break, French Camp was defeated by Eupora 3-2 and Kosciusko, a 4A power, 9-0. “We had good pitching behind Aubrey (Burrell) and Brianna (Grice) and some excellent fielding. Getting our bats going is the key, but I think that was coming.”
All the rain in February put the team behind in hitting, Chesser said.
He said the one word to describe the team is “determined…They’re just a group of fighters.”
Burrell and Grice have both pitched well Chesser said. “Brianna had one bad outing (against Sebastopol), but she bounced back and pitched a heck of a game against Eupora.”
Offensively, the Lady Panthers have been led by Marley Sims, who is batting .500. Burrell is at .400 and Cassie Taylor sports a .364 average.
Sims has played a key role as the leadoff batter. Against Louisville she reached base all three times with a double and two walks, scoring two runs and plating one.
Sims is a junior playing at French Camp for the first time after transferring from West Harrison.
Taylor, a sophomore, has emerged this season. “Everything started coming together for her at the plate,’ Chesser said. “She didn’t really surprise me because I knew she had it in her.”
Although only a sophomore, Abby Leathers is a veteran, having played for the Lady Panthers since she was a seventh grader. “She is not only dynamic at the plate, she is also one of our big sparks in the infield,” Chesser said. Leathers mans the hot corner.
If the season is resumed, French Camp will compete in Region 5-1A with Ethel, Nanih Waiya, Noxapater and West Lowndes. Ethel is the defending champion and reached the South State final a year ago before losing a three-game series to 1A champion Vardaman.
“I don’t want to be boastful or prideful, but I think it’s between us and Ethel,” Chesser said,
Agnew pleased with way first season at Grace Christian
progressed
By Laurence Hilliard
Choctaw Plaindealer
Charlie Agnew's first season as Grace Christian baseball coach came to an abrupt hiatus due to the Coronavirus pandemic and he is not optimistic that it will be resumed.
The Eagles had two wins, two losses and three rain outs prior to the cessation. “We were about as expected,” Agnew said. “We're young and struggled in areas where I expected us to struggle. But we were stronger in (some) areas than I expected. Pitching was shaping up to look better than expected.
“We have players who were off to a good start. It's disappointing for them that the season was stopped. We have a couple of seniors and it's sad for those guys. But for most of them there is a next year.”
Players who have performed well include Grayson Skelton, Wes Agnew, the coach's son, and Gideon White.
Skelton, a freshman, pitches and plays shortstop. “He's just a good ball player all around,” Agnew said. “He's the leadoff hitter and has hit well, has been strong defensively and just has a good baseball IQ.”
Wes Agnew caught last year, but has been a utility player this year. He pitches and when not on the mound fills in wherever needed. He has returned to catcher at times in close games to take advantage of his defense. “I put him behind the plate to keep runners from stealing,” his father said.
White, a senior, pitches and plays in the infield.
Coach Agnew also mentioned Miles Brownlee, a seventh grader playing second base for the Eagles. “I expect a lot of good things from him as he ages.”
His older brother, sophomore Bonner Brownlee, is playing baseball for the first time this year at first base. “I hate that his season was cut short because he was progressing.”
This is Agnew's first year as a high school head coach. He has coached youth baseball for more than two decades and has previous experience as an assistant coach at the high school level in Alabama when his oldest son was on the team. He has leaned on Jason Morgan, the school's headmaster and basketball coach, for help with details like scheduling. “Some of the behind the scenes stuff because that is uncharted territory for me.”
Agnew is an advocate of small ball, with aggressive base running. He said the team is progressing, but added “There are a lot of principles that we did not quite have a grasp on as a team that were developing.”
Offensively, the Eagles have been strong at 1 to 5 in the order, but the bottom of the lineup has struggled. “We were just getting there.” Agnew said.
