Diamond schedule set for Games

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
June 23, 2004
Since the State Games baseball tournament went to an eight-team field in 1998, Districts 1 (Tupelo area) and 6 (Jackson area) have dominated the event.
In each of the last three years, the two have met in the gold medal game at Meridian Community College's Scaggs Field. That won't be the case this year.
In a format change, the teams are no longer divided into four-team pools similar to the MHSAA's North/South State pairings. In fact, Districts 1 and 6 are both in Pool A this year, along with Districts 2 and 8.
The change would appear to give the two districts with local players (Districts 4 and 5) a better chance of making the finals as they're both in Pool B along with Districts 3 and 7. Of those four teams, only District 4 has appeared in the gold medal game, doing so in 1998 and 1999.
Last year, District 6 defeated District 1 2-1 in the gold medal contest. In 2002, District 6 also knocked off District 1 with a 5-0 shutout. In 2001, District 1 defeated District 6 6-2.
District 1 won the 2000 gold medal with a 15-4 rout of District 8. District 6 lost 9-8 to District 4 in the 1999 finals after beating District 4 2-1 in the 1998 title game.
Philadelphia High School has four players on this year's District 4 team Barry Boler, Jared Boler, Jeremy Boler, and Landon Gilmer. Neshoba Central has two Gregory Stovall and Jason Goodin.
District 5 has 11 area players on its 18-man roster. They are Kyle Boswell of Clarkdale, Jared Cavenaugh of Newton County, Cory Chance of Northeast Lauderdale, Mack Creighton of Quitman, Kedrick Martin and Tyler McMullen of Meridian, Jordan Robinson of Union, Vance Taylor of Quitman, Parker Temple of West Lauderdale, Wade Weathers of Class 2A state champion Enterprise, and Dave Woods, who attends West Lauderdale.
Coaches for District 5 are Jeremy Wilkins of Enterprise and Steve Marlow of Clarkdale.
Action gets under way at 10 a.m. on Thursday with District 6 taking on District 2. At 1 p.m., District 1 squares off with District 8. At 4 p.m., District 4 faces District 7. Districts 5 and 3 wrap up opening-day action at 7 p.m.
The tournament continues through Sunday.