Excitement building for WC vs. high-powered Hattiesburg

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 8, 2001

Warren Central fans began setting up lawn chairs around Viking Field on Sunday to claim their spots for Thursday’s game with Hattiesburg in the opener of the Class 5A state championship series. About 65 chairs and four extra sets of bleachers were in place as the Vikings practiced Monday. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[05/08/01] Warren Central coach Sam Temple has seen almost everything when it comes to baseball, but even this sight through him for a loop.

Vikings’ fans, in anticipation for the first state championship game in the school’s history, started putting out lawn chairs Sunday to save their places for Thursday’s Game 1 of the state championship series against Hattiesburg.

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“The lawnchairs didn’t all show up today,” Temple said on Monday. “Some have shown up today and some have never left after the game Saturday.

“I actually saw a chair with a chain around it and that is something I didn’t think I’d ever see out here.”

As of late Monday, 65 lawnchairs had been placed down the right-field line. In addition, four sets of bleachers that will add about 200 more seats were put down the third- and first-base lines in anticipation of the first state championship series in Warren County in more than 20 years.

“You walk out of school and come to practice and see all these lawnchairs, what can you say?” junior Jeff Mitchell said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime feeling.”

Temple said it’s not too surprising to see the amount of chairs because the support WC has gotten all year and especially during the 6-0 playoff run has been outstanding.

“I hope the people in the community that have supported us all year realize how important they are to us and how thank you’ really doesn’t do justice,” Temple said. “They are a part of this thing, and we hope we’ve thanked them by going out and playing good baseball and showing them that what they come out to watch and support is something we’ve worked really hard on.”

The buzz is reaching fever pitch for a state championship game that matches the preseason No. 1 team in the state, the 30-7 Tigers, and the nationally ranked Vikings (34-3).

Hattiesburg, which won state championships in 1994, ’97 and ’98, puts five Division I baseball signees and a Tennessee football signee on the field.

Pitcher Josh Grant and outfielder Billy Porter signed with Ole Miss, while shortstop Matt Shepherd and pitcher Cliff Russum signed with Southern Mississippi.

Craig Tatum, a 6-foot, 7-inch cannon-armed catcher, signed with Mississippi State. Chris Heath, an outfielder, is expected to play both baseball and football at Tennessee.

“Hattiesburg is a great team with very good players,” said WC junior Brian Pettway, who leads the team with a .467 average and 44 RBIs.

“They have all those D-I signees and it’s hard to play with all that. If we keep our intensity up, I think we’ll do real well.”

The Vikings will counter with Alabama-bound hurler Taylor Tankersley, who is 12-0 with a 0.39 ERA.

“We know he’s a very good lefty and he is hard to score runs off of,” Hattiesburg coach Larry Knight said.

“There is no doubt he has had an outstanding year.”

Thursday’s Game 1 is scheduled for 6 p.m., while the second game will be at 6 p.m. at Hattiesburg’s Smokey Harrington Park. If a Game 3 is necessary, WC will host the decider on Monday.

“We’re all excited,” second baseman Kyle Simmons said. “We’ve had a ton of fans out every home game during the playoffs and we’re really looking forward to see all the people out Thursday night.

“They’ll get their money’s worth. Hattiesburg’s a good team, but we’ll come out fighting.”