Carl Upton hugs his father and coach, Marshall Upton, as other Mudcats, from left, John Morgan Mims, Andrew Embry, Tyler DeRossette and coach Joe Graves celebrate their Babe Ruth state championship in July 1997. All four of the players are on high school playoff teams now.(The Vicksburg Post/FILE)

[04/24/02]Joe Graves could tell back then how good his 13-year-old all-stars were and were to become.

He saw it in every play, every at-bat and every pitch through a magical run that gave Warren County its first two Babe Ruth World Series teams and springboarded baseball to new heights.

“Oh, we knew they were special,” Graves said. “We made up that team to help the kids get college scholarships and have a chance to play for a state championship.

“Most of them will be playing college ball, and they’ve either played for a state title or been close.”

They won the state championship with ease, then made it through the regionals in Abbeville, La., where the unthinkable happened a loss.

Later in the tournament, the Mudcats came up with a memorable triple play against a New Orleans team. The triple-killing turned the momentum and propelled the Mudcats to the Babe Ruth World Series in Clifton Park, N.Y.

Centerfielder Blake Warnock made a catch, then fired a bullet to shortstop Joey Lieberman to force out the runner who had broken for third. Lieberman then fired to catcher Tyler DeRossette for the third out in the unusual play.

“That has to stick out in my mind,” said Andrew Embry, the first baseman on that team. “If it wasn’t for that play, we wouldn’t have won.”

The names of the key players in that play sound familiar to anyone who follows local high school baseball now.

Six of the 12 Mudcats will be suiting up as the state baseball playoffs continue Thursday. Four more played on Vicksburg High’s team, which fought in the final week for a playoff spot in arguably the toughest division in the state. One doesn’t play anymore and one is out for the season with an injury.

It’s been five years, but the effects of the Mudcats, and to a lesser extent this season, the 12-year-old Vicksburg Vipers is immeasurable. WC’s Steven McDevitt and St. Aloysius’ Charlie Amborn played on the Vipers.

“You knew you had some special groups there,” said WC coach Randy Broome, who led several other of his players that year on the Diamondbacks. “They were fortunate to play against some of the top teams in the nation, not just Mississippi.”

Now, as the state playoffs begin, each of Warren County’s postseason teams St. Aloysius, Porters Chapel and WC are relying heavily on the former Mudcats.

Warnock earned a spot in the Class 1A/2A/3A All-Star game and is leading St. Aloysius into the second round of the 1A playoffs.

The speedy outfielder is the lone Flash who played on the team that was assisted by Graves. Warren Central parents Rickey Mitchell and Marshall Upton also coached the Mudcats.

“He’s probably the second best outfielder I’ve had,” said Graves referring to Warnock. Stacy Williams, who was drafted out of high school, ranks atop Graves’ list.

Embry has been Porters Chapel’s most dominating left-handed pitcher and provides a powerful, steady stick from the plate. He has grown into PCA’s No. 1 starter.

“We were young, but we were good,” Embry said. “We were not as experienced as we are now, but we got to play against the best teams around. It was a humbling experience.”

Vicksburg High players Ryan Grey, Chris Middleton, Boo Hardy and Jeremy Herring also played for the Mudcats, but the Gators missed out on the playoffs this season.

No team, though, has reaped the Mudcats’ alumni rewards more than Warren Central.

DeRossette, who injured his shoulder in football, as well as Lieberman, Carl Upton, Jeff Mitchell and John Morgan Mims all starred as 13-year-old ‘Cats. Mims and Lieberman were picked for the 4A/5A state all-star team

“We knew then we had a good group of guys,” Lieberman said. “All the guys are doing good now and that shows that we really were good back then.”

The Vikings’ No. 1 starter, Upton, and five of the top seven hitters on the team all played on the World Series team.

“It has paid off for them in so many ways already,” Broome said. “And it will continue to as long as they have baseball careers.”

Since that 1997 season looked on by many as the start of this area’s baseball renaissance the teams have gotten better and better.

Warren Central finished last season No. 4 in the nation in USA Today and the youth programs continue to pump out future stars.

“The youth programs around here are at a very high level and they have great organization,” Wright said. “Traditionally, this has been a football town, but with the success of the youth programs, I definitely think we can be spoken of in the same breath as the Oak Groves and Hattiesburgs and Clintons.

“And the future is bright.”