[4/28/04]A bout of rain and a Northwest Rankin loss will force Warren Central to wait three days before it starts the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs.

The Vikings will host Picayune in a best-of-three series on Monday, then travel to South Mississippi on Tuesday. If there is a Game 3, it will be on Thursday at WC.

“I’m going to call (Northwest Rankin coach Jeff McClaskey) up and thank him for messing all of us up,” said WC coach Randy Broome with a chuckle.

Warren Central was originally scheduled to open the series on Friday. Northwest Rankin, though, lost the second game of its series with Southaven on Monday night. Northwest and Southaven were rained out in a game last week.

Because of state testing, the first chance those two teams have of playing the third game was Friday.

“They played games last night, why couldn’t they finish up tonight?” Broome said Tuesday. “That would put everyone back on track, and those two teams would still have enough time to rest and get ready.

“But that’s the Mississippi High School Activities Association’s call. I’m sure I’m not the only one a little perturbed by it.”

Seven of the eight teams have advanced in Class 5A, including all four in the South. The delay will also have effects on the rest of the state tournament.

The North and South State finals originally scheduled for May 6, 8 and 10, are now scheduled for May 8, 10 and 12.

The state championship series is scheduled for May 15, 18 and 21. The 21st, though, is also the night of WC’s graduation.

Both Picayune (19-9) and WC (21-9) are coming off sweeps in the first round of the playoffs. WC beat Ocean Springs, while Picayune swept Gulfport.