Pleasant surprises are always the best kind. Whether it’s finding a $5 bill on the sidewalk or realizing your check engine light is on only because the gas cap is loose, having things turn out better than expected is never a bad thing.

The 2017-18 winter high school sports season was full of pleasant surprises for Warren County’s teams.
Warren Central’s boys’ soccer team lost in heartbreaking fashion in the second round of the playoffs, but more than held its own against perennial power Northwest Rankin. If not for an eternity of extra time at the end of regulation, the Vikings likely would have won and advanced to the Class 6A semifinals.

It was disappointing to come so close and miss, but in the big picture it was a remarkable season for a program that has often struggled to reach that next level.

In a similar vein, Warren Central’s boys’ basketball team has won 22 games — quite possibly its highest total in a few decades — and reached the second round of the Class 6A state tournament for the second year in a row. These Vikings are setting a new baseline of success.

Porter’s Chapel Academy’s girls’ basketball team didn’t reach those highs, but did have quite the turnaround. In years past, the Lady Eagles were lucky to break double figures in a game, let alone get there for a season win total.

This year, PCA won 11 games and narrowly lost a few others. For the first time in a long time, they were a treat instead of a chore for fans to watch.

PCA’s soccer team had the same type of season. The soccer Eagles are a co-ed team playing in an all-boys’ league in the MAIS Class AAA ranks. They won a few games, lost some close ones, and took a big step forward as a program.

The Vicksburg Missy Gators have also advanced to the second round of the Class 5A state tournament after only winning four games last season.

With a few exceptions, our winter sports of soccer and basketball have not been the most enjoyable to watch over the years. Even the teams that were good have had a hard time winning championships. When the pattern gets repeated year after year it becomes the norm, to the point you more or less know what to expect.

Breaking that pattern is difficult, because it requires altering expectations in addition to having a higher talent level. Our teams managed to do that this winter and provide us with some very pleasant surprises. They should be applauded for it.

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Ernest Bowker is the sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at ernest.bowker@vicksburgpost.com