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Showing off their talent

VP Pitching Machine, T-Ball All-Stars wrap up successful state tourneys

By: TRACEY
JAGNEAUX
Sports Editor

SHREVEPORT -- To break a record, any record, is a tremendous feat. To set a record is even more impressive.
That is just what the Ville Platte Dixie Youth T-Ball All-Stars did here this weekend at the State Tournament.
By coming out fifth in the entire state, this particular All-Star team became the first team to not only make it to win a game in the Championship Bracket, but they became the Ville Platte team to gain the highest placement in State.
“We gave everything we had on the field this weekend,” said head coach Justin Johnson. “We were getting better and better each tournament and each game we played. The main thing about this weekend is it gave our players an experience they may never have again.”
Ville Platte opened the tournament with a huge 16-1 blowout win over Shreveport Continental in their first pool play game.
The All-Stars followed that up with another impressive offensive explosion, taking down Jena by the score of 23-7.
In their third game of the tourney, Ville Platte hit a road block that took them out of first place contention in their pool. Against Alexandria, the Ville Platte bats fell silent and the All-Stars took a 12-4 loss on the chin.
The final pool game of the tournament for Ville Platte showed just how much moxie the boys in blue held. Needing a win to keep themselves in contention for Championship Bracket play, Ville Platte rebounded with a 15-7 win. That win put the All-Stars in position to garner a spot at the World Series.
The initial game of bracket play turned out to be a barn burner. In that game, Ville Platte scored seven runs in each of the first three innings and held Benton scoreless in the top of the fourth to pull out a huge 21-20 win.
Bracket game two did not go the way that Ville Platte wanted, as they fell to the eventual state champions Alexandria Blue by the score of 12-6.
Needing only one more win to guarantee a top three finish in the tournament and a spot in the World Series, Ville Platte took on rival. Unfortunately, Ville Platte ran out of gas an fell 19-11
After the tournament, Johnson talked about the tremendous help and dedication his assistant coaches, the parents and the community gave to the team.
“My assistant coaches were absolutely the best,” stated Johnson. “They really went the extra mile for the team. Jermaine Edwads, Zac Lahaye and Lucas Vidrine worked hard every day to prepare us. Also, the parents really stepped up with their support. Our fans were the greatest, cheering us on every step of the way.”

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