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border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> <div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px"> <iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=34 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B> </b></I></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=96 BGCOLOR="#000066" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <I><B>"Dixie Youth World </b></I><I><B>Series"</b></I></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF9900" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B> </b></I></FONT><I><B>August 11-1</b></I><I><B>6, 2003</b></I></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=384 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCCE4" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="6" CELLPADDING="4" CELLSPACING="2" WIDTH="718" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#111111" BORDERCOLORDARK="#111111" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 958 ><NOBR><div> <I><B> <IMG SRC="0094f880.png" border=0 width="79" height="136" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></b></I></div> <div> <I><B>"World Champions"</b></I></div> <div> <I><B>Texas 16 Virginia 8</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>August 16, 2003</I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="00a4fb80.jpg" border=0 width="335" height="440" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></b></I></div> <div> <I><B>What a ride this has been for a group of young men and their coaches.</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>18 wins without a loss!</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>The write up for today's game will be posted at the bottom of this page when available.  ...Vj...</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 624 WIDTH="692"><div> <I><B><IMG SRC="00ba8c30.png" border=0 width="168" height="195" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0">   </b></I><FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>Another World Champion?</b></I></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I>August 7, 2003</I></div> <bR> <div> Just about one year ago Nacogdoches Texas was in the sports news in a big way when they burst forth on the national scene in Youth League Baseball. Not only did we have  two teams playing in the "World Series" at the same time in their respective age group, but one of those teams came home as "Champions Of The World" while the other held the title of  "Texas Champions"  finally being defeated by the eventual "World Champions" in their "World Series". Two of "Our Own" young men from Stallings Drive played a big part in the accomplishments of those teams, Eric Opperman on the World Champions in his age division, and Justin Whitaker On the State Champions and World Series runner-up in his.</div> <bR> <div> There is a possibility, and even with a little good fortune, a probability that history could repeat itself for the age division that won it all last year. In fact they have already won the Texas State Championship with a perfect </div> <div> 12-0 record since tournament play began. They will be leaving for Florence South Carolina Saturday, August 9 for the "World Series". Just as two of "Our Own" contributed to the success of last year's team, so does another pair this year. This year we contribute a Father/Son combination to the team with Curtis Fancher being the Manager and son Taylor  one of their pitchers. </div> <bR> <div> We are supposed to be able to follow their success in the Sentinel with a lead story beginning next Sunday.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Good Luck Team!!</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Please Notice</b></I></div> <bR> <div> This is NOT a church sponsored Team and Stallings Drive is not connected to it in any way except that one of our members is the Manager, and his son is a player. I post this information on the "Members Only" page that we might all share in the joy of the accomplishments of others.  ...Vj...</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 931 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> <I><B>"Texas too much for McLeod"</b></I></div> <bR> <div> By DOUG REESE </div> <div> Morning News Florence N.C.</div> <div> Tuesday, August 12, 2003 </div> <bR> <div> FLORENCE -- For a few seconds, O'Neal Kennedy gave the McLeod Park faithful a rise as his deep fly seemed headed for the stands beyond the center field wall.  Then the outfielder for the Texas 11-12-year-old team backpedaled under the ball and hauled it in for the final out of a four-inning, 12-0 rout of the host team Monday on opening day of the Dixie Youth World Series at Freedom Florence. With the bases loaded, Kennedy's potential dinger would have forced at least another inning at Freedom Florence. "I was pulling for him," coach Neal Kennedy said.  "He hit one grand slam during the regular season that looked just like that. At our field, that'd probably been out. That's just the way it goes."</div> <bR> <div> Instead, Texas capitalized on an eight-run third inning for the run-ruled victory. Already up 4-0 on a pair of two-run homers, the team from Nacogdoches put the contest away in the frame. They scored eight runs on just three hits, five walks and two McLeod Park errors -- highlighted by Colton Corley's two-run double and Samuel Kruger's two-run triple.</div> <bR> <div> "We just put some men on base. And even when they put the ball in play, we just made a couple of errors," Kennedy said. "Even in our practice games, when we would have that one bad inning it would just kill us."</div> <div> Corley, who came on to pitch two scoreless innings of relief, was the only player to produce multiple hits, going 2-for-2 with a run an the two RBI. McLeod Park posted two hits and stranded eight runners on base in the four innings. Hugo Montelongo provided all the runs Texas needed in the first inning with a towering two-run homer to dead center. Teammate Cameron Hamilton followed that up with a shot of this own in the second, giving his team the four-run edge.</div> <bR> <div> While McLeod Park had to send four different pitchers to the mound -- including three in the third inning alone -Texas conserved its hurlers. Starter Cody Lock struck out three in his two innings of no-hit ball for the win while Corley allowed just two hits, two walks and fanned three.</div> <bR> <div> "That'll push our stronger pitching back into the tournament a little bit farther," coach Curtis Fancher said.</div> <div> "With at least six games to win, your pitchers are gonna start wearing out by the third or fourth day if they pitch every day. So it was real important for us to get it done in four innings."</div> <bR> <div> McLeod starter Dustin Garand took the loss for his two innings of work. He allowed four runs, three hits, one walk and struck out one.</div> <bR> <div> Texas moves on to a winner's bracket game at 6 p.m. today against Alabama while McLeod continues play with a 4 p.m. elimination game against Louisiana.</div> <bR> <div> "This is the big show and the boys just had first-game jitters," Kennedy said.</div> <div> "They made a couple of errors, the pitchers didn't come through like we wanted to and ... we'll be all right. We're gonna come back ready to play tomorrow night."</div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 602 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> <I><B>Texas 1, Alabama 0</b></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Aug 13, 2003</div> <div> <B>Dixie Youth World Series roundup</b></div> <div> MORNING NEWS </div> <div> Florence Morning News</div> <bR> <div> FLORENCE -- Chase Wallace's second-inning solo homer provided all the offense Texas needed, keeping the Lone Star squad undefeated in the 11-12-year-old Dixie Youth World Series. Texas eked out a 1-0 victory over Alabama in a winner's bracket game Tuesday at Freedom Florence. Wallace took an outside pitch and drove it over the right-field fence for the game's lone run. </div> <bR> <div> Alabama had a chance in the bottom of the sixth with a runner aboard, but Texas' defense clamped down. Texas advances to play the winner of the late South Carolina-Virginia game at 8 p.m. today. </div> <div> Alabama drops into the loser's bracket to meet the loser of another late game, Georgia-Mississippi. </div> <bR> <div> "We knew it was gonna be a tough game," Texas coach Curtis Fancher said. "They have three good pitchers and we think we do, too. We knew it would be a close game and we felt like if we could just score a run, we could win the game. Alabama has a fantastic team. Their pitchers are really exceptional. </div> <div> "We knew it was gonna be tough. We just hope this is the last time we have to face 'em in this tournament." </div> <div> Loser's bracket.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Although not mentioned in this article, Taylor Fancher pitched the first two innings of this game giving up only one hit and striking out five batters of the six outs recorded.  ...Vj...</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 406 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> <I><B>Campbell Leads Texas To Win</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Aug 14, 2003</b></div> <div> <B>FROM STAFF REPORTS </b></div> <div> <B>Florence Morning News</b></div> <bR> <div> With his team trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Chase Campbell delivered a two-run triple as Texas rallied for the 3-1 victory in the winner's bracket contest. Campbell  later scored on Cody Lock's RBI single. Colton Corley and Taylor Fancher also added hits in the inning</div> <bR> <div> Texas' Taylor Fancher earned the win, pitching two no-hit innings. He walked one and struck out three.</div> <div> Virginia's Shane Timberlake took the loss for his one inning of work, allowing four hits and three runs while fanning two.  Timberlake also scored his team's only run after a first-inning double.</div> <bR> <div> Texas moves to face the only other unbeaten team in the Majors tournament, Mississippi, at 8 p.m. today. Mississippi received a bye on Wednesday after winning its first two games, 8-3 and 15-5.</div> <bR> <div> Virginia will take on Georgia today at 6 p.m.</div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 448 WIDTH="692"><div> <I><B>Texas Downs Mississippi For 4th Staaight</b></I></div> <bR> <div> August 15, 2003</div> <bR> <div> There was no article in the Florence Morning News on line today but Nacogdoches won again beating Mississippy 5-3 in 8 innings. Taylor Fancher once again played a big role in the win starting the game and pitching 2 innings of no-hit  no- run ball , striking out five hitters, and had a big hit in the 8th inning rally driving in two big runs. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Side Note:</b><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT><I>I was on the internet watching the account of the game on a 15 second delayed update   when Taylor drove in the runs in the 8th inning.  I called the Oppermans to see if they were watching. They had just returned home and had not been watching but imediately each went to a computer, Jeff to one and Ginger to another. By the time they got on line and started watching nothing was happening, the game was stopped!! Ginger and I were on the phone each asking the other if they were getting anything when I spotted a little notation on the screen; "Game being protested". After sitting on pins and needles for what seemed to be an eternity Ginger said. "I am going to call Karen on her cell phone and find out what's  going on!!  She called,  Karen told her what was going on,  Ginger told me,  we waited,  the protest  was settled in our team's favor,  we won,  and that proves there is more than one way skin a cat!   ...Vj...</I></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1116 WIDTH="692"><bR> <div> <I><B>Texas, Virginia Advance To Title Game </b></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> By CHRISTINE TROYKE </div> <div> Morning News </div> <div> Saturday, August 16, 2003 </div> <bR> <div> FLORENCE -- Minutes before game time, Louisiana and Texas had major questions to answer, ones that would ultimately decide the final result.</div> <bR> <div> Texas didn't know who to start. Louisiana didn't know if their catcher and team leader could start.</div> <div> In the end, Texas skipper Curtis Fancher opted to go with Jerrod Blackmon -- who had not pitched a single inning for the all-star squad.</div> <bR> <div> In the end, Louisiana slugger Adam Rhodes was too nauseous to stand behind home and call pitches for ace Clint Navarro. Rhodes did manage to step to the plate three times and trooped out to the mound as closer, getting Texas in order to end the sixth. But it was not enough.</div> <bR> <div> Blackmon allowed just one earned run and Dane Phillips provided the offense as Texas defeated Louisiana 6-2 Friday in the 11-12-year-old Dixie Youth World Series.</div> <bR> <div> "When (Rhodes) went down, our kids started worrying about whether or not he was going to be able to pitch in the end, if he was going to be able to come to the plate to bat," said Louisiana coach Tralles Rhodes. "They lean on him. They lean on him heavy and I knew that was going to be a big, big factor.</div> <div> "As far as the Texas team, they played well. I wish them luck. But I didn't have my best people on the diamond tonight."</div> <bR> <div> Phillips went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and four RBI as Texas advanced to the finals today at Freedom Florence. Blackmon earned the win with five innings of work, walking four, striking out five and giving up three hits.</div> <bR> <div> "To be honest with you, we didn't know 15 minutes before the game who we were going to start," Fancher said. "We decided right there and then to put Jerrod in to pitch and he did a fantastic job. "I can't say enough about how well he pitched tonight."</div> <bR> <div> Unbeaten Texas faces Virginia at noon today for the whole enchilada. To win the World Series, Virginia has to beat Texas twice (the second game would be played at 8 p.m.) and to do it, they'll need to solve Nacogdoches' defense. Texas has outscored its opponents 27-6, including two shutouts.</div> <bR> <div> Louisiana scored more most of Texas' foes, but stranded seven runners in scoring position during the semifinal loss. More than that though, were all the passed balls. "We allowed them to have two runs on passed balls and allowed them to get in scoring position for two more runs," Tralles Rhodes said. "Which I don't think would have happened if I'd have had my catcher back there.  "You can't take away from that home run they got in the first inning. But I think the game could have been a little bit closer."</div> <bR> <div> Phillips launched a first-pitch bomb way over the fence in left field for a 2-0 lead in the first inning and Texas never looked back. Phillips padded the margin with a two-RBI double in the third as Navarro suffered the loss, giving up six runs on five hits while walking two.</div> <bR> <div> "The Navarro boy is an excellent baseball player," Fancher said. "I would not be at all surprised to see him in the minor leagues or major leagues one day."</div> <bR> <div> Defeat aside, the boys from Morgan City, making their second straight World Series appearance, met their goal.</div> <div> "Our goal was to finish one place better, at least, than last year," Rhodes said. "We were hoping that we could have gotten to the big show tomorrow. But we'll be going home smiling hopefully and we've enjoyed our trip to Florence."</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 1403 WIDTH="692"><bR> <bR> <div> <I><B> </b></I><FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>Texas wins two straight!</b></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B> </b></I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> By CHRISTINE TROYKE </div> <div> Morning News </div> <div> Saturday, August 16, 2003 </div> <bR> <div> FLORENCE -- OK, so it was a little overused this week, uttered and shouted too many times to count.</div> <div> But seriously, they're not kidding -- don't mess with Texas.</div> <bR> <div> The 11-12-year-olds from Nacogdoches, Texas became the first team in 24 years to win back-to-back Dixie Youth World Series, rallying from a staggering deficit to beat Virginia 16-8 Saturday at Freedom Florence.</div> <div> Texas dug itself out of a 7-1 hole, pounding out a 10-spot in the third that was keyed by Hugo Montelongo's three-run jack over the bleachers behind left field. It was the first of two home runs for the appropriately named Montelongo in the inning. Yes, the inning, as Texas batted around for an 11-7 advantage.</div> <div> With Cody Lock taking over on the mound, Texas allowed Virginia just one more run and rolled to its sixth straight World Series victory.</div> <bR> <div> "It's fantastic," said a grinning Texas coach Curtis Fancher. "The group that was ahead of us that won the World Series, of course we know all those boys and we played against them. In anything like that, success breeds success. They just helped us rise to a new level and realize that we could do it."</div> <bR> <div> It wasn't easy though. After beating host Florence 12-0 in the opener, Texas scratched out wins over Alabama (1-0), Virginia (3-1), Mississippi (5-3) and Louisiana (6-2) to earn a place in the final. Fancher wouldn't have believed an undefeated run was in the offing four days ago.</div> <bR> <div> "It was very tough," Fancher said of the Series. "Any time you play at this level, you've got to get some breaks when you need them. And we got those breaks. "We basically in this game here, of course Virginia's a fantastic team, we just outlasted them in pitching. That's what helped us out."</div> <bR> <div> And 18 hits.!  "That's right, hitting always makes you look smart," said Fancher, still grinning and dripping from an ice-bucket dousing.  In a battle of the long ball, it was the Lone Star state's all-stars that came through in the clutch.</div> <bR> <div> Virginia, who only lost to Texas during the six-day championship tournament, carved out a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Dustin Engledove did most of the damage, tattooing a three-run bomb over the right-field fence.</div> <div> "After we got down 4-0, they still knew that we could come back," Fancher said of his team. "They weren't upset yet -- other than the pitcher (Taylor Fancher), he was upset."</div> <bR> <div> Jerrod Blackmon's solo shot trimmed Texas' deficit to 4-1 before Engledove put a first-pitch strike into orbit, plating three more runs for Virginia. "Then it got 7-1 and they were a little bit down," Fancher said. "But we told them, you can't do anything about that. It's just a six-run lead. We've got to come back, let's start hitting the ball, pecking away at it."</div> <bR> <div> Pecking, ripping, whatever.  Lock, one of three Texas hitters to finish 3-for-4, started it with a lead-off single. Twelve batters and seven hits later, Texas was in front 11-7.</div> <bR> <div> Four runs is in no way insurmountable. Obviously.  Virginia wasn't without its own hitters and there were still three innings left. One run in the fourth wasn't nearly enough, though. The hits stopped coming for Virginia and Texas iced the cake with three runs in the fifth.</div> <bR> <div> "It was a factor of pitching a long tournament and a hot day," Virginia coach Bob Timberlake said. "The pitching kind of ran out and Texas hit the ball.  "(But) I'm very proud of the guys."</div> <bR> <div> The top of the order did most of the damage for Virginia. Lead-off man Tyler Brown was 3-for-4 with two runs, No. 3 hitter Bobby Shelton went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and three RBI and Engledove did his job at clean-up, bringing in three runs on a 2-for-3 performance.  Shane Timberlake took the loss, coming in just in time for Texas' resurgence. The 12-year-old allowed five runs (three earned) on eight hits in three innings of relief.</div> <bR> <div> Defeat aside, Bob Timberlake called it a fantastic World Series experience.  "These kids enjoyed it. They were having fun from the day we got here until now," the coach said. "They're having fun right at this moment. They're enjoying the moment."</div> <bR> <div> It doesn't have quite the same ring, but with only five players moving up, next year it could be don't mess with Virginia.</div> <bR> <div> <B> </b></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>