By By Tim Cottrell
Now that Cal Ripken and Babe Ruth Baseball have finished up their seasons in Atmore, the real fun begins this week, when three All-Star teams begin their quests for national titles at the district tournaments.
The 8-, 9-, and 12-year-old teams will begin play Thursday, with two teams playing in Grand Bay and one playing at Boykin Park in Mobile.
The first to play Thursday will be the 8-year-old team. They will square off against the winner of Matthews and Theodore Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The 8-year-old Cal Ripken All-Star team consists of Brodie Amos, Scott Brantley, Tristan Brown, LaCoya Harris, Trey McGhee, Perry Metzler, Bo Ramer, Alex Rice, John Patrick Sawyer, Coby Smith, Tanner Smith, and Tadd Wall. The team is managed by Tommy Smith; and Jody Dortch, J.P. Sawyer, and Jamie Ramer will serve as assistant coaches.
The double-elimination bracket will consist of Atmore, Matthews, Theodore, Orange Beach, Satsuma, Semmes, Gulf Shores, Spanish Fort, Boykin, and Grand Bay
Following that, the 9- and 12-year-old teams will play at the same time in Mobile and Grand Bay, respectively.
The 9-year-old Cal Ripken All-Star team will square off against Theodore Thursday at 8 p.m. at Boykin Park in Mobile. They will then face either Spanish Fort or Satsuma Friday. The team consists of Malcolm Black, D.J. Carter, Brett Helton, Justin Alan Hiebert, Casey Jackson, Wesley Jefferson, David Johnson, Dustin Lindsey, Tristan McAnally, D'Andrez McCarthy, Brice McGhee, and Kyler McGlothren. Eddie Jackson will serve as manager; and Kevin Snow and Chase McGhee will serve as assistant coaches.
Other teams in Atmore's bracket include Semmes, Matthews, Gulf Shores, and Grand Bay-Dawes.
Across Mobile County, the 12-year-old Cal Ripken All-Star team will begin play at 8 p.m. in Grand Bay against Semmes or Theodore. A win pit Atmore against either Satsuma or Orange Beach, while a loss could pit them against any of the four previously mentioned teams. The 12-year-old All-Stars include Devante Brown, Levi Gideons, Will Hendrix, Tanner Kirk, Thomas Moore, Cedric Pierce, Dalton Phillips, Ty Randolph, Marshall Rolin, Gavin Salter, Christian Swartzendruber, and Brett Wilkins. The team is managed by Melvin Rolin; and Chris Kirk and Shawon Salter will serve as assistant coaches.
Other teams in Atmore's bracket include Matthews, Spanish Fort, Gulf Shores, Grand Bay, and Boykin. Semmes has two teams competing in the bracket.
The 10-, 11-, 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds will all begin play next Thursday, June 23. Look for previews of their tournament trails in next Wednesday's Advance.