Baseball
By: Luke Bush
Oak Grove baseball is getting ready to kick off another year. The season officially begins with the first game in the Oak Grove Classic Tournament being played at the Harry Breland Field. They are very hopeful for victory this season. “A lot of people are underestimating us,” Scott Weathersby, senior pitcher for the Warriors, said. “We discussed it as a team and our goal is to go to the State Championship. If we give it our all, there is no reason we can’t make it.” If the Warriors are able to hold up their promise, they will be traveling to Pearl, Mississippi, where the State Championship is played each year.
Weathersby is not the only one who will be pitching for the Warriors this year. The pitching rotation will include Casey Comfort and James McMahon. “Our team has a lot of talent this year with solid hitting, pitching, and defense,” Weathersby said.
This year should prove to be a promising year for the Warriors. The team is looking forward to seeing the support of students and the community.
Tennis
By: Kate Zachary
As the tennis season approaches, the new coach and 10th grade English teacher, Samantha Padgett, is excited about the new season. “My goal for the team this year is to represent Oak Grove High School with dignity as we travel to other high schools in the area. We want to enjoy and embrace the chance at camaraderie, sportsmanship, and the bond of being a part of a team, and hopefully we will perform as well on the courts as we do off the courts,” Padgett said.
Even though the team consists of new players this year, they are confident about the upcoming matches. “I expect the team to grow, to embrace and mentor our new, younger teammates, and to hopefully win some important matches,” Padgett said. “The road to state will be a difficult one this year, knowing that the team is young; however, we should never put anything past anyone. Doubt is an unhealthy quality as a coach or as a member of a team,” Padgett said.
Track
By: Taylor Herring
At the beginning of a new season, the track team hopes to get off to a strong start. The head coach, Robin Ryder, feels confident considering their successful 2008-2009 season. The team recently began daily practices, and Coach Ryder expects even more runners to join after soccer and basketball seasons end. As of now, the sprinters are full-speed running one mile a day; and the distance runners are doing up to eight miles a day. The official practice schedule begins February 8th; and Coach Ryder held a set of tryouts on February 1st. Ryder is looking forward to another successful season and reaching new goals. “Last year, we had more all-state runners than ever before. Hopefully we can build on that success,” Ryder said.
The team kicks off the season with a meet on March 1st in Slidell, LA.
Softball
By: Lauren Pace
The Lady Warrior Softball Team plans to have a very exciting season this year. With six of the 2009 All-District players returning, Coach Gary Ivy has high hopes for the season.
Last year, the team made it to the first round of the playoffs and finished with a record of 17-7. Head Coach, Gary Ivy expects to have another great season. “Our biggest competition would probably have to be Brandon or Clinton in South State,” Ivy said. Northwest Rankin currently holds the State Championship title.
The only returning varsity senior, Kayla Stanley, recently signed to play softball at The University of Southern Mississippi next year.
Recently, the team has been sprucing up the softball facility. They have a new bullpin area and are looking forward to a new field house. “The Lady Warrior softball team is on our upswing,” Ivy said.
The team is striving for many goals this upcoming season and hope to win the State Championship.
