The only thing standing in the way of West Marion reaching its first state championship game in school history in any sport is Magee.
West Marion (22-10) is scheduled to host Game 1 of the South State championship series Thursday. Magee (28-5), also nicknamed the Trojans, will host Game 2 Friday, and Game 3 would go back to Foxworth Saturday, if necessary.
West Marion has been to South State twice before (1999 and 2017) and is hoping for a different outcome this time around. Head coach Derrick Jerkins said it’s going to be different because a lot of the key contributors on the 2017 team are seniors now.
“We know a little bit more what to expect this time than we did last time,” he said. “I hope the experience of having already playing in one South State championship will help us out this time.”
Jerkins said Magee’s pitching staff throws a lot of strikes and isn’t going to give many free passes. He also noted Magee’s athleticism and knows West Marion is up for a challenge.
“They don’t have a lot of guys who have high velocity arms, but they throw a lot of strikes,” he said. “If you hit the ball in the outfield, they’re going to track it down. There’s some balls that people have hit before that they think is a sure double, and they’ll track it down. They’re super athletic and can really run.”
Jerkins added that because of Magee’s athleticism that the Trojans’ pitchers are going to need to do a good job holding runners and the infield is going to need to get the ball out quickly. However, he said if West Marion’s plays its game, he believes it will be fine despite what Magee has done to other teams.
“They’re super athletic is what it comes down to. They’ve beat a lot of teams with their athletic ability,” he said.
West Marion ace Shelby Terrell is going to start Game 1 and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in an outing all season. However, after Terrell is where it gets interesting with sophomore Jayden Duncan scheduled to start Game 2.
“Jayden Duncan has pitched really well for us this year, but he’s had a couple bad outings. Hopefully he can step up, and I think he will step up and pitch well,” Jerkins said. “Whenever someone other than Shelby is on the mound, we have to play solid defense. Anybody else we have isn’t going to strikeout as many as Shelby is.”
Jerkins added that he’s hoping Brett Jenkins, who has stepped up in his recent outings and would either pitch in relief or start Game 3, can rise to the occasion and keep Magee off balance as a lefty.
Jerkins said he thinks becoming the first team in school history to make it to the state championship would help the other athletic programs that have come close finally get over the hump.
“I’ve always said as soon as one team makes it that it won’t be too many years after that that another team makes it,” he said. “I think it will open a door for our athletics as soon as one team can kind of bust through.”
The winner between West Marion/Magee would play North Pontotoc or Booneville in the state championship. Game 1 would be Tuesday, May 14 at 4 p.m. at Trustmark Park, home to the Mississippi Braves in Pearl, and Game 2 Thursday, May 16.
Pictured Above: Trojans senior catcher Clay Blocker celebrates topping Wesson in Game 1 May 2 at home. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
