Showdown time
Bulldogs, Cardinals meet once again with state playoff berth at stake
By JIMMY GALVAN Editor

There must be something about District 21-3A baseball.

Here it is, Class 3A playoffs and all three District 21-3A representatives are still alive and well in the playoffs.

"This is one of the strongest districts in the state if not the strongest," Jasper Head Baseball Coach Shawn Mixon said a year ago of District 21-3A. "Nobody will 10-run rule another team. Every game will be like a playoff and at the end of district play, there will be very good teams who stay home. If you don't show up to play, you're going to get beat."

Two of them will meet up once again in the playoffs this year.

Jasper and Bridge City will face off in a best-ofthree game series this week with the winner taking a strong road towards the Class 3A state title berth.

Jasper's road in the playoffs, though, may be a hard one this year. The Bulldogs will face off against a Bridge City squad that swept two district contests from Jasper this year.

Also, Bridge City will come into this week's series seeking a bit of revenge after Jasper eliminated them from the playoffs last year in the Region III finals.

Newsboy photos/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S TYLER ERNEST turns a double play against Bellville. Pictured left, Jasper's John Bradley smiles after the Dawgs secured their playoff win over Bellville.

The two teams met in a class three-game series last year in the playoffs. When it was all over, Jasper had pulled out the win and cruised its way to the state championship.

The victory propelled the Bulldogs to the state tourney.

"It is exciting to know we are going to state," said last year's catcher Blake Weller-Alexander. "Our district really helped us. They put pressure on us. It helped to play tough teams. We also had great fans. I want to thank the fans for their support."

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER'S SAM ALVIS trots home with one of Jasper's 13 runs against Bellville in the series final.