SHERIDAN — The Bryant Black Sox Junior American Legion team will make its fifth appearance in the State tournament in the last six years after their 8-5 win over Little Rock Continental Express on Saturday afternoon was coupled with Sheridan's 21-9 win over Pine Bluff Kell Saturday evening.
Bryant and Sheridan will play on Sunday at 4:30 p.m., in the winners bracket final of the Zone 4 District Tournament. Sheridan, as the host of the State tourney, has an automatic bid to State. Two other teams were to qualify from the district. Bryant will be one of those.
In an elimination game on Sunday, Pine Bluff Kell will take on Hope with the winner coming back at 7 to play Continental for the third State bid from the district. Continental, the defending Junior State champion, eliminated Magnolia on Saturday afternoon while Hope ousted Hot Springs Lakeside. The loser's bracket survivor (Kell, Hope or Continental) will play the loser of the Bryant-Sheridan game on Monday with the winner advancing to the championship against the Bryant-Sheridan winner.
The State tournament begins Friday, July 10.
This will be the first year that only Junior teams (17-and-under) will compete for the State title. In the past, 19-and-under teams drawing players from smaller school districts also competed at the Junior State. This year, however, those teams will compete for the AA State title, while the 19-and-under teams drawing from larger school districts compete for the Senior Legion State championship. Bryant will host the Zone 4 Senior District beginning Friday, July 17, with two State bids on the line.
