NATCHEZ — A local travel fastpitch softball team has done very well for the 2007 season. The Southern Explosions fastpitch softball team consists of girls from McComb High School, Gulfport High School, Bogue Chitto High School, Enterprise Attendance Center, and Franklin County High School. The following girls make up the Southern Explosions: Bradi Davis, Darcy Miller, Josie Porter and Toy Smith from Bogue Chitto; Annie Artigues, Megan Coney, Joycelyn Haygood, and Danielle Farnum from McComb High School; Chynna Coghlan, Karla Beth Hux and Kaitlyn Moak from Enterprise: K T Perkins from Gulfport High School; and Desiree Buie from Franklin County High School.

The girls have been competing in Amateur Softball Association and in the United States Fastpitch Association fastpitch organizations this year and have done very well. They have competed locally in tournaments in Brookhaven, Monticello, Clinton, and Ridgeland. The lady Southern Explosions finished sixth in the ASA Dixie Styx Invitational back in April, third in an USFA tournament in Monticello in early May, fourth in the ASA Clinton Early Bird tournament, third in the USFA State tournament in Monticello in June and second in the Traceway Invitational in Clinton recently.

The lady Southern Explosions will be in Tupelo on July Friday through Sunday competing in the ASA Class B state tournament facing teams from the gulf coast to north Mississippi. The top teams will have a chance to earn an invitation to the nationals in Gadsen, Alabama.

The team is coached by Kyle Hux, Richard Coney, Robert Buie, Eric Farnum and Todd Haygood. This year’s team has nine players who returned from last year’s team and three from 2005. The Southern Explosion organization will be adding a new 14U team next year with most of this year’s team moving to 16U in 2008. The organization may also add teams in the 8U, 10U, and 12U age groups. Anyone interested in trying out for next years age groups, coaching, or for a sponsorship can contact team organizer Todd Haygood at (601)657-8410 or email at southernbowhunter@yahoo.com.

The Southern Explosions would like to thank all of the local sponsors for helping make this years team a great success. The team has a list of all sponsors on its website at www.eteamz.com/southernexplosions and on the team banner. The team, parents, and coaches appreciate all the support they have received from sponsors and local fans.