VIDALIA, La. &045; Sonny Clay watched his Bridge Creek, Okla., team take Spring Break off last year and spend it in the snowy Rocky Mountains instead of fielding grounders, shagging fly and getting in the cage.

Enjoying their time off did not crossover to enjoying their time on the field for the rest of the season.

Clay, a former Huntington School and Natchez High baseball coach, was not going to make the same mistake twice.

He decided to call his old buddy, Vidalia skipper Johnny Lee Hoffpauir to see if he could get a game this past fall.

With the Vikings tournament booked and interest abounding, Hoffpauir opted to begin the Vidalia Invitational, which will also included former Adams County Christian coach Greg Harris’ team in Brandon, Ark.

&uot;(Harris and Clay) called me and said they wanted to come play. Harris and I coached (American) Legion baseball together in 1995 and ’96,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;(Harris) has turned the (Brandon) program around there and we’re glad to have him.&uot;

Winnsboro, La., Cathedral and Minden, La., round out the teams that will participate in the three-day event, which begins at 4 p.m. today with Bridge Creek vs. Winnsboro.

The Green Wave are a late addition to the Invitational after head coach Ken Beesley took Hoffpauir up on his offer after Cathedral went 2-1 and lost to the Vikings in the final of last weekend’s Vidalia Tournament.

Cathedral plays one game at 12:15 p.m. Saturday against the Brandon team.

&uot;Ever since (Harris) and I worked with each other, we became friends and kept in touch once he left,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;Two years ago he was coaching in Hampton, Ark., and played in our tournament.&uot;

Hoffpauir said the Round-Robin schedule allows teams to partake in as many contests as each club would like and to accommodate the out-of-state schools travel plans as best as possible.

Along with the excitement of Clay and Harris’ return to the Miss-Lou, Hoffpauir likes the idea of entertaining Class 4A Minden for the first time.

His appreciation of the skyrocketing interest the Vidalia Tournament has received in recent years has allowed Hoffpauir to create this weekend’s affair.

&uot;It’s a compliment to our program. It’s nice to know our program is known throughout the state, said Hoffpauir, whose team is tied with Episcopal as the top Class 2A team in the state. &uot;Through the years we’ve played all over the state against bigger schools. We feel we have as good of facilities as anybody.&uot;

The 24-year head coach said his team his not buying into its top ranking and is handling their early-season success with an extreme amount of humility.

Hoffpauir plans to throw Barry Bowden in today’s game at 6:15 p.m. vs. Brandon.

Bowden, who struck out 13 in the championship win over Cathedral last Saturday, is one-third of a dominating staff that has the Vikings 11-0.

&uot;Mac Ware has been a pleasant addition to our staff this season,&uot; Hoffpauir said. &uot;We knew he had the ability because his control was good. He has been a big help.

&uot;We’ve got three kids, who throw in the 80s, and we’ll take that because I’ve never had it before. Our pitching has really carried us.&uot;