It’s mid-May in Murfreesboro and that means Spring Fling XXII with state champions to be crowned this week in baseball, soccer, softball, tennis and track and field.
The excitement of a chance at a state title will be felt throughout the region as the brain child of former TSSAA executive director Ronnie Carter and first held in Chattanooga has grown from three, D-I classifications in 1994 to D-I A-AA and AAA and D-II A and AA in 2015.
Tennis Starts Tuesday: Close to 100 prep tennis players representing schools from White Station to Tennessee High will descend on the Old Fort Park Tennis as the team semis are today with finals Wednesday followed by singles and doubles quarters and semis Thursday and finals on championship Friday.
If You Are Going to any of the venues
* Tickets- $10 per day and all general admission
* Parking:
Baseball – Each site will charge $5 per day.
Girls’ Softball – Parking will be $5 per day.
Soccer – On Thursday and Friday parking will be $5 per day.
Track – Parking will be $5 per day.
Tennis – Parking will be $5 per day.
Tennis Playing Schedule
Tuesday (all times EDT)
D-II A and AA Boys – 10 a.m. EDT
MUS in AA and Knox Webb in A are the favorites to win it all … MUS goes for a record 16th title, currently tied with Baylor with 15
MUS opens with McCallie while Baylor faces MBA … 46 team titles between the four schools
In D-II A, Knox Webb is two-time defending champ and opens with Lausanne, while Univ School Jackson and Univ. School Nashville meet … Since D-II A was formed, Webb (4) and USN (3) have won all the titles; Webb … 2014-13-11-10 … USN … 2012-09-08
Championship: Wednesday – both A and AA finals are at 10 a.m.
D-II A and AA Girls – Noon EDT
In D-II A, Knox. Webb and St. Mary’s should meet in the finals as they did in 2014 with Webb the victor; semis pairings show Webb vs. Univ. School of Jackson and St. Mary’s vs. Univ. School of Nashville.
Two Records: Webb goes for two team state records this week … most team titles – currently tied with GPS with 11 and most consecutive - currently tied with St, Mary’s and Ravenwood with 5 … Ravenwood goes for six in a row in D-I AAA
Last team besides Webb to win a D-II A title was St. George’s in 2009 … Webb was competing in D-II AA that year and lost to Hutchison in the finals
In D-II AA, Baylor girls are solid favorites to win it all; Red Raiders face Harpeth Hall, while GPS takes on Hutchison; 23 titles among the four
Championship: Wednesday – both A and AA finals are at 12:30 p.m.
D-I A-AA and AAA Boys 2 p.m. EDT
In D-I A, there should be two good semis with Hixson vs. Trinity Christian and Knox. Catholic vs. Lipscomb Academy … six titles among the four schools; Lipscomb Academy (4) and Knox Catholic (2)
In AAA, Tennessee High looks to repeat but in a strong field …
Semis shows Tenn. Hi vs Germantown and Siegel vs. next door neighbor Ravenwood … five titles among the four.
Championship: Wednesday A-AA (10 a.m.) and AAA (12:30 p.m.) A-AA
D-I A-AA and AAA Girls – 4 p.m. EST
In A-AA semis, it’s Notre Dame and Lipscomb Academy and Greeneville vs. Union City … Notre Dame is back for third time in four years ... Irish won it in 2012 … Lipscomb Academy has won three titles
In AAA, Ravenwood goes for its sixth straight title … semis has Ravenwood vs. Soddy Daisy and Houston vs. Bearden … seven titles among the four … Ravenwood (5) and Bearden (2)
Championship: Wednesday A-AA (2:30 p.m.) and AAA (2:30 p.m.)
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net