Bogue Chitto native Randi Moak and the Mississippi College LadyChoctaws have high hopes. They begin play today in the NCAADivision III softball regional tournament at Louisiana College inPineville. They tackle California-based University of the Redlands(27-10) today at 2 p.m.

Moak, a senior shortstop, has helped lead the Lady Chocs to a36-8 record and a No. 6 national ranking. MC received one of apotential 17 at-large bids to a regional.

MC coach Brook O’Hair believes the regional is one of thetoughest in the country because four of the teams are ranked amongthe nation’s top ten. Joining Redlands, MC and host LouisianaCollege (33-) in the double-elimination tourney are Hardin-Simmons(29-14) of the ASC, Trinity University (25-10), and Linfield(34-15) of Oregon.

Moak, a standout in basketball and softball at Bogue Chitto fouryears ago, shared The DAILY LEADER’s 2003 Player of the Year awardwith high school teammate Jessica Melton. As a senior at MC, Moakis batting .257. She has 2 homers and 17 RBIs to her credit. Shehas a sparkling .930 fielding percentage.

O’Hair was named American Southwest Conference Coach of theYear. Moak was joined on the All-ASC squad by 8 teammates. Seniorutility player Kayla Watkins of Starkville and junior pitcher KatiePerry of Metairie, La., were First Team selections. Freshmanoutfielder Reagan Jackson of Grenada was named to the ASC SecondTeam.

Moak, along with Leslie Shumock of Sumrall, Sandi Maillian ofHarahan, La., Anna Lindsey of Terry, Anna Lisa Posey ofPhiladelphia (MS) and designated player Nikki McClaskey of Brandonwere ASC honorable mention selections.

In other diamond news, the MC baseball Chocs labored through adifficult rebuilding year under interim head coach Brian Owens.Senior shortstop Jody Britt of Brookhaven (Loyd Star) did his bestand earned All-ASC Baseball Team honors. Britt batted .368. with 4homers and 46 RBIs.

MC senior outfielder Wesley Radiconi was the only Choc receivingFirst Team recognition. The Cleveland (MS) native batted .344 andled the team with 8 homers. He also had 47 RBIs.

Junior first baseman Max Parks was the lone Choc to earn ASCSecond Team honors. Parks, from Crestview, Fla., batted .333 in hisfirst season at MC. He was third on the team with 45 RBIs and hit 4homers.

Senior pitcher Shawn Ashley was an honorable mention choice. TheTerrell, Texas product had a 5-4 record. He led the ASC with anearned run average of 2.44. He fanned 62 batters in 73.2innings.

Brookhaven Academy senior sprinter Price Sessums completed hisprep career with another sizzling performance. He won the MPSAClass AA State Track championship titles in the 100 and 200-meterdashes. Sessums ran the 100 in 11.0 and the 200 in 22.7.

Sessums dreams of playing football as a return specialist forthe Ole Miss Rebels but he has an opportunity in track, too.

The BA Cougars, coached by Bo Milton, also got a second placefinish from T-Boy Lynch in the triple jump with a leap of 41 feet,3 inches. Sophomore Drew Holland Tigner was fourth in the girls400-meter run with a time of 1:02.0 and seventh grader TerahWinborne was fifth in the 1600-meter run.

Milton is a devoted track enthusiast. He is trying to build aprogram at a school that doesn’t have a track facility. He had over60 junior high and high school athletes competing this spring.

Meanwhile, Brookhaven High School made a solid showing in theClass 4A state track meet as both the girls and boys finished sixthin team standings.

Coach Patrick Hardy’s Lady Panthers were led by the 4×100 relayteam (Monte’ Wilson, JoAnna McDaniel, Davida Renfro, LekeshaWinston) and the 4×200 meter relay (Jamarea Swington, McDaniel,Renfro, Winston) as both finished second.

Wilson also finished third in the long jump. Katie Mackabee wasrunner-up in the discus.

The Panthers were led by senior Greg Walker who finished secondin the 300-meter hurdles. Walker, a linebacker in football, was oneof the leading tacklers on the 2006 state playoff team. He has alot of potential in both sports but remains unsigned.

Track is a demanding sport which requires a lot of sacrifice andpersonal dedication. You practice until it hurts. No pain, nogain.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O.BOX 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com