In 1998 and 1999 Jackson Parklane’s softball team won the Class AAA-AAAA State Championship tournament.

Both years Parklane defeated ACCS in the championship game to win the state title.

Prior to Parklane winning two straight state titles, ACCS won four in a row from 1994-’97, having defeated Parklane in the championship game all four times.

This Saturday, the Class AAA-AAAA State Tournament takes place in Brookhaven and, not surprisingly, the top two seeds are Parklane (No. 1 seed) and ACCS (No. 2 seed).

&uot;We’ve played Parklane four times this season and they’ve beat us three times and we beat them once,&uot; said ACCS softball coach Bruce Pickle.

&uot;If Parklane plays like they’re capable of playing and if we play like we’re capable of playing, we’ll be in the finals.&uot;

Since the State AAA-AAAA tournament began in 1994, ACCS and Parklane have played each other in the championship game.

Also competing in this year’s tournament are Leake Academy, Silliman, Heritage Academy, Oak Forest Academy, Oak Hill Academy Hillcrest and Jackson Academy.

&uot;Heritage (the No. 4 seed) usually has a pretty good team,&uot; Pickle said. &uot;JA hits the ball well. Silliman’s not as strong as in previous years. We can’t get JA and Hillcrest to play us.&uot;

ACCS plays against Oak Hill, the No. 7 seed, at 10:15 a.m.

Charmaine Reagan will be the starting pitcher for ACCS in that game. Pickle also said that Kelsie Ward and Alesia Brown could come in and pitch.

&uot;We played against Oak Hill in the first round last year, but I don’t know much about this year’s team,&uot; Pickle said.

Parklane received a first-round bye and will play the winner of the Leake-Silliman game at 11:30 a.m.

&uot;Leake is a real good team out of AAA,&uot; Pickle said.

As for his team’s chances, Pickle said, &uot;Our chances are as good as anybody’s. The kids have got to be focused the whole day.&uot;

One year ACCS lost its first game to drop to the loser’s bracket and ended up winning the state title.

Pickle hopes this year’s squad does not have to take that route.

&uot;It would be a lot easier if we win the first two games to stay in the winner’s bracket so we won’t have to play too many games.&uot;

And the fewer games the Lady Rebels play, the better their chances are of going to and possibly winning the state title.