CENTREVILLE &045; Every team has one. You know you’ve seen them.

Some covertly place a bubbled piece of chewing gum on an unsuspecting player, while others act coy like nothing has happened. Others, like a thief in the night, slink around a naive teammate’s back and adorn her face with a pie.

They are the practical jokers, who take it upon themselves to keep comrades loose and distracted from mounting pressure.

For Centreville Academy’s South State champion fast-pitch softball squad, the jester is pitcher/first baseman Jenae Jackson.

&uot;I try to relax everybody on the field to not feel so antsy,&uot; said Jackson, who threw 5 2/3 innings in the 6-2 championship win over Columbia Academy Saturday. &uot;If somebody makes a blooper, I’ll say, ‘You must have a hole in that glove.’ I like to be serious when we’re playing, but if everybody is uptight, I’ll cut a couple of jokes.&uot;

The South’s No. 1 seed, the Tigers’ delicate work/play approach will be tested again against North No. 4 seed Leake Academy at the Mississippi Private School Association Class AA State playoffs at Brookhaven Academy at 12:30 p.m. today.

Centreville looks to advance in the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament, in hopes of capturing its third straight state title.

Head coach Kenny Jackson said his Tigers are fully aware of the preseason expectations that are placed upon them traditionally.

But each year, the state tourney is a crapshoot because the four teams from both regions head into today’s quarterfinals unaware of the other’s talent level.

&uot;From year to year, you never know what the North has,&uot; Kenny Jackson said. &uot;The teams last year that weren’t so good may be a championship team now. If you can pick up one pitcher that can make all the difference into becoming a championship team.&uot;

A win over Leake means the Tigers play the winner of the Benton Academy -Silliman Institute contest at 4 p.m. today.

A loss tumbles Centreville into a loser’s bracket matchup between the same two squads.

&uot;I feel if we can get or minds straight, we’ll prevail,&uot; Jenae Jackson said. &uot;If we think we’ve already won, we’ll lose. As long as we have a good attitude, and play hard, we’ll win.&uot;

After a senior-laden team brought home the gold last season, Kenny Jackson was a little unsure what fate the summer of 2003 held.

Daughter Jenae is one of only four seniors, and Kenny Jackson brought his club into summer practices with gaping holes at a variety of positions.

&uot;We had to make several adjustments during the season,&uot; said Kenny Jackson, whose humility pales when contrasted with his daughter’s chutzpah. &uot;We had to shift people around until we thought we had found a good fit for everybody.&uot;

With practices beginning in mid-July, coach Jackson had to battle the summer schedules of many players, which played on tournament teams in Baton Rouge and around Jackson.

Since tournaments typically centered around weekends, it allowed Jackson to situate practices during the week.

&uot;We put a lot of the responsibility on the girls themselves,&uot; he said. &uot;We direct them the best way we can as coaches, but it takes them to do it right.&uot;

With Jenae Jackson, Kelly Simpson, Misty Stelly, Ash Brashier and Kendall Madsen all earning all-district honors, the results are on center stage.

Madsen, a junior who pitched the Tigers into Saturday’s South State final with wins over Riverfield and Columbia, took it a step further in being named 4-2A’s Most Valuable Player.

&uot;I have the best defense in the state. I wouldn’t be the pitcher I am if it wasn’t for them,&uot; she said. &uot;Every time I get on the mound, I want to work hard just for them.&uot;

Those first couple of innings against Riverfield, though, with the score locked up at zeroes made her nervous, Madsen said.

She relied on the support of her fellow Tigers to calm her down, a trait that is synonymous with Centreville’s recent softball success.

&uot;We have a lot of fun because we work so well together,&uot; said Stelly, who plays third base. &uot;We’re like a family out there together on the field. We’re looking forward to having a third title, but we’re all really nervous. We know we have to go out there and work hard for it.&uot;

But still have some fun while they’re doing it, right?

&uot;There’s a time to be serious and a time to have fun,&uot; Jenae Jackson said. &uot;That’s how we’ve won state championships. I know we have all the talent in the world. But if we don’t prepare and play serious, we’re not going to win.&uot;