NATCHEZ — Cathedral baseball coach Craig Beesley traveled to Hinds Community College in Pearl Thursday morning to begin work with the 1A/2A/3A South All-Star team.

The team started practice Thursday to prepare for the Mississippi Crossroads Diamond Club All-Star Game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Trustmark Park.

“It’s going good so far,” Beesley said shortly after wrapping up the team’s morning practice Thursday.

“We’ve only had one practice, but there are some outstanding athletes, with speed and good arms. Our shortstop and second baseman are real smooth in the middle, and I feel like we will have a good defensive team.”

Beesley said coaching in the All-Star game is a real honor.

“It is a big privilege,” Beesley said. “My father (Ken Beesley) coached in it, and I’m glad I could coach in it as well.”

Beesley said the goal for the four practices leading up to the game Saturday is just to see what the players can do.

“We’re trying to work them out pretty good to see who we can put in what positions,” Beesley said. “We practice two times a day for an hour and a half. It’s pretty hot out there, so we (just want) to let them show us what they can do.”

Beesley said practices would also be a learning process for him.

“It’s nice to be able to bring some stuff (that I will learn) back to Cathedral and Natchez,” Beesley said. “I’m going to learn from everybody, (including) the coach from Loyd Star (Jonathan Breakfield). I can pick up things from coaches and even from the (players), and hopefully bring them back to Natchez and install them.”

Beesley said the goal of the game is to win, but also to have fun in the process.

“We hope to get everyone in for three or four innings,” Beesley said.

Getting everyone playing time will be a tough task for the coaches, Beesley said.

“It will be a tough three days, getting all these (players) in (the game). But looking back, it will be a good experience,” he said.

Beesley’s Cathedral team put together a good season this year, capturing a fourth-consecutive District 7-1A title and falling just short of a south state championship birth.

“We lost in the third round (of the playoffs),” Beesley said. “We had a feeling whoever won that round would win state and that’s what happened.”

The Green Wave fell to eventual state champion Nanih Waiya.