NATCHEZ — With two T.M. Jennings all-star teams being represented in Hattiesburg this weekend, a district championship win is shared by each squads’ collective mind.

The 11- and 12-year-olds and 9- and 10-year-olds all-star teams embody a shared mentality that wants to finish one place better than they did a year ago. Each team came in second to Hattiesburg in last year’s district championship, and both will play Hattiesburg at 10 a.m. Saturday.

With the majority of the 9- and 10-year-olds from last year’s squad forming the majority of the 11- and 12-year-olds of this year’s squad, the team is familiar with Hattiesburg as an opponent, and 11-year-old Travis Berry can’t wait to play Hattiesburg again.

“I’m most excited to show Mississippi what we’re all about,” Berry said.

Coach Will Wesley said the 11- and 12 -year-olds will rely on previous all-star experience, though.

“We have one veteran, and everybody else moved up from 9 and 10,” Wesley said. “We have a lot of talent, nonetheless with our strength being our pitchers.”

Tyrese Brown and Duke Gaines will see a lot of action from the mound, and Brown is anxious to work his signature pitch.

“I have three pitches,” Brown said. “I have a two-seam fastball, a circle-change and a curveball. My best pitch is the circle-change.”

Wesley said his team’s defense is coming around, but Trevon Henry wasn’t coy about his skills in centerfield. When asked about the range he covers at the position, Henry raised his eyebrows.

“A lot,” Henry said. “Mmhmm.”

There was no shorthand of excitement Tuesday evening at a combined all-star practice, and as each player enthusiastically chased down balls in the outfield, Wesley said the key to victory for his team will be smooth defense and cohesive play.

“I like to play ‘smart ball,’” Wesley said. “Smart ball is what I call less errors, playing base defense and hitting.”

Meanwhile, coach Jerome Timmons Jr. preached last-minute fundamentals to his 9- and 10-year-olds. Timmons has six returners from last year’s squad, and he believes one of his best chances of winning is to use his team speed.

“We’re pretty fast,” Timmons said. “If we get on base, we’re going to steal home.”

Because of his team’s speed, Timmons won’t hesitate to call for a bunt to move over runners. Rodrick Simpson would bunt should the situation call for it, but he would prefer pursuing the long ball instead.

“I can hit,” Simpson said. “I can hit it to the fence. I’ve hit a couple of them this year.”

Similar to the 11- and 12-year-olds, pitching and defense is the strength of the younger all-star team, and Jerome Timmons III didn’t hesitate when asked what the best part of his game was.

“Fielding,” Timmons said. “I can (brag). Sometimes when the catcher throws it down, it might be a little high, but I can still snag it and tag the runner.”

Some T.M. Jennings all-stars like hitting over fielding, while others prefer the field rather than the bat. Still, as a collective unit of all-stars, each individual simply couldn’t wait to travel to Hattiesburg and play on the baseball diamond. Playing baseball is 10-year-old Dekaron McGruder’s favorite.

“I like baseball a lot,” McGruder said. “I play football and basketball too, but I like baseball because you have to run and train and do drills a lot.”

Both Wesley and Timmons are hopeful those drills will payoff against Hattiesburg.