The 13-year-old Dixie Youth Concordia All-Star team was slated to have their final tune up Tuesday against the 14-year-old all-stars in advance of its district tournament opener Saturday.

However, a thunderstorm that came through the area Tuesday morning swept those plans away, but coach Matthew Freeman remains confident in his squad despite the less than ideal conditions.

“We have a bunch of guys that pretty much play together year round,” Freeman said. “It will probably be just another tournament for them, but we’ll see Saturday.”

Concordia’s first game is slated for 7:30 p.m. against East Ouachita. Freeman said he expects strong play from all five of the teams involved, but thinks his squad perhaps may have a slight advantage in serving as the host team.

“Any coach would be excited to be the host,” he said. “You don’t have to travel anywhere, and the kids can go home and don’t have to stay in a hotel. Being the host is a plus, and the kids have played on that field all summer long.”

Coaching an all-star squad is not unfamiliar territory for Freeman as the Adams County Christian School head baseball coach served as a head man during the MAIS AAA All-Star Game in late May.

Freeman said the high school and youth squads share a similar trait in terms of playing style.

“It’s just like a high school all star team in that anytime you have a group that are the best on their regular-season team, you don’t have to worry about the little things,” Freeman said. “They’re going to catch fly balls and field ground balls, and it just makes things easier.”

Freeman said the strength of his squad lies in its ability to do everything well, and expects a strong showing from the Concordia All-Stars.

“Our strength is going to be making routine plays on defense, hitting the ball, and we’ve got good pitching,” he said. “We’re pretty well-rounded.”