DESOTO COUNTY, Miss — Excellence is an expectation for DeSoto Central baseball. That tends to happen when you're the three-time Mississippi high school state champions and a pipeline for next level talent.
A chance to be excellent is here again. The Jags (21-10) are one of the last two teams standing and playing in the Mississippi 6A state championship.
"When you set out after a goal in August and you put the work in. You see them put the work in through the trials and tribulations. You want to keep the faith and hope (the team) are one of the last two standing so it's very very rewarding," head coach Mark Monaghan said.
The North Half Champions are hungry to bring another title back to DeSoto County after knocking off the 2021 champion Madison Central High.
"Who wouldn't want to bring a championship back to DC? Championships are one of a kind. It means you're the best," said pitcher Bradley Loftin.
They'll face Madison Central's 2021 opponent, the Northwest Rankin Cougars (32-2).
The last time Desoto Central was on this stage was 2019. When they brought home the title, Kristian Sprawling was a freshman on that team.
As a 2022 captain, he and his fellow seniors hope to lead the way to another championship.
"It'd mean a lot. From the first day we got here as seniors we wanted to allow the younger guys to experience what we had a chance to experience. To bring it back here, would mean a lot," Sprawling said.
Sprawling joins seniors Tyler Pearson, Brock Tapper and Clint Brown Jr. as the last Jaguars to taste a championship as freshmen.
"They were on that team and they understand what it's all about to go to Trustmark (Park) and be successful," Monaghan said.
Winning a championship takes leadership, but it also takes talent and Bradley Loftin has talent. The Jags will lean on their ace pitcher, a Mississippi State commit that could be selected in the MLB Draft this July.
Loftin is looking forward to the summer but knows he has to remain focused on the task at hand.
"I'm excited to see what the summer has for me. We'll be throwing at a bunch of big-league parks, but right now the focus is on Northwest Rankin and Trustmark (Park)," Loftin said.
He and the Jags hope by Friday, you'll be calling them champions once again.
The first game of the state championship best-of-three series begins at 7 p.m. Friday at Trustmark Park in Pearl.