KFDM COOP Posted April 28, 2007 Report Posted April 28, 2007 Diamond success caps big season for Shark athletesDave Rogers’ column for Thursday, April 26The Port Arthur News They don’t hold ticker tape parades in Sabine Pass, but there’s plenty of excitement for folks in the fishing community about their high school’s baseball and softball teams qualifying for the state playoffs. Coach Johnny Vines’ baseball team punched its ticket to the playoffs Tuesday when it wrapped up a third-place finish in District 25-A.Coach Tracie Billeaud’s softball team assured its second-place district finish a week ago.It’s the first-ever playoff trip for the softball program, which just began playing in the UIL in 2004. The baseball program, which was discontinued for a while, hasn’t been to the playoffs since 1986, when the Sharks won the District 24-A championship.“It’s a great feeling for our kids to have success,†Sabine Pass principal Kristi Heid said Wednesday. “They’ve had some tough knocks the last year and a half with Hurricane Rita and trying to recover. Success is always good for student morale.â€The softball team carries an 11-4 record into a Class A bidistrict matchup with Bremond Friday at 7 p.m. at Willis High School.“They’re on edge a little bit right now because they’re going into something they haven’t experienced before and they don’t know what to expect,†Billeaud, a first-year coach, said of her Lady Sharks.“But I’m certain they’ll put it all together when the time comes.â€Vines, also in his first year at Sabine Pass after coaching Deweyville’s nine to three district titles and four playoff berths in five years, says his 11-6 team could be in for a rough playoff initiation in its bidistrict matchup next week against District 26-A’s runnerup squad.Going into Friday’s final 26-A games, the possibility existed for a three-way tie for first which would be decided, Vines said Wednesday, by a coin flip. That means the Sharks could be paired against defending Class A state champ Anderson-Shiro and its returning player of the year, junior pitcher Tim Harris.Regardless of how things turn out, getting into the postseason is a big accomplishment and will wrap up a big year for the school.In the fall, Sabine Pass competed in UIL football competition for the first time in two decades and remained in the playoff hunt until the final game of the season.This spring, Shark athletes qualified for regional competition in tennis, golf and track.“When you look at those teams, you look at young teams,†Heid said, referring to the diamond squads. “Both the baseball and softball teams are young.“We’re looking at the next few years being successful for our students in all sports. One of the things that have helped put us in the successful mode is we didn’t have middle school programs before and now we do
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