One of the fun stories this fall in club softball has been the impressive run made by the Mississippi Bombers 16U Gold/Knight team which, after winning the 18U division of the Blazers Fall Showcase in Louisiana last weekend, is now a perfect 23-0.
When Coach Tony Knight, who is also the Mississippi State Director of the Bombers fastpitch organization, joined up with the program’s head, Scott Smith, four years ago, his goal was to prove that his state is “not as far behind as some around the country might think when it comes to producing great softball talent.”
The coach and administrator adds: “Mississippi high school football, basketball, and baseball athletes have been on the radar for years and now the Mississippi Bombers are proving the talent is here in softball as well.”
Coming off a summer in which the MS Bombers finished 3rd in the USA/Elite Select Nationals in Viera Beach, Florida, the Bombers team, which be one of the top in the org outside the Lone Star State, has played nearly perfect softball this fall.
No matter what happens this weekend at the Bolts 5-Star Showcase, win or lose, it’s already been a highly successful—and satisfying—autumn for this team which has racked up one impressive accomplishment after another.
With college coaches watching virtually, the MS Bombers finished in the Top 10 at the USA Nationals in Chattanooga, Tennessee this summer and were invited to the talent-loaded USA Softball JO Cup for 2020 but were prevented from attending due to COVID-19.
During the fall campaign, the Bombers finished first in three tournaments: the Stars Over Alabama Tournament, the Sand Dollar Showcase and the Bombers Southeast Invite before winning all their games in the Scenic City Showcase Power Pools and the Blazers Fall Showcase.
Key victories in the fall came against respected 16U foes such as Fury Platinum, So Cal Athletics, Mojo-Ross, Louisville Lady Sluggers, Atlanta Premier Elite, Florida Impact, East Cobb Bullets,and the Indiana Magic Gold.
Knight’s team is anchored by the ultra-talented Alana Johnson, a middle infielder ranked #11 in the 2022 Extra Elite 100 and a recent commit to the University of Washington:
Go DaWgs!!!💜💜💜 @CoachTarr @Syd_finch @lglasoe @whitjones25 @TKNIGHT11 pic.twitter.com/cQpgn5iYZj
— Alana Johnson (@__lanaaj) November 18, 2020
But she’s not the only standout on the team; as Coach Knight says, “We have a host of exceptional 2022 and 2023 players from around the state.”
*** Scroll down to read more on this fast-rising 16U team…
