CANTON – The Brookhaven Academy boys pursue the MAIS Class AA State Tournament championship this week at Canton Academy. The Cougars (23-12), coached by Dale Watts, are seeded No. 2 out of the South State Tournament and meet North No. 3 seed Canton Academy at 7:15 tonight.

Watts watched his Cougars lose a hard-fought but low-scoring 22-20 decision to Central Private in last Saturday’s night’s South State Championship game.

Marshall Academy, the North’s No. 1 seed, is the defending boys state champion. Leake Academy’s girls are North No. 1 seeds in their bracket. The Lady Rebels are defending state champs.

Semifinals in the boys and girls brackets are scheduled Friday, with the girls playing the afternoon session. The boys play that night. A similar format will be followed in Saturday’s finals, starting with the girls consolation. The top three teams advance to next week’s MAIS Overall Tournament at Mississippi College in Clinton.