The Brookhaven National All-Stars play Friday in Laurel in theDixie Youth Baseball State AAA Tournament. The Nationals, who arethe District 6 champs, will face District 1 champ Washington in thefirst round of the double-elimination tournament at 8 tonight. Nineteams will battle for the state crown.

Win or lose, the Nationals play again Saturday.

Brookhaven won the District 6 title Tuesday night by eliminatingthe Summit All-Stars 6-2 at the Windsor Gay Sports Complex inSummit.

The head coach for the Nationals is Larry Killingsworth. Hisassistant coaches are Andrew Hickman and Glenn Miller.

“We all just work together,” said Killingsworth. “We walk ontothe field and do our game plan then. We look at the other team.That is how we beat Summit.”

Playing for the Nationals are Zach Ashley, Konner Burke, CoreyFunk, Will Hickman, Sawyer Hudson, Drew Jones, Leighton Jordan,Logan Killingsworth, Jeremy Laird, Will Lucas, Brennan Miller,Jacob Philipp and Brock Smith.

“This is a tremendous team,” Killingsworth stated. “This is anall-star team. I wish we had more time to practice before thetournament.”

There is no shortage of pitchers for the Nationals. According toKillingsworth, they have 12 out of 13 players who have pitchedduring the regular season. He has used 3 or 4 in thetournaments.

“We played tremendous defense,” explained Killingsworth. “Wehave good catchers. Two I have used. We have three more that I canbring in.”

Killingsworth said defeating Summit was a major plus for theBrookhaven team.

“We had good key hits at the right time,” said Killingsworth. “Icoached against Summit the past three years (two as an assistant).They are hard to beat.

“It was great to come back and eliminate them this year. It wasa good accomplishment. It was a good game.”

Killingsworth believes the Nationals have to come out hittingbetter in the state tournament.

“We have to come in there hitting,” added Killingsworth. “Andtry to overcome those errors. You’re going to have errors with thisage group.”

Killingsworth, in his first year as a head coach, is pleasedwith the baseball season. “This is my first year as head coach andto have Glen and Andrew there to help me, it has been great. I likethem. They are two great guys”

Killingsworth’s team won the National League City Tournamenttitle.

Hickman and Miller have been great help to him and theNationals, according to Killingsworth.”I have two great assistantcoaches. One is my pitching coach and the other my battingcoach.”

Killingsworth said he appreciated all the fan support during thecity tournament and district. He hopes to see more of it thisweekend in Laurel. The kids are looking forward to it.

“We’d like for Lincoln County to go with us this weekend,” addedKillingsworth. “We really appreciate the support. It means a lot toour boys to hear the people in the stands.”