Chattanooga area high schools trimming toward Spring Fling

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog
photo Whitwell softball coach Grace Pickett gestures during the 2013 Spring Fling.

A season's worth of hard work all comes down to who performs best this week as hundreds of area high school athletes try to help their teams advance to next week's Spring Fling, or qualify individually themselves for the state tournaments in Murfreesboro.

As the school year winds down, the competition heats up, and this week will decide who gets to continue competing and dreaming of state championships.

The TSSAA's five spring sports -- baseball, boys' soccer, softball, tennis and track and field -- will continue elimination rounds with region tournaments, followed by state sectionals this weekend, and the goal for each team and athlete is to survive and advance to next week in Murfreesboro.

Baseball and softball teams that won Monday night are guaranteed spots in Friday's winner-take-all sectional round. Soccer teams will decide Saturday who earns the right to play in the state tournament, while track and field athletes know the burden is on their shoulders alone if they are to reach the individual portion of the state meet.