By Derek Thompson | The Selma Times-Journal

Selma will be well represented in the Dixie Youth State Tournaments this year.

Within the next two weeks, four Selma teams will take on the best ball players in the state for their respective age groups.

The 17-through-19-year-old Selma All-Stars will lead things off for the Queen City at the Dixie Majors State Tournament Thursday at 4:30 p.m. Selma will host the tournament at Bloch Park and face Tuscaloosa in game one.

A red-hot 11-and-12-year-old Selma Red All-Stars will head to its second consecutive state baseball tournament on July 17 to play Munford in Centreville.

Selma defeated Thomasville 4-2 in the district championship to clinch the spot after coming back from a loss earlier that day to Monroe.

Selma defeated Selma Blue, Monroe and Thomasville twice to win the tournament.

“I have to prepare them a little bit more, but we are ready for the state tournament,” said Selma head coach Nathan Ellis. “It’s going to be exciting. The kids that make All-Star, they really look forward to it. I can see the excitement in them. They’ve told me ‘I’m ready coach.’ We need all the fan support we can get. We want you all to come dressed in red and just holler and have a good time.”

Selma’s first ever 7-and-8-year-old team will take the field against Morgan County in the state tournament in Tuscaloosa on Friday at 7:00 p.m. The All-Stars defeated Grove Hill on June 16 to advance.

“Our main focus is going to be doing what we normally do,” said Selma head coach Andre Lamar.

“That’s play great defense. If we play defense like we have played all year, we’ll be fine. Everybody is going to be able to hit the ball. The main thing is playing great defense. You play great defense you win the ballgame. That’s how I see it.”

The 13-year-old Selma team has been practicing five days a week since the regular season ended to prepare for its state tournament in Troy starting July 18 at 4:30 p.m.

Selma head coach Ricky Waters said they will play the winner of the district that Enterprise and Ozark are in.

Waters said he has scouted the Southeastern teams at their district tournament in Montgomery.

“I think we should be fairly competitive with the other teams in the state,” Waters said. “As long as our bats are hot I think we will be very competitive. We’re pretty solid defensively. The kids have been working hard and are focused to do it.

It takes a lot of self dedication to practice when you are a month out before your first game.”