Ruston Dixie Youth teams head to state tournament in Metairie
Photos courtesy of Jimmy Shannon and Cody Rodrigues
The Ruston Americans (red) roster includes (front row, from left) Rhodes Jeffords, Jagger Ingram, Turner Kilpatrick, Raleigh Vining, Eli Shannon and Hudson Walpole. Middle row, from left are Tristan Case, Brooks Telford, Jack White, Sutton Simmons and Hayden Frost. Back row, from left are coaches Jeremy Vining, Jacob Simmons, Ryan Kilpatrick and Jimmy Shannon. The Ruston Nationals (gray and white) roster includes (front row, from left) Alex Anderson, Reece Huneycutt, Luke Shipley, Briggs Holloway, Hayden Haddox, (middle row, from left) Austin Moore, Paisleigh Rodrigues, Camp Adair, Ayden Martin and Fitz Anderson. Not pictured is Emmit Fouts. Back row, from left are coaches Cody Rodrigues, Greg Huneycutt, Bryan Moore and Amanda Gail Rodrigues.
The Ruston Americans and Ruston Nationals 8U Dixie Youth Baseball teams will head to the AA 8U Coach Pitch Louisiana State Tournament in Metairie today through Sunday.
Cody Rodrigues, head coach of the Ruston Nationals team, is proud of his team’s accomplishments and hopes they can keep going this weekend.
“We’ve been doing this for about a year and they’ve come a long way,” Rodrigues said. “All of them have done a great job. It’s been great to see all these kids progress like they have.”
Jimmy Shannon, head coach of the Ruston Americans team, has had fun working with his coaches and players throughout the summer and knows his team is excited for the state tournament.
“We’re very excited to be heading down to state for the third year in a row,” Shannon said. “The boys have worked very hard and are looking forward in defending our state title from last year and trying to bring home this year’s state title.”
If either team advances, they would head to the Division I and II 8U Dixie World Series in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, July 27-August 1.
