The Dual State Tournament tips off today in Junction City with a pair of senior high games. West Side Christian’s girls play Hermitage at 6:30 p.m. The winner will play Junction City Wednesday at 7:40 p.m.
West Side Christian’s boys play Hermitage tonight at 7:40. The winner will play Fordyce Thursday at 7:50 p.m.
Neither Junction City senior high team has played a game this season. The football Dragons competed in the 2A state playoffs on Saturday, falling to Fordyce 28-6.
Lady Dragons’ coach Henry Harrell said his team is ready to play somebody … anybody.
“We’re excited to finally get started. We’ve been waiting a long time to get started,” Harrell said. “We’re looking forward to the tournament. Hopefully, we can come out and play well. It’s just good to get on the floor now. We’ve been playing against our own team for the last four months. We get to play somebody different.”
The Lady Dragons will have a different look after losing several starters to graduation from a squad that won its conference and regional and advanced to state last year. This week, Junction City will have a disadvantage going up against teams that have played as many as five games already.
“Expectations for us are to come out and have fun. We know it’s our first game and we’re going to make a lot of mistakes,” said Harrell. “But at least we’ll have something on film we can look at and go back and try to correct as the season starts.”
Action tips off today with junior boys, Hampton vs. Warren at 3 p.m. followed by Fordyce vs. Warren junior girls at 4:10 p.m. Junction City’s junior boys play West Side Christian at 5:20 p.m. and Hampton takes on Junction City’s junior girls at 9 p.m.