By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — The George County softball team has its sights set on history as the Class 6A South State playoffs begin Friday night.
The Lady Rebels, the defending state champs in the classification, are shooting to become the first team in school history in any major sport to claim back-to-back state crowns.
George County, under the tutelage of former standout player Anna Grace Cooley, stands 22-6 overall as postseason play kicks off.

The Lady Rebels are the top seed in new surroundings this season after running roughshod through Region 3-6A, after moving over from Region 4-6A over the Summer after realignment.
George County will see an old and familiar face in the opening round of the state playoffs, renewing a rivalry with former Region 4-6A neighborhood foe Pascagoula to get things rolling.
“We played the hardest schedule in the state during the regular season, and that was on purpose and with a plan.” Cooley said Thursday. “We feel as if we have been preparing for this playoff run, starting with our first game of the season at Northwest Rankin and every top-ranked team we have played in between. We have bought into our team motto this year of “pressure is a privilege” and played and prepared like that all year. Being a high-performing playoff team is always the goal, and we are excited to get started in pursuing that goal, starting with Pascagoula this weekend.”

Game one of the series is Friday night in Lucedale, with game two set for Pascagoula on Saturday afternoon. A third and final game, if needed, will be back in Lucedale Monday night.

In addition, George County will welcome back the services of All-Star standout Blakely Slay this weekend after she missed most of the past two weeks with an injury. Slay was the Most Valuable Player last season in the Class 6A state championship series.