[1/27/05]Two years ago, St. Aloysius had the best Class 1A fast-pitch team in the state. They just didn’t get a trophy for it.

Starting next season, they’ll have another chance.

Under the latest realignment plan adopted by the Mississippi High School Activities Association, fast-pitch softball will separate its smallest schools into two classes beginning in 2006. Currently, Classes 1A and 2A compete for one state championship in fast-pitch. As of next spring, the two classifications will each have their own set of playoffs.

St. Al’s division will remain the same, except for the loss of three 2A teams. The Lady Flashes will be lumped together with Cathedral, Bogue Chitto, Enterprise-Lincoln and West Lincoln in Division 7-1A.

“I wish it had happened three years ago when we were the best 1A team all year long,” St. Al coach Gene Rogillio said. “Hopefully by 2006 there will be at least a 1A state champion.”

As more schools have started fast-pitch teams it was adopted as a championship sport by the MHSAA in 1999 the need to group several classes together has lessened.

The move should give smaller schools a fighting chance at a state title. Since 2000, when the first playoffs were held based on school classification, no 1A team has won a championship.

Rogillio knows the sting of the current system better than anyone.

In 2002, he led the Lady Flashes to the South State finals in the Class 1A-2A playoffs before losing to Class 2A Clarkdale, the eventual state champion. St. Al was the last Class 1A team standing that season.

“What took so long is enough 1A teams had to come out playing, and enough 2A teams had to play,” Rogillio said, adding that the lag was due to the low number of Class 2A schools with fast-pitch programs. “We have more 1A teams than 5A teams.”

St. Al’s current team isn’t as strong as the 2002 version, but it will get some time to improve before the 2006 season begins.

This fall, St. Al will field a slow-pitch softball team for the first time since 2002. The school dropped the program due to lack of interest in the spring of 2003 and had to wait until the next realignment plan was adopted to resume.

Rogillio planned to have about 15 players for the slow-pitch team. Most of them also play fast-pitch, which he said will be a big benefit to that program.

Many fast-pitch coaches like the slow-pitch season because it gives their players an opportunity to work on defense. More balls are put in play during a slow-pitch game, meaning more grounders and fly balls to field.

“When you look at the teams that are consistently good, they’re playing slow-pitch and fast-pitch. The batting is different, but that’s the only difference,” Rogillio said. “If you’re not playing it, you’re not getting that opportunity to play defense.”