Legion Rivalry

How's the Rowan - Mocksville jr & sr legion rivalry shaping up this year? Who's got the edge? They always provide exciting games!

Any other good rivalrys to look for?

 

Ahh... one of the reasons I feel Legion Baseball is so much better than any form of baseball...The Rivalries.

Shelby vs Cherryville vs Caldwell

I wish I could put into words better what this means to everyone involved. Its almost like Carolina vs Duke vs Wake in Mens Basketball. No one likes anyone else involved, but respects everyone else involved. The crowds are huge if the game is regular season or post season. Everyone hangs on every pitch in every inning because it might be the deal breaker. And those three teams are always involved in the outcome of Area IV if not the state. And I know this is a source of dislike on this board, but I am telling you the fans make these games and they make the atmosphere amazing.

You cannot tell me that you get this in weekend tournaments or showcase leagues. I've been a part of it and I am telling you its unmatched.

 

Shelby vs Cherryville vs Caldwell

Yeah I would have to agree there is sometihing magical that always happens when two of these teams play each other.

 

With the state tournament being held in Cherryville, it is possible that both Caldwell and Shelby will join Cherryville Post 100 in the (8 or 9)team field.
With Cherryville being host, Caldwell and Shelby will have to finish 1 and 2 in Area 4.
Cherryville and Pineville are becoming a good Legion Rivalry, also look for a big crowd when Denver and Cherryville play.

 

Trock, when your area hosts the state tournament, your area is only allowed one more team to the state tournament. Other areas will bring their top 2 teams, but the host area will have the host team and their next highest finisher. So I'm afraid both Shelby and Caldwell won't be there in Cherryville this summer.

As for top rivalries, the Kannapolis/South Rowan rivalry has been a great series for the fans the past 2 summers. Both of these small communities are side-by-side and all the boys, families and fans know each other well. Anything can and usually does happen in the games between these 2 teams and its just a great atmosphere for everyone. The talent on both sides has been great in recent years and it just don't seem to matter about the records when these 2 meet either because everyone knows each other so well. An example of the closeness of this rivalry is how Kannapolis Post 501 has won the Area 3 championship each of the past 2 years dominating and SWEEPING everyone in the playoffs each of the past 2 years on their way to the last 2 state tournaments,,,,,,,, that is sweeping everyone EXCEPT South Rowan. It took Kannapolis 6 games in a best of 7 series in 2003 to eliminate South, and it took Kannapolis the full 5 games in a 5 game series last year (2004) to beat South.

This rivalry is full of respect, but can also turn very heated, tense and exciting for all the above reasons,,,, and it seems to be just getting bigger every year...

 

tj21, nope this year since Area 1 backed out of hosting the state Area 4 will get to have 2 teams plus Cherryville hosting. I got my info from Area 4 Commissioner Bill Murry.

 

29ersfan,,, are you sure about that???

I understand that its Area I's turn to host the state tourney and they turned it down, thus Cherryville jumped on it. But in the past, the hosting area only got one extra team plus the host team.

Does that mean Area I will only send one team since they are "supposed" to be hosting it? Because they usually only have an 8-team field in the state tourney.

No disrespect to the Area 4 commissioner, but if I was coaching such talented teams like Shelby and Caldwell, I would probably make sure with a ruling from the state commish...

I've simply never known them to allow an extra team (9th team) to participate simply because of unusual circumstances...

 

In the first year of the new 9 team format they had nine teams when it was held at M.S. Deal Stadium. I believe 29er is correct!

 

Yeah they decide because Shelby hosted it last year and it really would not be fair to the other teams in the devision.