I can’t honestly believe that the end of the high school spring sports season is upon us.

Baseball, tennis, golf and softball for a lot of schools ended in the past four weeks.

Today, Pleasant Home and Straughn will be competing in the Class 1A and 3A state softball tournament in Montgomery at Lagoon Park.

Both teams are coming off impressive performances at the south regional tournament in Gulf Shores last weekend, as both teams won the regional title in their respective classifications.

As was said in a previous column of mine (last week), I am again expecting the state softball tournament to be just as exciting as the regional tournament.

Going into the regional tournament, I had made my predictions, and some were right and some were way off.

I honestly thought that this would be Andalusia’s year to earn a trip to Montgomery. They had all the tools necessary to succeed and to this day, I’m still trying to figure out why there aren’t three teams going to state. But alas, there is always next year for the Lady Bulldogs as they will have a heavy senior layden team.

I had predicted Pleasant Home to at least lose one game, but I was way wrong. Its defense took care of that in Gulf Shores.

For Straughn, I just knew that they would end up on top, and I was right.

Now, I think the state tournament will be even more exciting than the regional tournament because the stakes are higher and the expectations are higher, as well.

First, I must give you some history that is important that will set up this year’s tournament nicely.

In April 2008, I became the sports editor of the Star-News, and before I knew it, I was at the state tournament following Straughn and Pleasant Home. Ironic, isn’t it?

I must admit that I didn’t know what went on at state tournaments, but that quickly changed when I got there that first year — organized chaos in the press box.

Imagine the constant yelling of tournament organizers, copying machines going off and the overall chatter of hungry reporters rushing to make deadline.

I don’t know why, but I thought that that was fun.

In 2009, it was different. I had done this before, and I knew exactly what I was doing.

But what I didn’t realize Straughn and Pleasant Home would do well again.

One thing that makes this year different is that both teams believe they can get their “big potato” and “bike.”

And I believe it, too.