By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

COVINGTON - For Troup National coach Huey Hood, there was only one down-side to winning a state championship.

Hood’s 11-12 all-star team took care of business in convincing fashion Saturday afternoon, crunching Albany 12-2 to capture the state title and earn a spot in the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series in Mississippi.

The victory completed a dominant week that saw the Troup team win six games without a loss.

For Hood, though, the victory meant he had to follow through on a promise he made at the start of the state tournament.

“We pulled up there (at City Pond Complex in Covington) and I said, if we win this thing, I’ll jump in that lake,” Hood said.

Hood made that pronouncement before he got an up-close look at the lake, which was covered by a slimy film and was littered with goose droppings.

Still, a promise is a promise.

“They hold me to anything I say, so I did it,” he said.

After the trophy presentation on the field, Hood raced down to the lake, and with amused parents and players looking on, fulfilled his promise and took the plunge.

Hood did point out that neither of his assistant coaches, Leon Moody and Kevin Howard, joined him in getting wet.

“You notice neither one of them got in the lake,” he said.

Hood figured the leap into the lake was a small price to pay, and he was more than happy to do it after watching his team play so well.

Troup and Albany were the two teams that made it to the best-of-three championship series, and Troup won both games easily.

After beating Albany 14-4 on Friday, Troup enjoyed another walk in the park on Saturday.

Troup scored four runs in the first, third and fourth innings, and that was more than enough support for pitchers Jeremy Harper and Logan Hood.

Harper pitched the first three innings, and Hood pitched the final inning of a game shortened because of the 10-run rule.

The pitchers were backed up by a defense that, as has been the case throughout tournament play, was nearly flawless.

Hood, while playing first base, made a diving stop when Albany had runners on second and third to help Troup get out of an inning.

It was a typical performance by a team that hasn’t lost in district or state play.

“We were real confident,” said Colby Freeman, who had two of Troup’s hits on Saturday. “We just came out and did what we had to do.”

Perry Keith led Troup’s offensive onslaught with three hits, including a home run.

Logan Moody also hit a home run for Troup.

Of his home run, which like Moody’s came in the second inning, Keith said he “was just trying to put the ball in play.”

Jonathan Foster, who put the cap on the scoring with a two-run single in the top of the fourth, added three hits for Troup.

Colby Freeman, Chase Freeman and Will Smith each had two hits, and C.J. Tatum had a double.

P.T. Alford also had a hit, and Jake Howard walked and scored a run.

It was a convincing, and according to Logan Hood, unsurprising victory.

“We were confident. We didn’t think we were going to lose,” he said.

Hood was on the mound for the final out, which came on a popout to Howard at second base.

“That was an awesome feeling,” he said.

Added Foster, who is going to the 11-12-year-old Dixie World Series for the second straight year, “We were real confident because of how good we’ve been playing. We’ve been playing good all-around.”

Chase Freeman, who is the twin brother of Colby Freeman, said the team still has room for improvement.

“We can still hit better I think,” he said. “But we’re pretty confident in everything we do.”

Coach Hood said the players have done everything the coaches have asked of them, and by the time the district tournament rolled around, “we were ready.”

Hood also gave a lot of credit Moody and Howard, who he called “tireless” when it comes to helping the players.

“They are just awesome,” Hood said. “Leon, with the pitchers, he’s great. and nobody works harder than (Howard).”

Troup will have two weeks to prepare for the World Series, which begins on Aug. 8 in Laurel, Miss.