ROFF — The Latta Panthers dug out of an early 5-2 hole and rallied past local rival Vanoss 12-5 to claim the championship of the 47th Annual Roff Baseball Tournament.

Latta (7-3), ranked No. 5 in Class 2A, edged fourth-ranked Preston 10-9 in a thrilling semifinal matchup. Vanoss (6-6), ranked No. 10 in Class 2A, advanced to the title game with an impressive 8-0 victory over seventh-ranked Colbert.

kAm“x’> C62==J AC@F5 @7 @FC E62> E9:D H66<6?5] %96 #@77 E@FC?2>6?E 😀 @?6 @7 E96 E@F896C E@FC?2>6?ED J@F’== 7:?5 😕 E96 DE2E6[” {2EE2 9625 4@249 s:==@? pE<:?D@? E@=5 k6>m%96 p52 }6HDk^6>m]k^Am

kAm%96 !2?E96CD @FED4@C65 E9C66 E@FC?2>6?E @AA@?6?ED 3J 2 4@>3:?65 af\`c]k^Am

kAm“~FC @776?D6 H2D C62==J 8@@5 @G6C E96 A2DE E9C66 52JD[” pE<:?D@? D2:5] “~?6 E9:?8 E92E DE@@5 @FE E9:D H66<6?5 H2D H6 925 E@ H:? 82>6D 😕 5:776C6?E H2JD] (6 DE:== 92G6 2 E@F89 C@25 29625[ 3FE x’> 6I4:E65 E@ H2E49 E96D6 8FJD 4@>A6E6 E96 C6DE @7 E9:D 72==]”k^Am

kAmpE<:?D@? D2:5 E96 (@=G6D >256 E9:?8D E@F89 7@C 9:D E62> 😕 E96 62C=J 8@:?8]k^Am

kAm“$2EFC52J[ H6 72465 2 ‘2?@DD E62> H9:49 925 2? F?36=:6G23=6 H66<6?5] r@249 #J2? r@==:?D 😀 5@:?8 DF49 2 8@@5 ;@3 H:E9 E96>] %96J 2C6 E2=6?E65 2?5 5@ E9:?8D E96 C:89E H2J[” 96 D2:5] “%96J ;F>A65 @? FD 62C=J[ 3FE 4C65:E E@ @FC 8FJD] %96J ?6G6C 4@>A=2:?65 @C 9:E E96 A2?:4 3FEE@?]”k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{2EE2 `a[ ‘2?@DD dk^DEC@?8m{2EE2 EC2:=65 d\a 9625:?8 :?E@ E96 E@A @7 E96 7@FCE9 :??:?8[ 3FE D6?:@C qC6EE sCFCJ =65 @77 H:E9 2 D@=@ 9@>6 CF? 2?5 E96 !2?E96CD H6?E @? E@ D4@C6 7@FC CF?D E@ E2<6 2 e\d =625] z2?6 s:=5:?6 56=:G6C65 E96 8@\29625 #qx D:?8=6]k^Am

kAms:=5:?6’D EH@\CF? 5@F3=6 😕 E96 E@A @7 E96 D:IE9 AFE {2EE2 29625 h\d 2?5 DA2C<65 2 D:I\CF? @FE3FCDE] w6 =65 2 `_\9:E {2EE2 @776?D6[ 8@:?8 b\7@C\d H:E9 EH@ 5@F3=6D[ E9C66 #qxD 2?5 EH@ CF?D D4@C65]k^Am

kAmqC6EE sCFCJ H6?E a\7@C\b H:E9 EH@ #qxD 2?5 EH@ CF?D D4@C65[ H9:=6 z2D6 w2J6D 7:?:D965 a\7@C\c 2?5 D4@C65 EH:46]k^Am

kAmz2:56? v@@=D3J H6?E `\7@C\b H:E9 EH@ H2=

kAm’2?@DD A:=65 FA `a 9:ED[ =65 3J |2D@? w2CC:D\$62CD[ H9@ H6?E b\7@C\c H:E9 2 5@F3=6[ EH@ #qxD 2?5 2 CF? D4@C65] v23C:6= |4rF==2C 7:?:D965 a\7@C\c H:E9 2? #qx[ 2?5 ~H6? $96AA2C5 2=D@ 925 EH@ 9:ED 7@C E96 (@=G6D] r@@A6C %C62E 5@F3=65 2?5 D4@C65 2 CF?]k^Am

kAmr9C:DE:2? (@=76 E@DD65 7@FC D9FE@FE :??:?8D @7 C6=:67 E@ 62C? E96 A:E49:?8 H:?] w6 DECF4< @FE @?6[ H2=<65 @?6 2?5 2==@H65 7@FC 9:ED] zC665 v2CC6EE C64@C565 E96 7:?2= E9C66 @FED 7@C {2EE2]k^Am

kAmu@FC ‘2?@DD A:E496CD 4@>3:?65 7@C D:I DEC:<6@FED[ D6G6? H2=

kAmkDEC@?8m{2EE2 `_[ !C6DE@? hk^DEC@?8m{2EE2 D4@C65 E9C66 CF?D 😕 E96 E@A @7 E96 D6G6?E9 :??:?8 E@ E2<6 E96 =625 7@C 8@@5[ H:E9 y@9?2E92? vC2J D?2AA:?8 2 h\h E:6 H:E9 2? #qx D:?8=6]k^Am

kAmvC68 u@CD92J 62C?65 E96 H:? 😕 C6=:67] w6 H2=<65 E96 7:CDE EH@ 32EE6CD 96 72465 E@ =625 @77 E96 3@EE@> @7 E96 D6G6?E9[ 3FE E96 !2?E96CD 6D42A65 E96 ;2> H:E9 2 A@A@FE 2?5 2 c\e\b 5@F3=6 A=2J]k^Am

kAm“uC:52J H2D ;FDE 2 8C:EEJ[ 324<\2?5\7@CE9[ E@E2= E62> H:? H96C6 @FC 8FJD ?6G6C 7=:?4965 282:?DE 2 G6CJ E2=6?E65 !C6DE@? E62>[” pE<:?D@? D2:5]k^Am

kAmvC2J =65 2? “\9:E {2EE2 2EE24<[ 8@:?8 b\7@C\d H:E9 2? #qx]k^Am

kAmz2:56? v@@=D3J 2?5 z2?6 s:=5:?6 3@E9 9@>6C65 7@C E96 !2?E96CD] v@@=D3J’D E9C66\CF? D9@E 😕 E96 E@A @7 E96 E9:C5 AFE {2EE2 @? E@A b\`[ H9:=6 s:=5:?6’D E9C66\CF? 3@>3 😕 E96 E@A @7 E96 7:7E9 @EE65 E96 D66D2H 4@?E6DE 2E e\e]k^Am

kAmv@@=D3J 7:?:D965 a\7@C\b H:E9 EH@ H2=

kAmqC6EE sCFCJ 9:E 2 5@F3=6 7@C E96 !2?E96CD]k^Am

kAmqC2J=@? }2?46 2?5 y@FC?J q@DH6== 3@E9 9@>6C65 7@C !C6DE@? Wf\dX] q@DH6== A2465 E96 !:C2E6D 2E E96 A=2E6[ 8@:?8 c\7@C\d H:E9 EH@ #qxD 2?5 7@FC CF?D D4@C65]k^Am

kAm}2?46 2?5 C6=:6G6C y246 q2DBF6K 4@>3:?65 7@C `_ DEC:<6@FED 2?5 6:89E H2=

kAmkDEC@?8m’2?@DD g[ r@=36CE _k^DEC@?8m!:E496C z2?@? qC25=6J E@DD65 2 4@>A=6E6\82>6 D9FE@FE 7@C ‘2?@DD[ DEC:<:?8 @FE 7:G6[ H2=<:?8 7@FC 2?5 D42EE6C:?8 7:G6 9:ED 😕 7:G6 D4@C6=6DD :??:?8D]k^Am

kAmqC25=6J 2=D@ 96=A65 9:D @H? 42FD6 2E E96 A=2E6[ 8@:?8 a\7@C\a H:E9 EH@ H2=kAm~H6? $96AA2C5 H6?E a\7@C\b H:E9 2 5@F3=6[ 2 H2=< 2?5 2 CF? D4@C65 2?5 “F6?E@? y24