corey.davis@gaflnews.com

LIVE OAK- Suwannee softball coach Tommy Chambers and baseball coach Ronnie Gray were on the same page Tuesday night when it came to the proposed re-released tentative districts released by the Florida High School Athletic Association.     

Suwannee was placed in three-team District 2-5A for all non-football team sports with Tallahassee Rickards and Crawfordville Wakulla.

Wakulla chose to remain an independent in soccer making both of the soccer districts two-team districts with Rickards and Suwannee. If Wakulla chooses to not move in the district both Rickards and Suwannee automatically qualify for the state playoffs as the runner-up and champion.

Chambers and Gray were both pleased with the tentative district despite there only being two teams in it.

“Its a favorable district with just three teams in it,” Chambers said, “It worked out good for us, it gets you excited about it. I’m in favor in staying in that district, that’s just two district games each home and away. That’s not bad of a deal, we could have been in a much larger district and have to travel to Tallahassee several times.”

Gray echoed Chambers’ comments.

“I wasn’t sure how it would go, but knew along those lines we would be somewhere in the Tallahassee area. It cycled back to what it once was, we use to play Wakulla and Rickards before.”

Gray pointed out the advantages and disadvantage of playing in such a small district.  

“We’re in a good position with just three teams, as a program its beneficial to us. Some districts have to play 10-14 district games, with us we win one game in the district tournament and we’re in the playoffs,” Gray said. “3-1 guarantees you the top seed, the top seeded team automatically gets a bye and a playoff trip at least as the district runner-up.

“The disadvantage is now I have to go out and find 21 non-district games (maximum of 25 games) to fill out my schedule,” Gray said. “Most teams are going to have 10-12 district games so that leaves us in a disadvantage of trying to find teams to play. “     

Wakulla and Rickards have ties to Gray so it might be strange facing them annually.  

“I use to coach current Wakulla coach Mike Gauger at Tallahassee Community College and my father was an assistant coach at Rickards,” Gray said. “Wakulla went 18-9 last season and made the region finals and they will be the team to beat talent wise. Rickards has never been much of a baseball program I think they have won one district championship in 30 years but they have the IB program which makes them attract some Division I-A players.”

Gray also stated that Wakulla is known for football but had their moments in softball, boys basketball and at times in baseball, while Rickards is a boys basketball school, winning the 2010 Class 3A state championship, while going undefeated.    

Schools had till Jan. 7 to file an appeal to move up or down a class based on financial reasons.  The FHSAA will meet this Sunday and Monday in Gainesville to finalize the districts, but don’t expect much change at all unless there was an absolute mistake in enrollment figures.