By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
A home-and-home series with defending state champion Hillcrest-Evergreen, a home-and-home series with defending Escambia County Boys Tournament champ Escambia County and the debut of W.S. Neal Round Robin Tournament are among the features of the 2006-07 W.S. Neal High School basketball schedule.
W.S. Neal will play four new opponents on its schedule. Hillcrest-Evergreen, which just won the Class 4A boys state championship, and Andalusia will join the Blue Eagles and T.R. Miller in the new Class 4A Area 2 lineup.
The Blue Eagles will also have home and away games with new regular season opponents Escambia County and Red Level. Escambia County's boys are coming off a 24-5 season, while Red Level was a Class 2A Southwest Regional qualifier.
Hillcrest-Evergreen, Andalusia, Escambia County and Red Level are replacing Pleasant Home, McKenzie, J.U. Blacksher and former Class 3A Area 1 roommates Clarke County and Straughn.
Also gone from the schedule is W.S. Neal's appearance at the Florala Boys and Girls Tournament. In its place, W.S. Neal will host its own four-team boys and girls round robin tournament December 21-23.
At this time Georgiana is the only school that has committed to W.S. Neal's
tournament. Grace is currently looking for two additional schools to fill the other slots.
W.S. Neal's tentative 2006-07 schedule is as follows. The location of the two games against Hillcrest-Evergreen have not been determined at this time.
Nov. 17 Escambia County Home
Nov. 27 Georgiana Home
Nov. 28 Red Level Away
Nov. 30 Flomaton Away
Dec. 1 Northview Away
Dec. 5 Frisco City Home
Dec. 14-16 Escambia County Tournament at T.R. Miller
Dec. 21-23 W.S. Neal Tournament
Jan. 4 Flomaton Away
Jan. 5 Andalusia Away
Jan. 8 Northview Home
Jan. 9 T.R. Miller Home
Jan. 11 Flomaton Home
Jan. 16 Hillcrest-Evergreen (TBA)
Jan. 18 Andalusia Home
Jan. 19 T.R. Miller Away
Jan. 23 Frisco City Away
Jan. 25 Red Level Home
Jan. 26 Hillcrest-Evergreen (TBA)
Jan. 30 Georgiana Away
Feb. 1 Flomaton Home
Feb. 2 Escambia County Away
Bruce Hixon is the sports editor for The Brewton Standard. He can be reached at 867-4876 or by e-mail at sports@brewtonstandard.com.