By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
The return of the Escambia County Tournament highlights a 12-game home slate for the W.S. Neal High School basketball teams for the 2007-08 season.
W.S. Neal will host the annual tournament, which includes county schools Escambia County, T.R. Miller and Flomaton, Dec. 13-15. Actual pairings for the tournament will be announced at a later date. W.S. Neal has not hosted the tournament, which rotates between the four schools, since 2004.
The boys and girls basketball tournaments are two of four Escambia County tournaments W.S. Neal will host in the 2007-08 school year. Next year is also W.S. Neal's turn to host the county baseball tournament. The school will also host the county volleyball tournament this fall.
The Blue Eagles and Lady Blue Eagles basketball teams will kick off their season Nov. 15 with a home date against Frisco City.
W.S. Neal will start its Class 4A Area 2 season Jan. 4 at Andalusia. The Blue Eagles and Lady Blue Eagles will play their first three Area dates on the road and their last three Area dates at home. W.S. Neal will head to T.R. Miller on Jan. 8 and to Hillcrest-Evergreen Jan. 15. The home Area dates will be Jan. 17 against Andalusia, Jan. 18 against T.R. Miller and Jan. 25 against Hillcrest-Evergreen.
One significant item that is gone from next season's slate is the W.S. Neal Boys and Girls Invitational Tournament, which was played the week before Christmas this past season. Last season was the only year for the event.
The complete schedule is as follows.
Nov. 15 Frisco City Home 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 Excel Away 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 26 Georgiana Home 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 27 Northview Home 4:30 p.m.
Nov. 29 Flomaton Away 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 4 Frisco City Away 5 p.m.
Dec. 7 J.U. Blacksher Away 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 Excel Home 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 13-15 Escambia County Tournament at W.S. Neal
Jan. 4 Andalusia Away 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 T.R. Miller Away 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 10 Northview Away 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 Hillcrest Away 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 17 Andalusia Home 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 T.R. Miller Home 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 24 J.U. Blacksher Home 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 25 Hillcrest Home 4:30 p.m.
Jan. 31 Flomaton Home 4:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 Georgiana Away 5 p.m.