By Buster Laing

Special to The FN

September is called the fall season, as the seasons switch from summer to autumn and the leaves fall from the trees.

September on Grand Bahama also signals the start of the high school softball season: "The Fall season."

You can smell it. Opening Day 2012 is here.

With the 2012 Grand Bahama Secondary School Athletic Association Churchill Tener-Knowles/Patrice Campbell High School 2012 Softball season underway this week, many wonder what to expect from this next season.

Can the Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors, the junior boys champs and the Jack Hayward Wildcats, senior boys champs get back to the Fall Classic, or will there be two more surprise teams who get their chance to win a championship?

"We are a good defensive team, a good fielding team; we have strong pitching, we are baseball minded, we have to adjust the swing from softball, but I think we will be very good," said head coach of the Warriors Wayne Smith.

"The kids are enthusiastic and ready to play."

Let's take a look at the junior boys champs: The Bishop Michael Eldon Warriors.

The Warriors lost quite a few players this winter.

Willis Mackey went to high school overseas.

"Once we do what we supposed to do and get those practices in, we will be the team to beat and we will be for a few years, consistent turnovers in our development program," said Smith, who said they never cut seventh graders in order for future development.

"On this team you have to fight for your position in every practice, but our major focus is the academics once they do their school work, they will remain on the team, they will only get one chance to mess up as far their school work goes, but on the field every day we have multiple kids battling for position and playing time."

They have added Orveo Saint, an eighth grader from Maurice Moore, who led them to two championships in the G.B.P.S.A.A. softball championships.

He will join big brother Yshua Saint to form the one-two punch for the Warriors, along with the other brothers Aaron and Andre Levarity.

But the mainstay and nucleus behind the success of the Warriors relies on Ace-pitcher Antonio Smith, who was last year's championship game's Most Valuable Player.

Coach Smith said the players have to come to play hard every day.

"You have to stay consistent, stay in the mode of everything and your job is your job until you lose it."

The Freeport News went off the field with Antonio Smith, Orveo and Yeshua Saint.

Antonio Smith, pitcher

Grade: 11

Favorite baseball team: The New York Yankees

Favorite Player: Alex Rodriguez

One place I would like to visit: Europe

Favorite show: House of Pain

Something you are good at except softball: soccer

Orveo Saint, left fielder

Grade: 8

Favorite baseball team: The New York Yankees

Favorite Player: Robinson Cano

One place I would like to visit: New York

Another sport I love to play: basketball

Favorite Food: White rice and curry chicken

Favorite singer: Chris Brown

Yeshua Saint

Grade 9

Favorite baseball team: The New York Yankees

Favorite Player: Nick Swisher

One place I would like to visit: North Carolina

Food I won't eat if you paid me a million dollars: brown rice

Favorite restaurant: Burger king

Opening day

scoreboard:

Games played on Wednesday, September 26,2012

Lucaya International 7, Tabernacle Baptist 6

Jack Hayward 13, GB Catholic High 12

Bishop Michael Eldon 13 , St. Georges 1

Sister Mary Patricia Russell 8, Sunland Baptist 7

Today's schedule:

3:45 p.m.-Tabernacle Baptist vs.St.Georges (YMCA)

3:45 p.m.-Jack Hayward vs. Bishop Michael Eldon (BMES)

3:45 p.m.-GB Catholic High vs. Sister Mary Patricia Russell (STG)

3:45 p.m.-Sunland Baptist vs. Eight Mile Rock (YMCA)