For the last few days, the skies over Troy have grumbled thunder and been black with storm clouds, but the weather has not derailed Doyle McKenzie’s Junior Dixie Boys baseball team.

Mckenzie said that though the team has dodged rain drops over the past few weeks, there practices have gone on without a hitch for the most part.

“We have really only missed about half a practice, but we have had a lot of rain,” said McKenzie. “You just have to come out here and get done what you can.”

The Junior Dixie Boys team is made up primarily of 13-year-olds, while the majority of the 14-year-olds play at the Dixie Boys level.

McKenzie said that his team is focusing a lot of its attention to fielding, putting the ball in play and defense.

“We are concentrating a lot on defense and hitting the ball,” McKenzie said. “Those are the two major things at this level. We need to put pressure on the other team.”

Like the majority of tournament teams, the Junior Dixie Boys have players getting comfortable in new positions as tournaments approach.

“We are still trying to figue out the best spot for each one of our guys,” said McKenzie. “We have quite a bit of new positions, but they are all trying hard, and doing great. This is a really good bunch of ball players.”

The Troy Junior Dixie Boys travel to Dothan on July 8 for the first round of the District Tournament.

The state tourney is in Enterprise the following week.