Sometimes in sports, we call matchups rivalries, when they really don’t live up to that billing.

Two teams located near each other aren’t rivals if one of them never wins against the other.

Rivalries don’t have to be born out of hatred as they can come from a place of mutual respect, but rivals aren’t going to be on each other’s Christmas card list either.

I’ve been thinking about rivalries this week, after watching the latest matchup between Brookhaven Academy and Parklane Academy in MAIS softball.

More on that game later, but here is a quick run through of my current favorite rivalries.

Loyd Star and Bogue Chitto Football: I’ve watched the game called the Possum Bowl in person for the past five consecutive years. Last season the Loyd Star Hornets won by over three touchdowns. The previous four games in the series were decided by two points, one point, two points, and seven points. Two of those four games went to overtime. It’s always a fun matchup to see in person.

Copiah-Lincoln CC and Jones College Softball: I’m not the only one who loves this matchup, as the crowds are always big when the Wolves and Bobcats face off. Jones College was the big dog in MACCC softball for many years and then CLCC hired Meleah Howard, and the Wolves have been on an astronomical rise ever since. Co-Lin won two of the last three NJCAA National Championships and both titles were clinched with victories over Jones.

Brookhaven Academy and Parklane Academy Softball: This one is like seeing a preview of future CLCC and JC games, as both of two-year programs pull players from these MAIS softball powerhouses. Like the community colleges, BA and PA often play with titles on the line in the postseason. In 2024, Brookhaven Academy won a title by beating Parklane in a three-game series. A year prior, it had been Parklane who won a championship series over the Cougars.

There were no championships awarded to the winner of the game on Tuesday, as Parklane rallied from a 2-0 hole to win 3-2 at home over the visiting Cougars.

It was a typical BA, PA matchup.

Last season, the Cougars won the fist matchup between the schools by two runs and then lost their second game against the Pioneers by two runs.

When the schools met in the South State Tournament, the Pioneers won 2-0 and 13-3.

The Cougars closed the series out by winning the final three pairings of the schools by 1-0, 3-2, and 9-6 scores.

That was 2024 though and the dynamics of the teams have changed.

Parklane is the more experienced team now, with an infield loaded with talent. Senior third baseman Macy Simmons is committed to play at Co-Lin, senior shortstop Halle Bennett is committed to play at Southern Miss, senior second baseman Zoe Alford is a dual sports star that also excels at basketball, and senior first baseman Anna Sawyer is committed to next play at Southern Miss.

In the circle on Tuesday, the Pioneers threw senior Phiffer Crawford, a veteran arm and bat in the lineup that’s committed to next play at Jones College.

Shaky defense in the top of the first inning led to BA plating a pair of unearned runs on Crawford to start the game. It was senior Ryleigh Purdy, a transfer this season from West Lincoln, who hit the ball that was played for an error, leading to the two runs.

Crawford buckled down after that and ended the night with seven strikeouts, four walks, and three hits surrendered on 130 pitches.

She also drilled an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth that proved to be the go-ahead run for PA head coach Daniel Simmons.

This Brookhaven Academy team is still young in lots of places. It’s got a good mix of returnees with talented younger players, but Tuesday was the first time for some of them to be in a BA/PA pressure cooker of a ballgame.

Starting pitcher Whitney Grace Whittington went 3.2 innings and gave up two earned runs on three hits while striking out two. She was relieved by Madelynn Lambert, who gave up two hits and one earned in in 2.1 innings of work.

Brookhaven Academy head coach Lisa Covington has seen growth in her team this season.

The Cougars lost 5-1 to East Rankin Academy at home on Aug. 21 and then five days later, beat ERA 7-3 in Pelahatchie.

Brookhaven senior infielder Morgan Chemin is committed to next play at Co-Lin, while senior outfielders Miriam Wallace and Alayna Daigle are committed to sign with Southwest Mississippi CC.

Part of what makes a great rivalry is familiarity and that factors into why these games are always so tight.

You would need 10 fingers, 10 toes, and a large abacus to figure out how many times the seniors from BA and the seniors from PA have faced each other in their travel ball and high school careers.

How many pitches from Crawford has Chemin seen in her life?

My guess would be a whole bunch.

You could tell that fans, parents, supporters, and the coaches of both teams know that the past has taught us that plenty more opportunities of memorable softball remain between the Cougars and Pioneers this season.

The rivalry has been renewed, but there is still much to decided for both teams in 2025.

Brookhaven Academy will host Parklane on Monday, Spt. 22 in the second meeting of the season for the MAIS 4A-District 3 foes, a game I’m sure I’ll see y’all at.

Cliff Furr loves writing about high school sports and to do more of that, he created Y’all Sports. If you’d like to partner with Y’all Sports, email him at cliff@yallsportsms.com.