SOUTH POINT — The tournament will last seven or eight days. The preparation will total almost three months.

South Point Little League’s Ronnie Kearns is the director for the state little league tournament to be held at South Point beginning on Saturday and scheduled to end next Friday or Saturday.

But Kearns said volunteers have worked many long hours to make sure the tournament comes off without hitch.

“We have spent in excess of 2,000-man hours to get the field ready for this tournament an approximately ten thousand dollars,” said Kearns.

“We completely re-did the playing surface on the field that will be used. We put 32,000-square feet of sod down, 35 tons of warning track material and 10 tons of brick dust.”

Volunteers have also painted the facility, cleaned up trash and mowed the grass. There will be even more hours of work ahead as volunteers work the concession stands, umpire, keep scorebooks, and keep the fields ready for play.

“Honestly, the help has been great from the sponsors to the parents who volunteered. We have had so many people help that I would take up the page listing those who have helped out this year,” said Kearns.

The first game of the tournament will be at 10 a.m. Opening ceremonies will have a special presentation to Glen Seagraves for more than 35 years of service to the Little League program, not only at South Point but in Ohio, regionally, and nationally.

South Point also hosted the state tournament in 1997.

Ohio National Little League

State Tournament

Saturday

10 a.m. Avon vs. District 7; 1 p.m. Wheelersburg vs. Mt. Vernon; 4 p.m. Canfield vs. Hardscrabble; 7 p.m. Hamilton vs. Dover.

Sunday

10 a.m. District 10 vs. Avon-District 7 winner; 1 p.m. Ashtabula vs. Wheelersburg-Mt. Vernon winner; 4 p.m. Wheelersburg-Mt. Vernon loser vs. Canfield-Hardscrabble loser; 7 p.m. Hamilton-Dover loser

vs. Avon-District 7 loser.