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Four Poarch teams won championships in the first-ever Native Classic Softball Tournament Aug. Aug. 10-12.

The Mvskoke Creeks won the women’s division; Sneaky Creek won the men’s division; LA Legends won the men’s legends division; and the LA Trailblazers won the men’s trailblazers division championship. The Natives Legends won the women’s legends division; and the Suicide Squad won the co-ed division.

The three-day tournament at Arrowhead Park featured teams from Poarch, Florida, Minnesota and Mississippi.

Tournament Director Jake McGhee said he thought the tournament went well.

“We didn’t get any rain, but it was really, really, really hot,” McGhee said. “That’s probably the hottest tournament I’ve ever been in. It was something serious, especially Saturday.”

Excessive heat warnings were issued for the Atmore area throughout the tournament.

“We didn’t get too far behind,” McGhee said. “Everything went well, and it was a great time with it our first year doing this.”

McGhee said the plan is for Poarch to keep hosting the adult and youth softball classics every year.

“Eventually, if other Tribes are interested in hosting it, then maybe we can put something together kind of like NAYO and NASA,” he said.

When asked how he’s going to make next year’s tournaments better, McGhee said getting out the message about the tournament earlier will be a priority.

“Really, we’re going to try and get it across the country and even nationwide,” he said. “The teams that did come from Oklahoma and Minnesota, they all had great things to say for our tournament. Now, they all are going to go back to their Tribes and spread the word.”