March is finally here! Competitions are gradually kicking off across France. The first to resume was the men’s D1 softball league. As mentioned in a previous article, this year’s championship is tightly contested with only four teams in the running, following the withdrawal of defending champions Clapiers-Jacou. Needless to say, every misstep could be costly.
Montpellier and Pessac go head-to-head
The first matchday took place in Pessac, Gironde. Stade Toulousain had a bye. The Panthères de Pessac, Barracudas de Montpellier, and Cavigal de Nice faced off.
The home team got off to a rough start, with the Panthères falling to the Barracudas 16-8. Stung by that loss, the Girondins took it out on the Cavigal, defeating the Nice side 14-3 and 14-4.
Finally, Nice and Montpellier split their games, with Montpellier edging out a 8-7 win and Nice responding with a 7-6 victory.
Montpellier and Pessac now lead the standings with 2 wins and 1 loss, while Nice brings up the rear with 1 win and 3 defeats.
Rain, the unwelcome guest
Everyone was eagerly awaiting the final match of the day, pitting the Barracudas against the Panthères to decide the matchday winner and league leader.
Unfortunately, the game was cancelled due to rain.
Rain plagued the entire weekend, preventing teams from playing at their best, as Jérôme Debrais, Pessac’s manager, lamented. Still, he remained upbeat:
« For the Panthères, the season opener didn’t quite meet expectations. Our starters stepped up despite the conditions.
Our defense still needs to find its footing, but the offense has been building momentum.
Vincent Ferreira and Sébastien Boyer spent the offseason preparing the players, and you can already see the results from this first matchday.
This is a more cohesive, better-prepared group starting this new season. »
The matchday results:
Raina HUNTER – Sébastien DONDÉ.
Photo credits: FFBS
