Redden strong at start; Stafford closes on mound for Trojans

PEARL — Taylor Stafford didn’t hesitate.

Nearly three days after throwing more than 100 pitches in a complete-game victory against Hernando, Stafford was faced with another challenge.

Mallard realizes dream to play college basketball

Tyre Mallard thought his basketball career was over.

Oak Hill Academy nabs tennis state championships

WEST POINT — It sounds so simple.

Noxubee County boasts track state championships

MACON — This season was about continuing a tradition for Charles Hughes.

Columbus’ Jefferson will get shot at Snead State C.C.

LaTerrica Jefferson completed the turnaround Friday afternoon.

Nearly four years ago, Jefferson was a ninth-grader with a load of potential. At the time, basketball was a consideration, but it wasn’t something the Columbus High School student believed could help put her on the path to a college scholarship.

Dendy, Froshour team to win Crappie Masters event

Score one for the “Perch Jerkers.”

Even though Rick Dendy and Carl Froshour don’t consider that style of fishing “old school,” they are right at home without spider rigging and fishing with multiple poles.

Hamilton’s Lindsey, Heard celebrate track and field efforts

HAMILTON — Jeremy Lindsey believes in a winning state of mind.

Maybe it was a season’s worth of hounding from his Hamilton High School track and field coaches that helped the senior develop a positive frame of mind.

Heritage Academy’s McElrath celebrates decision to go to Delta State

Evan McElrath has thought about playing golf in college for a long time.

McElrath admits the process has been stressful at times with college coaches watching from the sidelines. He also has worked his ways through the ups and downs of every-day life that make it difficult to focus on golf.

Smaller weights expected for Crappie Masters event

Paul Alpers had a lot of praise last year for the city of Columbus and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Alpers, who is the president of the Bass Pro Shops Crappie Masters AllAmerican Tournament Trail, was in Lowndes County last August to award a Crappie Masters National Championship to Charlie and Travis Bunting, of Jefferson City, Mo. Alpers was on hand to watch the Buntings land a two-day haul of 19 pounds that helped them win two Tracker Marine Nitro Z7 boats with 150 horsepower Mercury Motors. In all, 141 teams averaged catching crappie that weighed just less than a pound.

Alabama welcomes Curry as women’s basketball coach

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Kristy Curry has worked with some of the most successful coaches and at schools that have some of the best traditions in women’s college basketball.

AISA recognizes three Pickens Academy students

CARROLLTON, Ala. — Phil Fikes doesn’t consider himself a “jock.”

That moniker is typically used to label individuals who are more accomplished in athletics that in the classroom.

Neshoba Central ends New Hope’s season again

For the second-consecutive season, the screams from a bus leaving Lady Trojan Field will ring in the ears of the New Hope High School players.

This time, though, there was a weightier sense of finality for four seniors who saw their prep careers end without another shot at an elusive state championship.

Pickens Academy baseball, softball players honored

CARROLLTON, Ala. — The Pickens Academy baseball and softball teams had plenty of ways to turn for contributions this season.

Six of the standouts for both teams were recognized recently for their performances with Alabama Independent School Association All-Star awards.

New Hope softball stands one win away from state title series

PHILADELPHIA — Championship programs respond.

Pickens Academy tabs Thacker as new football coach

CARROLLTON, Ala. — Josh Thacker feels like he is back home.

Caledonia athletes earn spots on EMCC cheerleading team

Hunter Griffin and Dylan Huling had no idea what cheerleading could do for them.

To understand what the sport could offer them, Griffin and Huling first had to understand the combination of balance, timing, coordination, and strength participants needed to do stunts and to be a part of routines.

New Hope finding stride in playoffs

Don’t let the record fool you. The New Hope High School baseball team has experienced its share of adversity this season.

The Trojans haven’t had to recover from devastating injuries. Instead, coach Lee Boyd’s team had to survive a late-season swoon that nearly derailed a solid start.

A quintessential quartet: Juniors play key role for NHHS softball

Wanted: Creative, self-starter who can help four New Hope High School softball players find a nickname that captures their skills and the relationship they share.

MSU Road Dawgs Tour stops in Columbus

Mississippi State University fans comes in all shapes, sizes, and shades of maroon.

If you had any reason to doubt that notion, you only had to look at the baby-sitting gear Lenny Ring toted with him Thursday morning at MSU’s Road Dawgs Tour stop at Lion Hills Country Club in Columbus.

Pickens Academy’s Booth going to Huntingdon

CARROLLTON, Ala. — All Hunter Booth wanted was a chance.

Like a lot of high school seniors, the Pickens Academy standout wanted to continue his football career in college. Unfortunately, the hard-working linebacker/offensive linemen didn’t receive a lot of interest from schools despite a season in which he played an integral role in leading the Pirates back to the championship level.