Comfort returns for ICC’s Mims

Jessee Mims has always felt comfortable on the soccer field. Mims’ skills on and off the ball as a midfielder allowed her to make a difference in a match and feel like she was a contributor.

Ellis, Williams help keep VCA’s tradition alive

Good habits are passed down in successful programs.

Whether it is on offense or on defense, players pick up tendencies and techniques from upperclassmen and learn to set a championship tempo.

Stanfield’s blasts help New Hope beat Columbus

Kasey Stanfield knows good things don’t usually happen when hitters reach for pitches.

But sometimes power can help a batter make up for swinging at a pitcher’s pitch.

Stevens sparks Oak Hill Academy

PHEBA — You don’t often see quarterbacks receiving punts or kicks.

But Oak Hill Academy football coach Leroy Gregg doesn’t have the same luxuries as most coaches in the state of Mississippi.

But Gregg also doesn’t have a player who is as versatile as Jeb Stevens.

New Hope will try to find ‘it’ against Caledonia

Michael Bradley and the New Hope High School football team are looking for it.

With nine returning starters and plenty of experienced players from last season’s 11-win finish, Bradley knows the Trojans still have it in the locker room.

Gutcheck time for Heritage Academy

It will be gutcheck time from here on out for the Heritage Academy football team.

Judging from last week, the Patriots just might be on the move toward the program’s first winning season since 2005.

To accomplish that goal, Heritage Academy (3-1) will look to capitalize on the momentum it earned last week in a victory against Lamar School at 7 tonight when it plays host to Madison-Ridgeland Academy (1-2).

Columbus will try to build momentum against Louisville

One victory doesn’t make a season.

Tony Stanford hasn’t had to preach that message this week because his Columbus High School football players haven’t appeared to change following their first big victory of the 2010 season.

Coaches feel past will help future for Oak Hill, Hebron Christian

The past is going to help the Oak Hill Academy and Hebron Christian football teams in the future.

How the first four games of each team’s season will affect their matchup at 7:30 tonight in Pheba remains to be seen.

One thing is certain: Oak Hill Academy (0-4) and Hebron Christian (1-3) will enter tonight’s game with many similarities. Both teams are expected to dress out less than 20 players. Both teams also have experienced their share of growing pains.

Ruth’s hot hand leads Caledonia volleyball

CALEDONIA — Blaire Ruth picked the right time for a hot stretch.

As a result, the Caledonia High School volleyball team will ride into the final week of the regular season with plenty of momentum.

MSU women’s basketball putting pieces together

Sharon Fanning-Otis has assembled all of the pieces for the 2010-11 season.

The Mississippi State women’s basketball coach and her assistant coaches are evaluating those parts in preparation for the start of practice Oct. 5.

Cooper plays hard to lead Immanuel past Heritage

STEENS — Meghan Cooper has a simple philosophy that serves her well on the soccer field: Always go hard.

It’s a message Ray Campbell has instilled in Cooper and the rest of the players on the Immanuel Christian girls soccer team.

Add in some deft passing skills and combination play and a stingy defense and it’s easy to see why the Lady Rams are having a playoff season.

QBs make a difference for Starkville, Columbus

STARKVILLE — Quarterbacks need to be poised in clutch situations.

Good things tend to happen when a quarterback can hold his wits and lead his teammates.

Jaquez Johnson and Cedrick Jackson proved that is true Friday night.

Columbus will be without key players against New Hope

Tony Stanford isn’t sure if one week will be enough.

The Columbus High School football coach will get a chance to see just how much a week off has helped his team when it takes on New Hope at 7:30 tonight.

Stanford said Columbus (1-1), which had an off week last week, will be without sophomore quarterback Cedric Jackson and junior running back Damian Baker for at least another week. He said the Falcons also will be without sophomore running back/defensive back Quan Latham, sophomore linebacker Gemriah Williams, and senior defensive lineman/tight end Ian Williams. The players are out with an assortment of ankle or foot injuries.

Defensive stand turns momentum for Columbus

There was no doubt in Randy Brown’s mind.

Faced with the prospect of taking on a New Hope High School goal-line package on fourth-and-1 at his team’s 20, Brown knew Columbus High would make a stand.

There was no way Brown could see what would transpire after that stop.

Bulldogs unable to grab what was in their grasp

All the Mississippi State football team had to do was grab it.

The Bulldogs had every opportunity Thursday night to back up all of their excited talk after a lopsided victory against the University of Memphis.

Instead, faced with an opportunity to beat a ranked team at home in their Southeastern Conference opener, MSU struggled to find someone — anyone — to make a game-changing play.

As a result, No. 21 Auburn escaped with a 17-14 victory in front of a crowd of 54,806 at Davis Wade Stadium.

IT’S ON: Columbus, New Hope renew football rivalry tonight

Mike Halford is looking forward to tonight. Like many people who work in Lowndes County, Halford will be at New Hope High School at 7:30 tonight to watch the Trojans take on Columbus High in a highly anticipated football game.

Akins, Henderson chart different course for Heritage

Glenn Akins and Stance Henderson haven’t had to talk about last season to get motivated for tonight’s game.

Aside from a three-game losing streak to open the season, the 2009 campaign was marked by disappointment and an inability to live up to the potential the Patriots saw in their team.

Three games into the 2010 season, Akins and Henderson promise they won’t let the same thing happen in their senior season.

Aberdeen learns lessons in victory against Columbus

The lessons were there Tuesday night to be absorbed.

The Columbus High School volleyball team only had to watch the tenacity at the net of Annalisha Harris and Mattie Scarbrough to see how they were supposed to do things.

On the other hand, the Aberdeen High girls had something to learn from Columbus. Even though they won the first two games, the Lady Bulldogs played inconsistently against the steadier Lady Falcons. Columbus’ even-keeled approach helped it win game three and recapture the momentum before Aberdeen regrouped for a 3-1 victory.

West Oktibbeha’s Smith settling in at quarterback

Von Smith didn’t think he was ready.

After all, he was only a freshman and he couldn’t be trusted to run a varsity offense, right?

It was natural last season for Smith, then only a freshman, to experience some doubts about his readiness to take over at quarterback for the West Oktibbeha High School football team.

Bulldogs win to establish building block

The appetizer was delicious. Now bring on the main course.

In five days, Dan Mullen’s Mississippi State football team will get to show another ESPN audience if his team is up to the challenge.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs delivered a building block — 49-7 victory against the University of Memphis at Davis Wade Stadium — that at least makes you stop and go hmmm.