New Hope responds to slap in the face

AMORY — Sometimes a slap in the face is just what a team needs.

The New Hope High School football team responded from the season-opening blow with a two hits to the chin strap Friday night that helped set the tone and get it back on track.

Terrance Dentry rushed for 146 yards, including an 88-yard scoring run, four other players had touchdowns, and Terrence Payne added some defensive line play with attitude in New Hope’s 37-6 victory against Amory at Longenecker Field.

Caledonia, West Lowndes seeking identities

CALEDONIA — Ball control versus big plays is a simplistic way to promote tonight’s Lowndes County matchup between Caledonia and West Lowndes.

A better way to examine the matchup at 7:30 tonight at West Lowndes featuring the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A Confederates (0-2) and the Class 2A Panthers (1-1) would be to say that both teams are still working to establish their identities.

New Hope looks to bounce back from loss

Michael Bradley hopes he sees a different group tonight.

It has been one week since Bradley and his New Hope High School football team stumbled in a season-opening loss to Tupelo.

The loss sapped some of the optimism to the start of a season many consider could be even better than the Trojans’ Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North Half runner-up finish in 2009.

Butler looks for Heritage to raise level of play

Brad Butler has coached at enough levels to know football is football.

Through the differences in size, strength and speed. Butler has seen in his time coaching in high school and in college and at the professional level that football is basically the same.

The objective for all coaches is to find a way to get the maximum effort and focus from their players every day so they can give their best effort on game day.

Strong schedule has helped Noxubee County grow

Tyrone Shorter has seen the opponents come and go.

Whether it has been Aberdeen, Columbus, Meridian, New Hope, or Starkville, to name just a few, the Noxubee County High School football program always has looked to schedule the toughest teams possible.

Williams feels players have bought in at ICC

Jon Williams wants to see how much his players have invested in this season.

The first-year Itawamba Community College football coach will get to see how much his players have “bought in” to his system at 7 tonight when his team plays host to Hinds C.C.

Hawkins gains appreciation for football

SCOOBA — Devin Hawkins learned a lot in his first season at East Mississippi Community College.

Not only did he get stronger and quicker, but he gained a new appreciation for junior college football.

But all of that improvement was nearly wiped out earlier this year. In April, Hawkins thought he had a stomach virus while training in practice. Whatever the ailment, it was bad enough that it made him unable to complete his work.

JSU players on path to recovering from injuries

Some players might take 100 percent for granted.

But it’s easy to believe nothing can go wrong when you never have suffered a serious injury.

Jackson State players Javarius Conner and Andre’ Wright plan to show people this season what they can do when they finally are fully recovered. They might not be there yet, but the former Noxubee County High School standouts intend to make a statement at some point this season.

Smith delivers in final minute for South Lamar

MILLPORT, Ala. — Jordan Smith knew he had to take control.

Faced with the challenge of transitioning from halfback to quarterback, the 5-foot-8, 165-pound junior wasn’t sure how he would fair in his first action at quarterback since his pee wee football days.

Victory Christian volleyball gets mojo working

Call it what you will — mojo, rhythm, or focus — but the Victory Christian volleyball team had it working in the final two games Monday night.

The Lady Eagles needed every last bit of momentum they could muster to stave off elimination and rally for a 3-2 victory against Pickens Academy.

New Hope denied big plays in loss to Tupelo

TUPELO — The New Hope High School football team took pride last season in its ability to deliver a big play when it needed one.

The Trojans’ knack for timing helped them beat Jackson Callaway and Ridgeland in dramatic fashion and advance to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North Half title game.

Those big plays were nowhere to be found Friday night in the 2010 season opener against Tupelo.

Instead, Ashton Shumpert took center stage for the Golden Wave, rushing for two touchdowns and returning an interception for another to lead Tupelo to a 33-23 victory.

‘Communication problem’ benefits Columbus, New Hope

A “communication problem” turned out to be something good for Lowndes County.

That’s how West Point School District Superintendent Steve Montgomery referred to the situation West Point High School faced after the Mississippi High School Activities Association informed it late last week that it had to cancel one of its 12 regular-season games.

Columbus, Noxubee County dealing with injuries

The injuries are starting to pile up for the Columbus and Noxubee County high school football teams.

That’s bad news for Columbus coach Tony Stanford and Noxubee County coach Tyrone Shorter considering their teams will meet at 7:30 tonight in Columbus in the second game of the season.

Columbus is coming off an 8-6 victory against Aberdeen, while Noxubee County defeated Starkville 14-7.

The victories didn’t come without losses.

New Hope finally gets to kick off its season

Finally.

The New Hope High School football team knew it would have to wait a week to kick off its 2010 season.

Knowing didn’t make the wait any easier.

But at 7:30 tonight the Trojans will hit kick off one of the most anticipated football seasons in school history. The first step won’t be easy. New Hope will take on Class 6A Tupelo five weeks after opening practice on July 26.

West Point football team up for challenge

Chris Chambless and the West Point High School football team are eager to show the state of Florida they’re up for the challenge.

The Green Wave will be one of eight teams that will participate in The Gridiron Challenge, or what is being billed as a series of matchups pitting teams from Florida against teams from the rest of the United States.

West Point, the Mississippi High School Activities Association defending Class 5A champion, will kick off the event at 7:30 tonight against Mainland (Fla.) High, the No. 8 team in Class 6A, according to the Associated Press’ preseason poll of Florida teams.

Butler, Ousley power Columbus softball team past Starkville

The ping often gives it away.

But home run hitters don’t need to listen because they have a knack for hitting the ball on the sweet spot on the bat. When they do, a wonderful noise follows — only for hitters — that signals a ball is taking off and it won’t be coming back.

Jasmine Butler and Shanique Ousley discovered the beauty of that sound Thursday night and, in the process, joined the home run hitters club.

Butler had a grand slam and five RBIs, while Ousley had a two-run home run to lead the Columbus High School slow-pitch softball team to a 19-3 victory against Starkville High in a Class 6A, Region 1 game.

Alabama volleyball coach looks to go out in style

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Judy Green doesn’t want any pageantry.

The veteran University of Alabama volleyball coach would prefer to see her players bask in the glow of their achievements in her final season at the school.

To do that, the Crimson Tide will have to erase the memory of a disappointing 2009 season. If they can, the players will send Green out in style.

Green will begin her 15th and final season at Alabama at 7 tonight when her team plays Iowa at the Hawkeye Challenge. She announced in January she planned to retire at the end of the season.

Hamilton hopes it can stay focused

Ray Weeks has heard the talk.

But the veteran head coach would prefer to hear the conversations about his Hamilton High School football team in November.

Newsome hopes to be dominant in middle

STARKVILLE — Ashley Newsome doesn’t like the spotlight.

The Mississippi State senior wouldn’t mind if she is just another piece to the puzzle as long as her team wins.

VCA bids to extend streak

The 2010 Victory Christian football team will try to take ownership of the streak.

The two-time defending Christian Football Association champions kick off the regular season at 7 p.m. Friday against Ellwood Christian Academy, which was known as Central Christian Academy last year, of Selma, Ala.

Living up to back-to-back conference titles is one thing. Maintaining a 22-game winning streak that spans the past two seasons should add to the expectations the Eagles face this year.