Beard coming home to coach at Columbus High

Torrance Beard has fond memories of Columbus High School.

The former CHS boys basketball player played for current coach Sammy Smith as a senior for 1995-96.

Back then, at 6-foot-2, 145 pounds, Beard played wherever Smith needed him, primarily at guard and forward.

Columbus High basketball gearing up for annual event

Sammy Smith loves a challenge.

That’s part of the reason why he and the rest of the Columbus High School basketball coaches enjoy all of the details that go into playing host to one of the state’s best holiday tournaments.

Johnson has career night for MSU women

STARKVILLE — The game was well in hand, but Diamber Johnson knew there was still work to be done.

The Mississippi State sophomore point guard handled the basketball as she moved to her left and motioned with her off hand for a teammate to set a screen at the left elbow, foul-line extended.

Pickens Academy’s Johnson makes most of ‘free’ chances

CARROLLTON, Ala. — Catherine Johnson had double the motivation.

First, the 5-foot-7 senior point guard wanted to erase the memory of a 4-of-11 shooting effort from the free-throw line against Central Academy on Friday night.

MSU women will try to build on momentum

Consider it a lesson learned.

Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Sharon Fanning-Otis believes that’s an ideal way to describe her team’s 72-68 victory Saturday at Louisiana Tech.

Ole Miss women let victory get away

OXFORD — Jim Foster didn’t have an elaborate explanation.

Late in the second half Sunday, the veteran Ohio State women’s basketball coach almost looked resigned to that fact that the University of Mississippi was going to upset his No. 9 Buckeyes.

Then something unexpected happened.

EMCC’s Jones says thanks but no thanks to ICC

William Jones said thanks but no thanks Tuesday to Itawamba Community College.

The East Mississippi C.C. associate head coach interviewed for the vacant head football coach job at ICC and was offered the position Monday night.

But Jones said Thursday that he and the school couldn’t come to terms that satisfied him, so he declined the offer to become ICC’s new coach.

Toughness will be key for MSU’s Mokango

STARVILLE — Chanel Mokango doesn’t know how many times she has heard the word tough in her short time in Mississippi.

How effectively the senior center plays with that kind of spirit, though, likely will have a huge impact on the Mississippi State women’s basketball’s 2009-10 season.

So far, the 6-foot-5 center is still working to find the right balance to her game.

Mokango and MSU (5-3) will try to take another step closer to their comfort zone at 7 p.m. Saturday when it plays against Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La.

Melson helping Ole Miss make up for loss of Easley

Kayla Melson is making the best of a difficult situation.

In the preseason, the University of Mississippi women’s basketball team lost junior guard Alliesha Easley to a season-ending knee injury.

The loss of an experienced and versatile player like Easley would have crippled many other teams, but Melson is helping the Rebels make the best out of a trying predicament.

Melson, a 5-foot-8 junior guard, is second on the tam in scoring at 11.8 points per game. She also is averaging 4.8 rebounds per game and is second on the team with 40 assists and tied for second with 12 steals.

Billups experiences highs, lows during Noxubee’s sweep

MACON — T.J. Billups had moments of relative relaxation doing double duty Tuesday night.

Unfortunately, periods of aggravated twitching, frustrated twisting, and agitated standing ruined what could have been an overly satisfying evening for the Noxubee County High girls and boys basketball coach.

Jeraldine Campbell scored 17 of her game-high 32 points in the fourth quarter to help the Noxubee County girls pull away and defeat West Point 55-49.

Faith has helped West Point’s Carr succeed

WEST POINT — Faith is an integral part of Michael Carr’s life.

Without it, there’s no telling where Carr would be today.

One thing is for sure, though, Carr wouldn’t have been on the field in Jackson on Saturday helping the West Point High School football team win a state title if he didn’t believe in God.

West Point win not surprising

The picture was one of desolation.

The 2009 season was supposed to be a coronation, a five-month love fest in which the West Point High School football team reclaimed what was rightfully something it had lost in 2005.

But Shannon High didn’t get that message, and on Aug. 21 the Red Raiders spoiled the Green Wave’s plans with an exciting 27-20 overtime victory in the season opener for both teams.

Aberdeen renames gym in honor of Hazzle

ABERDEEN — Charles Davison picked the right time this weekend to make his first trip to Aberdeen.

Davison, who lives in Atlanta, was one of more than 300 friends, family members, and citizens on hand Sunday at Aberdeen High School to attend the dedication of the Aberdeen High School gymnasium in the name of boys basketball coach Roy Hazzle.

The gym, formerly known as the “Aberdome,” will now be known as the Roy E. Hazzle Gymnasium.

West Point Green Wave rises to state title

JACKSON – Thirteen proved to be a lucky number for the West Point High School football team.

Denied a touchdown on a 12-play drive that ultimately fizzled out on the opposing 14, the Green Wave shook it off on their next drive and went 13 plays.

Lakenderic Thomas’ 9-yard run on first down was the spark West Point needed Saturday to take the lead and go on to a 35-14 victory in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state title game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

West Point’s Carr shows he’s a difference maker

JACKSON – Michael Carr doesn’t covet glory.

The West Point High School senior believes too much in God to believe the Green Wave’s success on the football field is because of only him.

But the standout wide receiver showed Saturday night why he is one of the state’s top difference-makers.

Tylertown beats Aberdeen with 34 unanswered points

JACKSON – It took only 2 minutes, 47 seconds for the Aberdeen High School football team to leave Tylertown shell-shocked.

The Chiefs needed only 11 seconds before halftime to deliver a counter punch that ultimately proved to be even more devastating.

Jameon Lewis’ 75-yard touchdown pass to Ken Brown with 15 seconds to go before halftime shifted the momentum and was part of a run of 34 unanswered points that propelled Tylertown to a 34-20 victory in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A state title game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Defense final piece to puzzle for Tylertown

JACKSON – A ball-control offense and a play-making quarterback proved to be a potent one-two punch Saturday for the Tylertown High School football team.

But the ability of the Chiefs’ defense to regroup after falling behind 20-0 to Aberdeen in the first quarter of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A state title game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium proved to be the final piece to a championship puzzle.

The Chiefs (15-0) held the Bulldogs (13-3) to 83 yards in the second half and ripped off 34 unanswered points to pull an improbable comeback.

West Point has had success through years running ball

Ground Taylor (Davis), Ground Chuck, Ground Allen, Ground Chambless.

If you were going to build a timeline to trace the development of West Point High School’s love for running the football, it would have to date to the 1960s when Bubba Davis and Skip Taylor were players for the Green Wave.

As a junior offensive lineman in 1963, Davis recalls a game against New Albany or Pontotoc when West Point ran the same running play nine consecutive times.

West Point linemen have will to outlast opponents

JACKSON — Winning a state championship is a lot like assembling a puzzle.

From offense to defense to special teams, coaches have to tinker with and fine tune parts of the game plan to maximize their squad’s chances for success.

Developing a dominant offensive line is just another piece to that puzzle.

Aberdeen depth at wide receiver challenge for Tylertown

JACKSON — Through three games, the Aberdeen High School offense hardly looked like a juggernaut.

Injuries to the quarterback have a way of slowing things down.

But once senior quarterback Aaron Andrews got healthy he quickly discovered how good the Bulldogs’ offense could be.

Not only did he have a talented duo of Jamerson Love and Victor Hodges at running back, but he also had senior wide receivers Erik Buchanan, Mario Lucas, and Rashad Pargo and junior Jalen Devauld to throw to.