Tornadoes’ Sturdivant helps apply pressure in victory

REFORM, Ala. — Quinton Sturdivant tries to do his job the right way every time.

It might sound simple, but with so many things to juggle from his strong-side linebacker position, Sturdivant makes it look easy.

Fans can help MSU women be special

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team passed its first true test of the season Sunday afternoon with an 84-55 victory against Maryland.

A crowd of 3,042 at Humphrey Coliseum watched as the Lady Bulldogs used a hot shooting day from senior guard Alexis Rack (career-high 43 points), stout defense, and their experience to overwhelm the younger Terrapins.

MSU’s Turner ‘gets it’

STARKVILLE — The smile on Phil Turner’s face says it all.

The junior guard isn’t fixated on whether he is a starter or if he is coming off the bench. He is focused on working hard, having a good time, and doing whatever he needs to do to help the Mississippi State men’s basketball team have a successful season.

MSU takes Maryland to ‘Rack’

STARKVILLE — Alexis Rack was in attack mode from the opening minute.

Layups, 3-pointers, jump shots, free throws — the points came from everywhere and anywhere so quickly that the University of Maryland women’s basketball team didn’t have time to react.

The result was a career-high 43-point effort from Rack that helped propel No. 25 Mississippi State to an 84-55 victory against Maryland before a crowd of 3,042 at Humphrey Coliseum.

Thomas on hand for Rack’s scoring outburst

STARKVILLE — It was fitting Mississippi State’s all-time leading scorer was on hand Sunday to watch one of the best scoring performances in school history.

LaToya Thomas, the school’s all-time leading scorer (2,981 points) and its only four-time Kodak All-American, had a front row seat for Alexis Rack’s 43-point effort that sparked No. 25 MSU’s 84-55 victory against Maryland.

“I haven’t been back since (former All-American) Tan’s (White) senior year,” Thomas said. “I have been talking a little bit with coach (Sharon) Fanning-Otis and I thought this would be a great game to come to. I wanted to surprise the girls and give them a little bit of inspiration.”

New Hope proves its doubters wrong

RIDGELAND — Maybe now the haters will believe.

All week, the New Hope High School football team heard how its season was going to end Friday at Ridgeland.

The talk was that the Trojans weren’t going to be able to stop the Titans’ high-powered offense.

Some people probably wondered whether New Hope should even make the two-and-a-half hour trip south to suffer such a disheartening loss.

Varnado sets SEC block record in MSU’s win

STARKVILLE — Jarvis Varnado will get a rest from questions about records and blocked shots — at least for a while.

The Mississippi State senior center had four blocked shots Saturday night to become the Southeastern Conference’s all-time leader in that category.

Varnado also tied for team-high scoring honors with 10 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 67-51 victory against Bethune-Cookman before a crowd of 3,721 at Humphrey Coliseum.

Maryland women’s basketball team undefeated despite being young

Brenda Frese knows what it’s like to mix and match to find the right rotation.

But while Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Sharon Fanning-Otis is juggling lineups with experienced players, Frese is working from the opposite end.

Frese, who is in her eighth season as coach at the University of Maryland, has one of the youngest lineups in Division I. Nine of the 11 players on the Terrapins’ roster are freshmen or sophomores, so Frese said it could take her a little time to find the best mix.

New Hope develops chemistry on defense

The New Hope High School football team has 11 players in it to win it on defense.

Other teams might have faster players or better individual talent, but the Trojans would argue their team chemistry and camaraderie on defense has helped them have one of the best seasons in school history.

Seniors Anthony Nelson and Marquise Coleman are two examples of the kind of mentality New Hope has on defense.

Noxubee County has had Itawamba’s number

Things get tougher for the Noxubee County football team each time it faces Itawamba Agricultural High School.

The Tigers’ job gets tougher because each victory extends the team’s streak.

Noxubee County has eliminated Itawamba AHS from the playoffs the past two seasons and has won the last four meetings, dating back to 1994.

Lumanu provides MSU women’s basketball team with steady hand

STARKVILLE — Armelie Lumanu is the perfect player for the 2009-10 Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

The senior from Kinshasa, Congo, is adept at slashing to the basket from the wing or rolling off screens to create opportunities for her teammates.

The 5-foot-9 guard/forward is equally proficient posting guards up on the block and twisting and turning to get a shot off.

Most importantly, Lumanu is comfortable with the basketball in her hands and directing the Lady Bulldogs’ offense.

MSU women roll past Utah Valley

STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team received a passing grade from nearly everyone in its first game as a ranked team in six seasons.

The only person who wasn’t overwhelmed by No. 25 MSU’s 81-35 victory against Utah Valley University before a crowd of 639 at Humphrey Coliseum was coach Sharon Fanning-Otis.

Liles believes defense will decide Aberdeen game

ABERDEEN — Perry Liles knows the football programs at Charleston and Aberdeen high schools have plenty of similarities.

As a former coach at both schools, Liles had plenty of talented players on both teams. He also grew to be accustomed to a hard-charging style of play at each school.

Given Charleston and Aberdeen have so many things in common, don’t ask Liles to tell you which team will win at 7 tonight when they meet in a Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A North Half state semifinal at Lester Miley Stadium.

West Point football team has something prove

WEST POINT — Noxubee County and Aberdeen should feel special.

The 2009 edition of Mississippi Sports Magazine singled out the Tigers in Class 4A and the Bulldogs in Class 3A as top teams in each classification in its preseason issue.

In Class 5A, Pearl and Oxford join Wayne County, West Jones, D’Iberville, and Brookhaven, a team to keep an eye on, were listed as the state’s top teams.

Hall leads Columbus basketball team past East Oktibbeha

If things go according to plan for Sammy Smith, Michael Hall will play a key role this season in helping the Columbus High School boys basketball team come together.

Hall showed again Tuesday night how he can be a ring leader, scoring a game-high 22 points in a 71-44 victory against East Oktibbeha.

Chy Cunningham earned game-high scoring honors with 26 points to lead the Columbus High girls to a 62-48 victory against East Oktibbeha.

Aberdeen’s Hoskins signs basketball scholarship with Alcorn State

ABERDEEN — The smile on Jameika Hoskins’ face Tuesday equaled relief.

Hoskins wasn’t as relaxed last Thursday, and Aberdeen High School girls basketball coach Latorrence Bivens could see it in her eyes.

After Hoskins scored 22 points in a victory against Baldwyn, she admitted to Bivens she “had purple and gold on her mind.”

Those colors helped spell relief five days later.

MSU opponent moves up from junior college to Division I

Cathy Nixon knows about transitions.

While it’s common for NCAA Division II programs to make the jump to Division I, a junior college never had tried to leap from the NJCAA ranks to Division I competition.

So when Utah Valley University women’s basketball coach Cathy Nixon uses words like “amazing” and “remarkable” to describe the school’s journey, they don’t come close to illustrating what she and the program have overcome to reach the highest level of NCAA play.

MSU women ranked No. 25

STARKVILLE — The pieces continue to come together for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

An unexpected one was added to the mix Monday when MSU landed at No. 25 in the first Associated Press Top 25 ranking of the regular season.

Everything comes together for Aberdeen’s Andrews

ABERDEEN — One, two, three — Release.

It sounds simple, and it doesn’t always go according to plan, but Aaron Andrews is all about being on time.

When you’re the quarterback of a high-scoring offense like the Aberdeen High School football team, you have to be precise with your movements and read and deliver the football at the right times.

New Hope rallies to edge Callaway

Michael Bradley seldom is speechless when he talks about football.

But the nature of his team’s come-from-behind 34-33 victory against Callaway on Friday night in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North Half State playoffs had the fourth-year coach searching for words.

When Bradley got going, though, his words did the game — and his players — justice.