Miller emerges as go-to player for Raiders

WEST POINT — Doss Miller didn’t have time to think.

On one play, Jake Orman was in his usual spot as running back.

The next play, Orman was on the sideline nursing a shoulder injury.

A change of possession gave Miller time to process the fact he now was the Oak Hill Academy’s go-to running back, but it didn’t make the thought of taking on that role any easier.

Columbus High School’s Jackson takes initiative

The fire has been burning inside Chris Jackson for a number of years.

Eighth grade. Losing season. Ninth grade. Losing season. Eleventh grade losing season.

This year was supposed to be different for the Columbus High School football team. The Falcons were a year older and a year wiser and were more comfortable with the ways of veteran coach Buddy Davis and his assistants.

The season started fast with an overtime victory against Aberdeen in Columbus, but the Falcons couldn’t maintain that momentum.

Porter, New Hope playing for second in region

Service and commitment are important words to Ben Porter.

Growing up in a family with a proud history of military service for this country, Porter hopes to follow that path by joining the United States Naval Academy.

Before gets to that crossroads in his life, Porter and the New Hope High School football team have some unfinished business to take care of this season.

Porter and the Trojans will play host to Hernando (7-2, 4-1 Class 5A, Region 1, District 2) at 7 p.m. Friday in their final home game of the regular season.

Bradford does it all at QB for Bulldogs

VERNON, Ala. — Don’t let Michael Bradford fool you.

He might not be the biggest or fastest player. He probably also isn’t the best passing quarterback.

But Bradford enjoys proving people wrong.

EMCC optimistic about start of basketball seasons

Mark White and Sharon Thompson have plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

The East Mississippi Community College men’s and women’s basketball coaches will share that optimism at 6 p.m. Wednesday when they play host to “EMCC Madness” at the Keyes T. Currie Coliseum in Scooba. Admission is free.

Richard plans to do more than watch this season

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Marneshia Richard did everything she could last year to help the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

She cheered, she encouraged, she offered advice, and she provided leadership.

Richard did all that as she watched … and watched … and watched.

Kosciusko keeps Caledonia winless

CALEDONIA — One play can affect an entire game.

If you execute, one play can keep a drive alive and lead to a momentum-building effort.

If you fail to execute, that one play can lead to a spiraling confluence of events that can sap any team’s spirit.

New Hope continues playoff pursuit

The “practice” jerseys survived.

More importantly, the New Hope High School football team escaped Saltillo last week with a 6-0 victory.

The win in conditions New Hope High coach Michael Bradley likened to the “worst pigpen” he had ever seen helped the Trojans continue their march toward a No. 2 seed in Class 5A, Region 1 and the opportunity to play a first-round North State playoff game at home.

New Hope (6-1, 3-1 region) will try to take another step closer to securing its postseason fate at 7 tonight when it travels to Clarksdale (3-5, 2-2).

Victory hosts Tuscaloosa Christian for homecoming

So much for being rusty.

After four weeks of practicing, watching, and waiting to get back on the field for a Friday night game, the Victory Christian football team returned to action last week with a 66-16 victory against North River Christian in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The victory pushed the Eagles to 7-0 and set the stage for their homecoming game at 7 tonight against Tuscaloosa Christian. That game likely will determine the top seeds for the Christian Football Association playoffs, which will begin next week.

Noxubee bids to extend shutout streak against Louisville

MACON — The Noxubee County High School football team’s defense never rests.

At practice last season, the Tigers’ defense had to find ways to stop quarterback Termarcus Conner and a high-octane offense that featured wide receivers Patrick Patterson, Teddy Young, Vincent Sanders and others and a host of other weapons.

This year, Patterson has moved on to the University of Mississippi and a number of the Tigers’ 2008 stalwarts on offense and defense are now playing football in college.

West Oktibbeha rallies past East Oktibbeha in overtime

MABEN — You gotta believe.

The tears on Dwight Quinn’s face Thursday night showed just how much he and his West Oktibbeha High School football teammates believe.

Trailing by 18 points early in the third quarter, the Timberwolves used a punt return for a touchdown by Quinn to change the momentum.

From there, West Oktibbeha dominated the rest of the second half and carried that energy into the first overtime.

Columbus football team hopes to begin winning streak

Bubba Davis hopes last week was just the beginning.

The Columbus High School football coach will find out Friday if the Falcons have started a trend when they play host to Horn Lake at 7 p.m. in a Class 6A, Region 1 game at Columbus Stadium.

Columbus (2-6, 1-3 region) is coming off a 12-7 victory against DeSoto Central that snapped its 10-game losing streak in region games. Sophomore running back Damian Baker rushed for a career high 224 yards and two touchdowns to help keep the Falcons in contention for one of the top four spots in the region and a playoff berth.

East-West Oktibbeha rivalry game could decide playoff spot

MABEN — Numbers don’t tell the whole story at East and West Oktibbeha high schools.

If they did, the schools’ football teams would be doomed for failure.

MSU women picked No. 5 in SEC

There is shared optimism about the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

Members of the Southeastern Conference and national media picked MSU to finish fifth in the Southeastern Conference this season and selected senior guard Alexis Rack as a member of the All-SEC preseason first team on Tuesday.

Better late than never for champs

There’s only one thing better than winning a North State championship.

The Hamilton and New Hope High School slow-pitch softball teams experienced that feeling Saturday at the V.A. Fields in Jackson when they won the Class 2A and Class 5A championships, respectively.

Confidence helps CHS’ Baker make impact

Damian Baker hoped he could make an impact.

A year ago, Baker was a go-to player on the Columbus High School freshman team.

But the step up to the varsity level requires a faster step and a stronger step.

Thunder and lightning leads Hebron past Immanuel

PHEBA — Effective running back tandems should have nicknames.

Hebron Christian’s Ryan Pinnix and Marques Robinson are no different.

You likely could add J.D. Edwards to the mix and create a three-headed monster that is even more dangerous.

Hamilton softball team shows it can win title on bigger field

JACKSON — The question whispered Saturday morning at the V.A. Fields was a good one.

Could a Hamilton High School slow-pitch softball team that used so many home runs to get to the state title series generate enough offense on a field with a fence 300 feet away?

Hamilton coach Lewis Earnest wondered the same thing as his team warmed up to face Enterprise.

New Hope softball team wins state title for three-peat

JACKSON — Tabitha Beard was concerned.

After watching her New Hope High School slow-pitch softball team blitz Brookhaven 10-0 in game one of its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state title series, Beard and the Lady Trojans had to wait 50 minutes before the start of game two.

Beard grew a little more anxious as she watched New Hope struggle at the plate and fall behind by three runs midway through the second game.

While Beard’s concern was justified, it proved to be unnecessary.

Loftis will realize dream on Aberdeen football field

ABERDEEN — The dreams come a little slower to Don Loftis these days.

The landscape around town has changed some, too, but the memories remain.

It’s easy to recall many of them when Loftis thinks about former Aberdeen High School football coach Thomas Pierce’s name affixed to the wall of the football team’s dressing room/weight room.