Win would push New Hope closer to playoff berth

One week isn’t enough to satisfy Michael Bradley.

Yes, the New Hope High School coach was pleased that the Trojans blocked better Saturday in a 32-21 Class 5A Region 1 victory at Lake Cormorant.

Bradley also enjoyed watching his team overcome less than ideal playing conditions to execute a game plan that helped the Trojans improve to 5-1 and 2-1 in the region.

But Bradley has been fond of saying this year that “no win is more important than another.”

Davis believes time is coming for Columbus High football team

Bubba Davis knows the time is coming.

Unfortunately, the Columbus High School football coach can’t give his players and all of the school’s fans the exact date.

The “date” in this instance is when the Columbus High football program will reverse its fortunes.

The Falcons’ losing streak stretched to six last week with a 53-7 loss to South Panola. The loss generated a little more negativity on Internet chat rooms from people who don’t think the Columbus High football program is on the right track.

Aberdeen’s Andrews overcomes injury to hear cheers again

ABERDEEN — All Aaron Andrews hears now is applause.

It wasn’t always that way for the Aberdeen High School senior quarterback.

After suffering an ankle injury in the Bulldogs’ season-opening loss to Columbus High, Andrews jumped right back into the fray against Pontotoc in week three of the season.

A 21-14 loss to Class 4A Pontotoc didn’t sit well with the people of Aberdeen, who had dreamed in the preseason of a possible undefeated run and a march to a Class 3A state title.

Hebron Christian needs win to enhance playoff chances

Greg Watkins isn’t going to hide the truth from his players.

Instead, the Hebron Christian football coach has been upfront with the Eagles and told them they have to beat Immanuel Christian at 7:30 tonight in a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools A District 3 game if they want to make the playoffs.

The Eagles’ job still wouldn’t be done if they accomplish that goal.

Hebron Christian (2-5, 0-1) then would have to beat Winona Christian, which is 2-0 in the district, to force a possible three-way tie atop the district with Central Holmes.

Foster becomes stalwart on defense for Itawamba CC

C.J. Foster is delivering on his promise.

Months before the start of his sophomore season at Itawamba Community College, Foster said he knew it wasn’t “play time anymore,” and that he was focused on making an impact at linebacker.

Foster went on to say he was going to “clock in and clock out” and go to work every day to help the Indians have a successful season.

Even though ICC (2-5) has struggled to put everything together this year, Foster has been a stalwart on defense. The former West Point High School standout is fourth on the team with 39 total tackles and second on the team with six tackles for loss.

Practice tips off high expectations for MSU women’s basketball team

STARKVILLE — It’s time for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team to face its expectations.

The anticipation for the 2009-10 season has been building at Mississippi State since March when the Lady Bulldogs ended a 23-10 season with a loss to Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA tournament appearance was the program’s first since the 2002-03 season, and its 23 victories were the third most in a season.

Ellis driving force on EMCC defense

Alvin Ellis was accustomed to running over and past defenders in high school.

While he spent some time playing free safety, Ellis spent the most of his career at Columbus High School as a running back who used his speed to give opponents fits.

New Hope, Hamilton will play for North Half State titles

The New Hope High School slow-pitch softball team has picked the right time of the season to break out the big bats.

Now the Lady Trojans have to find a way to keep it going for two more series.

Heritage Academy will try again to snap skid

The season isn’t over for the Heritage Academy football team.

A five-game losing streak has erased a lot of the optimism from the Patriots’ 3-0 start, but coach Brad Butler doesn’t want his players to pack up the gear just yet.

Starkville’s Johnson putting pieces together

STARKVILLE — Jaquez Johnson knew the Starkville High School football team’s first four games this season were going to be a challenge.

Johnson never imagined, though, that he and the Yellow Jackets would be as frustrated as they were after losses to Noxubee County, Louisville, Meridian, and West Point.

Overconfidence not a problem for Noxubee County football team

MACON — Overconfidence never has been a problem for the Noxubee County High School football team.

Instead of talking about what they’re going to do, the Tigers rely on a swarming defense that is lightning quick and an offense that can strike from anywhere at anytime to produce results.

The return of senior wide receiver/quarterback Vincent Sanders from a broken jaw last week figures to give the Tigers the missing piece that could help them defend their Class 4A state title.

Pickens County gets by without Jones

REFORM, Ala. — No one wanted Dominique Jones to go down.

But a hush came over G.S. Spruill Stadium when the Pickens County High School senior running back/wide receiver went down with a hip pointer in the second quarter against American Christian Academy.

Houston hands Caledonia another shutout loss

CALEDONIA — The building process continues for Buz Boyer.

The good thing about playing in Class 4A, Region 4, District 4 is Boyer, the Houston High School football coach, can test his Hilltoppers against some of the state’s premier programs.

Hamilton softball slugs way to North Half State final

HAMILTON — The Lady Lions love the long ball.

Buoyed by an eight-home run evening, the Hamilton High School slow-pitch softball team defeated East Union 15-8 and 14-5 in a best-of-three Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 2A North Half State playoff series.

New Hope’s McCrary moving on after losing her father

It starts with a special mark in the dirt.

Anna McCrary’s bat touches the earth and draws the sign of a cross. She then touches the center of it to remind herself of her bond with God.

She also remembers her father.

New Hope football team will play game Saturday

There’s not much routine about a three-hour, 200-mile trip for a high school football game.

So when you change a season’s worth of plans and move the date for that trip back a date, there are bound to be problems.

Coach Michael Bradley and the New Hope High School Trojans will hope to avoid those potential pitfalls at 5 p.m. Saturday when they take on Class 5A, Region 1, District 2 rival Lake Cormorant.

Brantley helps New Hope softball team advance in state playoffs

Brandi Brantley knows she doesn’t hit the middle of the softball every at-bat.

But the junior first baseman/pitcher has come a long way since last season when she only played defense on the New Hope High School slow-pitch softball team’s run to another state title.

This year, Brantley has hit her way into the lineup — as cleanup hitter — and hopes to help the Lady Trojans add a 12th state crown to their resume.

Seniors pave way for Victory Christian volleyball team

Senior leadership is particularly valuable when you’re not sure if your team is going to have a coach.

That’s the situation seniors Erin Williams, Caitlin Osterman, Kathryn Scarbrough, Sarah Simpson, Heather Wells, and newcomer Nicky Croft faced in August as they faced the start of another season.

The seniors did their best to keep everyone working and focused on the start of the season until Dale Latham was chosen as a volunteer coach to replace David Johnson.

East Mississippi football team fitting pieces of puzzle together

Buddy Stephens is lucky.

The East Mississippi Community College football coach has a All-America quarterback (Randall Mackey) and a running back with Division I potential (former Starkville High standout Pat Shed).

But as well as those two have played this season, they are just two pieces to a puzzle that is coming together for the Lions.

When Stephens factors in a talented cast of receivers, led by Bill Franks and Stephon Johnson, and an equally skilled and experienced offensive line, it’s easy to see why the Lions are 5-1 and 3-0 in the MACJC.

Columbus will take on South Panola tonight

Tonight or Friday doesn’t matter to Columbus High School football coach Bubba Davis.

Either way, the Falcons were going to have to be ready to play state power South Panola, so why not take care of it one day earlier.

“My feeling is that we will play them right now,” Davis said Wednesday morning.