Right attitude has been key for Caledonia volleyball

It’s all about the attitude for the Caledonia High School volleyball team.

Defending a 30-foot section of court with six players doesn’t sound like a difficult proposition.

But if the players don’t know the details that go into playing each position it’s likely they won’t be able to work as a unit.

Victory Christian won’t play for fourth week in a row

Bowl season doesn’t begin for another two months.

But the past four weeks have lasted just as long for Chris Hamm and his Victory Christian football team.

Pope fondly recalls when New Hope ended Hamilton’s winning streak

Streaks are part of Northeast Mississippi’s football history.

But before South Panola High School football team claimed the honor of holding the state’s longest winning streak, that honor belonged to coach Jimmie Moore’s Hamilton Lions.

Moore’s Lions, who accomplished the unbelievable feat of going through the 1977 season without allowing a point, went on two years later to start a winning streak that stretched to 51 games until Oct. 7, 1983, when coach Rudy Pope’s New Hope High Trojans ended the run with a 35-14 victory in Columbus.

Curry shines on both sids of field for Pickens County

REFORM, Ala. — Scott Marchant has a dilemma.

The Pickens County High School football coach has a talented quarterback to direct his team’s high-powered passing offense.

The former defensive coordinator also has an athlete versatile enough to play a hybrid safety-linebacker position.

Problem is, that player is Deion Curry.

Defense helps West Point beat New Hope in district matchup

Their jerseys are old school.

The big, bold green numbers 30 and 66 on white jerseys stare down opponents.

It’s simple and clean, even without the players’ names on the back of the jerseys.

On Friday night, Jamal Petty and Vontarrius Dora made a statement wearing those numbers.

Aberdeen volleyball wins in first round of Class I tournament

ABERDEEN — It might be simplistic, but it all starts with the serve for the Aberdeen High School volleyball team.

But when the Lady Bulldogs serve as well as they did Saturday, they’re bound to have success.

Wannek scores to enable MSU soccer team to splash to tie

STARKVILLE — Splishing, splashing, and sploshing aren’t typical ingredients of a soccer match.

But Rachel Wannek has experienced enough of those moments to feel right at home playing in inclement weather.

The freshman showed Sunday just how comfortable she is in bad weather and on soggy fields when she scored on a 25-yard free kick in the second half to help the Mississippi State women’s soccer team earn a 1-1 overtime tie against No. 8 South Carolina at the MSU Soccer Field.

Aberdeen’s Love commits to play football at Mississippi State

Jamerson Love didn’t need another game to help him make his decision.

The Aberdeen High School senior running back had already decided on a college before attending Mississippi State’s game against No. 25 Georgia Tech in Starkville on Saturday.

All Love had to do then was wait to make his announcement.

Georgia Tech’s 42-31 victory didn’t deter Love from informing MSU coach Dan Mullen that he wanted to make a verbal commitment to become a Bulldog.

Aberdeen police to retire official’s ticket to file

ABERDEEN — The Northeast Mississippi Officials Association, the Aberdeen Police Department and Aberdeen High School resolved differences Wednesday that stemmed from an incident last week at an Aberdeen High home football game.

Hamilton’s Tucker has positive outlook on life, effect on kids

HAMILTON — Change doesn’t faze Robert Herman Tucker.

Whether it has been as a teacher, coach, or parent, Tucker has seen offenses and defense come and go. He has worked his share of jobs, including stints in the auto parts manufacturing business and in the insurance industry. He also has had his share of health issues, including a quintuple-bypass heart surgery last February.

Central Academy softball team meets Wayne in state playoffs

MACON — Marion Colvin didn’t back down.

After playing four games at the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A State tournament, Colvin didn’t have time to be tired — or nervous.

The only thing Colvin thought about was beating Delta Academy.

“Mr. Pres (Dawkins) said, ‘You have got the mound this game. Are you ready? I told him, ‘Yes sir,’ ” Colvin said. “I told him I was going to pitch my best and get us to state.”

Caledonia volleyball team benefits from working hard

CALEDONIA — Kara Von Kanel and Sunnie Rushing wondered if all of the work was worth it.

Through the start of preseason in the summer and a season filled with long practices and work on fundamentals, the members of the Caledonia High School volleyball never really considered the payoff that would result from all of their hard work.

But when the Lady Confederates started having fun and piling up the victories, they soon discovered why coach Samantha Brooks had put them through the paces earlier in the season.

Columbus football team still learning on the job

Each step is a learning process for the Columbus High School football team.

Last week, the Falcons experienced an especially painful lesson in a 10-6 home loss to Tupelo in their Class 6A, Region 1, District 2 season opener.

Columbus coach Bubba Davis said the loss hurt his players so much because he felt they went into the game thinking they were good enough to win and that they should win.

Things didn’t turn out that way.

New Hope’s Wells turns life around to help football team

The “thug” life was the life for Jeremy Wells.

As a freshman at New Hope High School, trouble found Wells much too often.

Without his brother, Jonquez, a running back on the New Hope High football team, around to help look after him, Jeremy admitted to falling in with the wrong group.

It wasn’t until his sophomore year when Wells discovered he was academically ineligible to play football that he realized he needed to change.

Hamilton’s Reeves commits to Ole Miss

HAMILTON — Chase Reeves didn’t have a plan in mind last weekend.

The Hamilton High School junior was content to visit Mississippi State and the University of Mississippi and to listen to what the coaches had to say about their schools and their baseball programs.

But after shaking off the initial surprise of receiving a scholarship offer, Reeves’ plan changed immediately.

Bad call? Football refs may not show up for Aberdeen game

Aberdeen High School’s ability to serve as host Friday night to Winona for the teams’ scheduled football game could be in question after an incident last week involving a football official and members of the Aberdeen Police Department.

King returns from injury to lead Alabama soccer team past MSU

STARKVILLE — The timing was perfect for Todd Bramble.

Facing the prospect of playing three matches in six days, the University of Alabama women’s soccer coach wanted to substitute liberally Tuesday night against Mississippi State.

The return of junior forward Kelly King from a high ankle sprain couldn’t have come at a better time.

In her first game of the 2009 season, King proved her timing was pretty good, too.

Starkville, Heritage see seasons end at North Half tournament

STARKVILLE — Slower was better for Lyndsey Haynes.

The Starkville Academy senior pitcher’s use of the changeup nearly helped make Monday an all-day affair for the Lady Volunteers.

As it turned out, Haynes almost pitched Starkville Academy out of the losers’ bracket and into a berth in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools AAA state tournament.

East Webster’s Patterson Player of Week

MABEN — Ledrick Patterson is a fast learner.

Even though Patterson has been a member of the East Webster High School varsity football program for four years, he never played quarterback before this season.

Troupe’s return sparks Hamilton

HAMILTON — Latedrick Troupe knew he had to make something happen.

Problem was, he didn’t have the football and he was running away from his end zone.

To make matters worse, the Hamilton High School running back was tracking back on a wet field and being chased by a handful of Caledonia High players eager to make a game-changing play.