SEC Media Days get to the filet mignon of its meetings

If day one of the Southeastern Conference Media Days was an appetizer, the filet mignon served Thursday was a treat.

Four of the SEC’s heavy hitters — Georgia’s Mark Richt, Alabama’s Nick Saban, Ole Miss’ Houston Nutt, and Florida’s Urban Meyer — were on hand to give their appraisals of the upcoming 2009 season.

Each coach had a hot topic item to address, and the four programs should be the most interesting ones this season in the rough and tumble SEC.

Dent offers assistance to football players being recruited

The recruiting wars and the college admission process was different for Marcus Dent Sr.

Twenty years ago, the former New Hope High School standout didn’t have Internet sites and recruiting services to help check his transcript and to assist him in his preparation for standardized tests like the SAT or the ACT.

Still, Dent went on to play tight end at Alcorn State (1989-92) and was on a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship team.

MSU soccer recruits on display in nationals

The Mississippi State women’s soccer team’s recruiting success will be on display this week in Massachusetts.

Two of MSU’s 11-player freshman class — Alex Kytan and Jasmine Simmons — will play for their respective club teams at the United States Youth Soccer Nationals in Lancaster, Mass.

The Nationals begin Tuesday and conclude Sunday. They bring together the champions from each of the nation’s regions to crown a champion.

Columbus, Starkville eliminated from Dizzy Dean tournaments

The road to Dizzy Dean World Series titles ended Sunday for two teams from the Golden Triangle.

The Columbus Nationals 10-year-old All-Star team lost to Bill Bond Baseball (Pensacola, Fla.), and the Starkville Dawgs 12-year-old All-Stars lost to Irondale, Ala., 7-4. Both elimination games were played at the Tupelo Sportsplex.

Columbus defeated Tupelo 14-1 Sunday morning in its first game in the losers’ bracket. LaQuinston Sharp hit two home runs, Tyler Anderson had a single and a double, Thomas Stevens had a single and two doubles, Kyle Cruthirds had two singles, and Logan Sneed had a double to help the Nationals earn their mercy-rule victory.

Howard, Lott win Columbus Classic’s glass trophies

Barry Howard and Ed Lott have good and bad days like every golfer.

As much as Howard and Lott know they could have played better the past three days, their efforts proved good enough to earn them some hardware.

Howard and Lott teamed Sunday to shoot a 70 for a three-day total of 205 that was good enough to win the championship flight of the Columbus Classic at the Columbus Country Club.

Byrd happy to ‘come home’; NHHS baseball adds Taylor

Jerry Byrd doesn’t know if he, his wife, or his children are happier.

Getting an opportunity to stay home to teach and to coach usually can put a smile on anybody’s face.

The Byrds will smile a lot more this year after the Lowndes County School Board approved Friday the hiring of Byrd as the new boys soccer and tennis coach at New Hope High School.

Crushing effort by Columbus

TUPELO — Opponents of the Columbus Crush might consider wearing protective gear when they’re out on the field.

Through 17 games, the traditional approach hasn’t worked, so why not try shin guards and catcher’s masks on the infielders.

It couldn’t hurt. With an added layer of protection defenses might be able to beat the Crush.

Northport silences Starkville

TUPELO — Curveballs are the bane of many baseball players’ lives.

The Starkville Dawgs 12-year-old Dizzy Dean team discovered Saturday just how effective that pitch can be.

Deacon Medders and Jake Colburn combined on a five-inning two-hitter to lead the Northport Nationals (Ala.) to an 11-1 victory in the Dizzy Dean World Series at the Tupelo Sportsplex.

Columbus Nationals face familiar situation

TUPELO — The Columbus Nationals learned how to bounce back after a loss at the Dizzy Dean South Half State Tournament.

That lesson will be put to the test at the Dizzy Dean World Series.

Nick Feenker and Jake Griffin hit home runs Saturday morning to lead the Oak Mountain (Ala.) All-Stars to a 12-2 victory against the Columbus Nationals in the 10-year-old World Series at the Tupelo Sportsplex.

Putnam, Byrd expected to be named at NHHS

Justin Putnam realized a dream Monday.

Today, the Lowndes County School Board is expected to make it official.

Putnam accepted an offer Monday to become the new girls track and field coach at New Hope High School.

Jerry Byrd, the older brother of former New Hope High boys basketball coach Robert Byrd, said Thursday he has accepted the job to become the school’s new boys soccer coach.

Former New Hope baseball players named all-stars in CSBL

An opportunity to play close to home has proved to be a perfect fit for Ben Fleming and Brent Hallmark.

The former New Hope High School baseball standouts, who are teammates on the Golden Triangle Jets, were named Wednesday to the Cotton States Baseball League All-Star team.

Players hope to pave way for Columbus soccer

Roger Shilling and Avery Velek hope to help pave the way for soccer players in Columbus.

The 11-year-olds recently were accepted to and competed in the Olympic Development Program Academy Camp at Belhaven College in Jackson.

Lott wins age group at Pros of Tomorrow

Everything came together Wednesday for Cade Lott.

The Heritage Academy rising freshman combined a strong chipping game with equally solid putting to take first in the 14- to 15-year-old age division at the Pros of Tomorrow Junior Golf tournament at the Tupelo Country Club.

Locals will play in Bernard Blackwell Classic

Josh Ferguson was pleased when he first learned he was selected to participate in the annual Bernard Blackwell Classic.

The football game, which will be at 7 tonight at Hale-Robinson Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College, pits some of the state’s top outgoing seniors from the South against the North. It is a final opportunity for high school standouts to take the field before they play their first games in college.

Columbus Crush will try for another title

Tim Frasher believed in his Columbus Crush softball players the moment the team came together.

But Frasher, who coaches the 10-and-under slow-pitch all-star team, never thought his team would do what it has this summer.

The Crush swept four games last weekend in the Amateur Softball Association slow-pitch state tournament to win another championship.

Columbus Nationals ready for World Series

Rory Sneed doesn’t want this weekend to be any different for the Columbus Nationals 10-year-old Dizzy Dean All-Star team.

The pageantry of this weekend’s World Series in Tupelo might make Sneed and the team’s other coaches work a little harder to keep their players focused.

But Sneed isn’t worried that his players will get caught up in the hoopla surrounding the annual event, which will feature some of the best teams from across the country.

Garriga, Martin will return to defend Columbus Classic title

Brandon Garriga and Josh Martin nearly couldn’t make it.

Each man wanted to return to Columbus this week to defend their run of four consecutive titles at the Columbus Classic, but life appeared to get in the way.

Garriga, a third-year medical student, was smack in the middle of a schedule that has him in a surgical rotation. He and his wife also are preparing for the birth of a daughter next month, so it didn’t look like he was going to be able to travel from Jackson to Columbus to play.

But things have a way of working out.

CMSD names Greene its AD

The timing proved to be perfect for Rusty Greene.

The veteran teacher and coach transitioned eight years ago into a role as an assistant principal at Caledonia Middle School.

But Greene recently decided he wanted to try something new, so he searched the area for another job as an administrator.

MSU’s Fanning unveils new jewel

STARKVILLE — Sharon Fanning didn’t know where to begin.

There was no official starting point for the Mississippi State women’s basketball coach because everything in the program’s new locker room in Humphrey Coliseum begged to bragged about and to be touched.

There were murals, pictures, and plaques on the walls to honor former and current Lady Bulldogs.

Free youth football clinic Saturday

Anthony Colom enjoys working with kids.

As a youth coach, the longtime Columbus resident has been involved with the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority for many years.

Colom also enjoys football, so he recently decided to put two of his loves together and to work with people of similar interests to help the children of Lowndes County.