Articles by Adam Minichino
Balance key ingredient in West Point run to title game
WEST POINT — The stance screamed “whew.”
With hands on hips and arms angled to form 90-degree angles, Casey Welch could finally exhale.
The West Point High School co-offensive coordinator already had played prognosticator when he called “touchdown” on Marcus Murphy’s pass before Everitt Cunningham rambled 44 yards for the score.
Second-half surge pushes West Point past Lake Cormorant
WEST POINT — Two hours, 16 minutes is an eternity in a high school football game.
But even a presumed march to inevitability can turn into a slog that creates doubt and frustration when you’re trying to get your program to its first state title game in six years.
MSU women pack momentum for trip to Hawaii
STARKVILLE — Place a check mark next to the Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s first objective of the 2016-17 season.
New Hope, Columbus prepare for prestigious Lighthouse Classic
Social media chatter doesn’t faze Drew McBrayer.
Former MSU great Thomas likes what she sees in Bulldogs
STARKVILLE
LaToya Thomas was part of the first hey day of Mississippi State women’s basketball.
The Greenville product lit up scoreboards across the Southeastern Conference en route to a career in which she was a four-time Kodak All-American and led the Bulldogs to the second round of the NCAA tournament three times.
But Thomas, who is MSU’s all-time leading scorer with 2,981 points, never played before a crowd of more than 6,055 at Humphrey Coliseum. That’s why it was so special for the three-time player of the year finalist to be back at the Hump on Sunday to see a crowd of 7,762 on hand to watch then-No. 10 MSU beat then-No. 8 Texas 79-68 before a national television audience on the SEC Network.
Stevenson shows signs of growth for New Hope boys
Tyler Stevenson worked hard over the summer to improve his skills.
Playing on the Caledonia Kings 16- and 18-and-under Amateur Athletic Union basketball teams, Stevenson had a chance to double his workload and increase his profile. The work paid off in August, when Stevenson was one of nine players between the two Caledonia Kings teams to be selected to participate in the Eighth-Annual National All Star Weekend, held by D1Spects and UnderArmour.
No. 7 MSU women want to build on big home win
STARKVILLE — The Mississippi State women’s basketball team used Monday to reflect on one of the biggest regular-season victories in program history.
Morgan William had a game-high 23 points, while Victoria Vivians added 19 Sunday to lead then-No. 10 MSU to a 79-68 victory against then-No. 8 Texas before a crowd of 7,764 at Humphrey Coliseum.
Bulldogs win by punching first
STARKVILLE — Vic Schaefer loves it when the Mississippi State women’s basketball team throws the first punch.
Texas reclaiming spot among nation’s elite
Karen Aston wanted to set the tone.
After working for years as an assistant coach and as an associate head coach and gaining experience as a head coach at Charlotte at North Texas, Aston knew things were going to be different when she took the job as head coach at Texas.
Matthews will be The W’s softball coach
Tatjana Matthews couldn’t think of a better time to come to the Mississippi University for Women.
After being dazzled by the school’s faculty and administration and liking what she saw in the city of Columbus, Matthews knew she wanted to be a part of the re-emergence of intercollegiate athletics at The W.
Pontotoc ends Noxubee County’s season
PONTOTOC — Find a way.
It sounds simple, but Jeff Carter feels those three words describe the essence of the 2016 Pontotoc High School football team.
Flavored with equal helpings of grit and determination, the Warriors have matured from a group that won three games two seasons ago to six last season.
Caledonia’s McCleskey signs with Jones Co. Junior College
Gracie McCleskey doesn’t mind getting down and dirty.
Whether it is as a member of the Caledonia High School volleyball, basketball, or fast-pitch softball teams or the Mississippi Bombers Express travel team, McCleskey is going to do what it takes to help her team win.
Noxubee County heads to Pontotoc in Class 4A Playoffs
MACON — Eight weeks is an eternity in the marathon that is a high school football season.
Caledonia’s Sheppeard signs with Northwest Mississippi C.C.
CALEDONIA — Growing up, soccer was something Caitlyn Sheppeard always did.
While she enjoyed the sport, softball occupied more of her time. But as she grew older, Sheppeard tired of all the hours spent with travel softball and turned to other pursuits, like cheerleading.
Through the changes, Sheppeard never lost her connection with soccer. In fact, she grew to enjoy the sport more and more the more time she put into it and the more her skills improved.
Oak Hill Academy’s Atkins signs with Southern Mississippi
WEST POINT — Bill Atkins was shocked.
Atkins knew his son, Hunter, started “dabbling” in golf when he was 10 years old, but he had no idea how that sport had taken hold of him. It wasn’t until Hunter won a 12-and-under United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) baseball state championship playing the Mississippi Longhorns, a travel team of players from West Point, and then walked off the field that day and told him he was done with baseball that Bill Atkins realized how important golf was to his son.
Offense clicking as MSU women invade Biloxi
STARKVILLE — It’s not surprising to see basketball teams excel on defense in November and December as their offenses catch up.
When you’re coached by someone with a nickname of “Secretary of Defense,” it’s even less surprising that you’re able to force 38 turnovers in your first two games.
Johnson provides spark off bench for MSU women
STARKVILLE — Roshunda Johnson was 6 years old when Vinnie Johnson won his first NBA title.
Known as “the Microwave,” Vinnie Johnson was part of guard rotation with Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars that helped the Detroit Pistons win NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. Johnson’s ability to come off the bench and provide an instant scoring jolt earned him the nickname “Microwave” from Danny Ainge, who was playing for the Boston Celtics at the time.
Indianola Academy beats Heritage Academy for second time
INDIANOLA — Sean Harrison didn’t expect to see a different Indianola Academy from the one that beat his team four weeks ago.
After scoring 159 in three wins since playing Indianola Academy, the Heritage Academy football coach believed his team could erase the memory of a 22-point loss in the regular season and punch its ticket to the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA State title game.
Gould will be The W’s men’s soccer coach
One of the ultimate compliments a coach, mother, or father can give to another coach is to endorse that individual to coach their children.
Rob Steinkuehler has known and worked with Tim Gould for a few years, so he has seen a man he calls “a mentor” work with high school and college student-athletes and help teach them the game of soccer.
It is a ways away, but he hopes his son, Jackson, 4, will get a chance to play for Gould.
After weeks on the run, lawyer with Columbus ties arrested
July 14, 2025
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