Urgency key for Vivians

STARKVILLE — Chad Harrison knows Victoria Vivians can make basketball look easy.

With the strength to drain 3-pointers from 25-30 feet and a scorer’s mentality, Vivians blistered nets throughout the state en route to becoming Mississippi’s all-time leading scorer with 5,745 points.

Harrison coached Vivians for five seasons at Scott Central High School in Forest and watched her mature into a two-time first team All-American and the nation’s leading scorer (46.2 points per game) as a senior.

Even though many things on the court came easily to Vivians, Harrison said there were times he had to challenge his best player.

Pickens Academy’s Noland signs with Alabama-Huntsville

CARROLLTON, Ala. — The bat is nearly as big as Kacy Noland.

When you’re 8 years old, it sometimes can be difficult to find a bat that is the right size.

These days, that bat would look small in Noland’s hands because the girl in the picture nestled in the glove on top of the table has grown up. A look to the left and to the right is all it takes to trace the maturation of Noland to a standout softball player at Pickens Academy and for the High Intensity travel ball team. Those pictures show a player who has grown to 5-foot-6 — or taller depending on the shoes — and grown to love a sport she first started playing in a Dixie Youth league in Aliceville, Alabama.

Noxubee County looks to extend winning ways late in season

MACON — Tyrone Shorter knows what he is talking about when he says the playoffs are the Noxubee County High School football team’s time of the year.

When your program has won four state championships in the last nine seasons, it’s a lot easier for your players to re-focus for the one-and-done part of the campaign.

In the last 10 seasons, Noxubee County is 78-7 in the last three months of the season. Noxubee County’s success in October and November has resulted in back-to-back Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State titles, as well as championships in 2012 and 2008.

King hopes West Lowndes can come together

Anthony King is a mixture of emotions.

The West Lowndes High School football coach is excited that playoff football is almost here. He is confident about the Panthers’ talent and potential as he surveys his players in their kickoff coverage drill.

New Hope High’s Stevens, Lane sign with colleges

Black and gold are perfect colors for Thomas Stevens.

Prior to Wednesday, the colors were solely dedicated to the New Hope High School uniforms Stevens wore as a member of the school’s football and baseball teams.

On Wednesday, though, the black and gold in the bow tie Stevens wore to school signaled a nod to the next step in his baseball career at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville.

Even though Stevens couldn’t convince teammate Parker Lane, who signed with Mississippi Delta C.C. in Moorhead, to wear a bow tie or attend NEMCC with him, both players said they found the right fit.

Harrison, Heritage Academy know what to expect from Indianola Academy

Sean Harrison knows what is in store for the Heritage Academy football team.

The Patriots’ first-year head coach hasn’t had to wear out the buttons on his laptop to go back and forward watching film of Indianola Academy games from this season.

As much as Harrison would love to discover a secret to the Colonels’ success, he knows there is a simple recipe for his team when it meets Indianola Academy at 7 p.m. Friday in the third round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA playoffs.

New local sports talk show coming to air waves

Two new voices are coming to the radio waves in the Greater Golden Triangle area.

Former Columbus Municipal School Board member Glenn Lautzenhiser and former local newsman Steve Rogers will co-host “Drive Time with Steve and the Professor” from 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday on WNMQ-FM 103.1 The Team starting Monday, Nov. 28. The sports talk radio show will feature daily segments for listeners to call in and discuss local sports happenings, including news from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Alabama as well as high school and national sports. The show also will include segments focused on sports history and sports trivia.

Former New Hope standout Stillman signs with North Alabama

Easy to coach might be the best thing a coach can say about a player.

Columbus High’s Conner earns MVP honor

Kiara Conner loves defense.

The Columbus High School senior enjoys snaring pop ups and chasing down fly balls so much that she enjoys recording outs more than she does blasting home runs.

That might seem hard to believe, especially after seeing how easily Conner can use a bat to make a softball disappear.

Title reward follows wait for CCA boys cross country team

STEENS — The waiting was killing Chris Webber.

A first-place individual finish didn’t quiet Webber’s nerves. Seeing teammates Glenn Misiak and Nate Parker finish shortly after him made things a little easier, but Webber knew the Columbus Christian Academy boys cross country team needed two more runners to finish before the squad could win a second Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AA State title.

Heritage Academy girls soccer players honored

Hannah Britt couldn’t get the thought out of her head: What if she never played soccer again?

The thought danced around in her mind as she was airlifted to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

Spasms in her back caused the Heritage Academy senior to lose sensation in her legs, which caused doctors to consider the possibility Britt might have an issue with her spinal cord.

Parish, Dewberry want to build on Region III ODP pool picks

Garrett Parish’s soccer profile is growing.

The Caledonia High School senior’s play at midfielder and defender has helped him earn a reputation for being one of the area’s most versatile players.

Parish solidified that status in the summer when he was one of 68 players named to the Region III Boys 1999 Olympic Development Programs Trials Pool. Starkville High’s Vance Dewberry also was named to the squad, which is made up of players from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas (North and South). The players took part in a five-day camp in July in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Caledonia falls just short of big upset

GREENWOOD — Andy Crotwell would have organized one big hug if it was possible.

But it’s nearly impossible to get 28 people together in one space, even if they are all seniors. That’s why the Caledonia High School football coach went from player to player to acknowledge the oldest players and to thank them for their contributions to the team’s second trip to the playoffs in three years.

Woodard II has new look, mind-set for Falcons

You only need to look at Robert Woodard II to tell he is serious.

The Columbus High School junior boys basketball player’s arms glisten with perspiration as he rises up for another jump shot in the 3-point contest. Woodard II’s leg uncoil with a ferocity that lifts him to the rim in the slam dunk contest.

Noxubee County will try to follow familiar path

MACON — If history does in fact repeat, the Noxubee County High School football team could be primed to turn a slow start into a fast finish.

Last season, injuries hit the reigning Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State champions hard and played a big part in the team’s 2-4 start to the season. The non-conference slate was littered with the usual tests against higher classification teams, but Noxubee County wasn’t able to produce at levels of previous teams in losses to Aledo (Texas), Meridian, West Point, and Kemper County.

Starkville Academy ready to overcome more adversity

STARKVILLE — Chase Nicholson didn’t panic.

The Starkville Academy football coach knew his team needed time to adjust to Hartfield Academy’s triple-option attack. Two scores by the visitors in the first quarter, though, added to Nicholson’s anxiety.

But the Volunteers have become adept at overcoming adversity, so Nicholson believed his team was going to respond.

MSU reassigns women’s soccer coach Gordon

STARKVILLE — Aaron Gordon recognized the challenge of building the Mississippi State women’s soccer program into a contender when he was hired in 2012.

The W offers multiple roles, jobs for Beasley

Brooke Beasley was looking for the ideal job to satisfy her desire to get into coaching and to work in athletic administration.

Helping to build a volleyball program and an athletic department at the Mississippi University of Women presented the perfect chance for Beasley to put her attention to detail and her ability to multi-task to good use.

Crotwell, Caledonia not satisfied to get into playoffs

CALEDONIA — Andy Crotwell isn’t satisfied.

A second playoff appearance in three seasons is a significant accomplishment for a Caledonia High School football program that two years ago returned to the postseason for the first time since 2005.

But the program’s lack of playoff experience doesn’t mean this year’s seniors are satisfied with getting back to the postseason.

Central Academy’s Stapleton signs with EMCC

Patience is one of Savanah Stapleton’s strengths.

Ever since she started playing softball at an early age, Stapleton has dreamed about playing the sport in college. Through slow- and fast-pitch seasons at Central Academy in Macon, Stapleton honed her craft at third base and in the outfield and later at catcher.