New Hope will try to separate itself in region play

High-scoring games have been more the norm that the exception for the New Hope High School football team.

After giving up 49 points in a loss to Columbus and scoring 49 in a victory against Caledonia, New Hope did itself one better last week in a 55-27 victory against Center Hill.

Shorter hopes focus remains for Tigers

MACON — Tyrone Shorter isn’t ready to say everything is fine in his world.

But shutouts have a way of making coaches feel a little bit better about their situations.

That is the position the Noxubee County veteran coach is in after a 30-0 shutout of Kosciusko last week in his team’s Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A-Region 4 opener. The victory ended a three-game losing streak and helped the two-time reigning Class 4A State champions restore a semblance of normalcy to their program.

West Lowndes looking forward to region battle against Smithville

Lemerrius Fair has been looking forward to Friday night for a long time.

The West Lowndes High School senior running back/quarterback is going to celebrate his team’s game against Smithville by breaking out a little more pink to add to his uniform.

William’s return to health helps MSU women’s basketball team

STARKVILLE — Morgan William has her own gear for breakaway speed.

Subtle signs spark success for SA girls

STARKVILLE — Familiarity isn’t always visible.

Sydney Passons might use a darting look to the left to Hannah Cuevas to encourage her to pass the ball in that direction. Shelton Spivey could use her body language or a subtle nod of the head to convey to Bonner Hughes that she is going to make a run toward goal and she wants her teammate to send her the ball.

Schaefer hopes older equals better for MSU women

STARKVILLE — Vic Schaefer begins the 2016-17 season today with one big question: Are there different degrees of young?

A year ago, the Mississippi State women’s basketball team looked to build on a 27-win season and a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a team made up largely of underclasswomen. The five-win improvement from the previous season solidified hopes that the Bulldogs were making strides to becoming a top-tier program in the Southeastern Conference and one that could contend with the nation’s top teams.

Walker answers call for Noxubee County

MACON — Tyrone Shorter didn’t have time to mince words.

Faced with a second-straight 2-4 start to the season, the Noxubee County High School football coach realized the Tigers needed bigger contributions from some of their senior leaders, so he challenged some of them to answer the call. Running back Javarcus Walker was one of the seniors Shorter talked to and encouraged to raise his level of play to help get the team back on track.

Preseason accolades rolling in for MSU women’s basketball team

It’s all about the numbers at this time of the year for Vic Schaefer.

Columbus Christian Academy knocks off Oak Hill Academy

STEENS — Kimarri Whitfield knew.

Caledonia faces Houston in Class 4A-Region 4 opener

CALEDONIA — “There is no going back.”

Caledonia football coach Andy Crotwell couldn’t have said it better when asked if his team’s game against Houston at 7 tonight was any different than the first five this season.

Shorter hopes Noxubee County can follow 2015 path

“Good football teams find a way to bounce back and get back on track, and that’s what we’re going to do. We have a good football team. It showed in the first two ballgames. The last two games we just kind of fell apart, but there is no quit in this team.”

— Noxubee County High School football coach Tyrone Shorter talking about his team on Sept. 15, 2015, as it entered Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A,

Region 4 play with a 2-4 record.

Heritage Academy excited about big win

One game doesn’t make a district season.

That’s why Heritage Academy football coach Sean Harrison allowed his players to enjoy their victory against Starkville Academy last week for a few days before he asked his players to re-focus for their next game.

Playing against another team from Lowndes County should help the Patriots get back to work.

Heritage Academy, CLRA stay busy at softball tournament

Mickey Allen finally can exhale.

Thanks to some timely assistance from the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority (CLRA), Allen and Heritage Academy were able to pull off the 12-team, two-day Mississippi Association of Independent Schools North Class AAA tournament. The event started Saturday with 18 games at the Redbird A, B, and C fields at Propst Park and wrapped up Monday at Heritage Academy. Leake Academy beat Bayou Academy 10-0 to win the championship. Those two schools and North Delta Academy and Kirk Academy were the last four teams standing, so they will advance to the Overall Class AAA State tournament, which will be this weekend at Shiloh Park in Brandon.

Non-conference schedule has right mix for MSU women

Gas up the recreational vehicle.

Check to see which credit card is giving out free airline miles and sign up.

If you already have one of those credit cards, get ready to accumulate some frequent flier miles into free tickets.

You better be ready because those are some of the things you’re going to have to do in November and December if you want to see the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

Kemper County takes it to Noxubee County in second half

MACON — Tyrone Shorter didn’t want to be in this position again.

A year ago, Shorter could rely on an experienced group of players that was primed to play at the next level. With talented leaders like Jeffery Simmons, Qendarrion Barnett, Timorrius Conner, Deveon Ball, Bobby May and Ladaveon Smith, Shorter had confidence the Noxubee County football team could erase a 2-4 start and defend its Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State title.

New Hope, Noxubee County trying to build momentum

Kris Pickle is eager to start sorting things out.

Tyrone Shorter feels the same sense of urgency, but he has another week before games really start to count.

At 7 tonight, Pickle’s New Hope High School football team will play host to Clarksdale in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A, Region 1 opener. In Macon, Shorter’s Noxubee County High Tigers will play host to Class 3A rival Kemper County in their final non-district match.

Rival Patriots-Volunteers open region play Friday

STARKVILLE — Rivalry games typically don’t need any added drama to make them more appealing.

That might be the case for the Heritage Academy-Starkville Academy matchup at 7 p.m. Friday in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA, District 2 opener at J.E. Logan Field. But the Patriots’ high-powered offense and the Volunteers’ typically stingy defense adds a little spice to a rivalry that has seen the teams split the last 10 meetings.

Starkville Academy bounces back after him loss to Lamar School

STARKVILLE — There was no question in Chase Nicholson’s mind that the Starkville Academy football team was going to respond.

The only thing Nicholson didn’t know was how Starkville Academy planned to bounce back following a 40-0 loss to Lamar School on Sept. 9.

MSU looks to open SEC play on right foot

David McFatrich is all about creating new habits.

In his first year as Mississippi State volleyball coach, McFatrich guided the Bulldogs to a 17-15 finish and their first winning record since 2006.

MSU capped its 2015 season with a victory against Ole Miss that gave the program its first back-to-back victories against the Rebels since 2009. The win heightened optimism that 2016 could be MSU’s year to take the next step, to entertain thoughts of moving into the upper echelon of the Southeastern Conference, and to compete for its first bid to the NCAA tournament.

Return of athletics at MUW beginning to take shape

The next step for athletics at Mississippi University for Women is coming soon.