West Point’s Burris returns home with gold medal

Being one of the best in the world has its perks.

For West Point’s John Burris, the hard work that went into helping the United States’ 35+ Water Ski Team win the gold medal at the 4th 35+ Water Ski World Championships this past weekend at the Sesena Water Ski & Wakeboard Complex in Toledo, Spain, gave him an opportunity few people realize.

Heritage Academy offensive line paves way for dominating night

In baseball, hitters are “seeing the ball well” when they’re in a groove.

In basketball, shooters are “in the zone” when that feeling comes over them that they can’t miss.

The Heritage Academy offensive linemen showed Friday night that even big boys up front in the trenches can get into a rhythm that makes an entire group feel like it can’t do anything wrong.

Judging by the numbers, the Patriots came pretty close to realizing that goal.

Erby leads New Hope offense in rivalry win

CALEDONIA — It’s not the shoes.

Passons propels Starkville Academy past Heritage Academy

STARKVILLE — Sydney Passons isn’t good at disguising her emotions.

That’s because the Starkville Academy senior often is her worst critic on the soccer field. If she is a touch off on a pass or doesn’t hit a shot just right, Passons is apt to show her frustration in a variety of ways. In addition to contorted facial countenances, Passons has a habit of using her hands to show her displeasure.

Lowndes County rivals New Hope, Caledonia meet tonight

CALEDONIA — Andy Crotwell and Kris Pickle have used bye weeks early in the 2016 season to gauge where their teams can improve.

At 7 tonight, the Caledonia and New Hope high school football coaches will get a chance to put what they have learned to the test when the Lowndes County rivals square off in Caledonia. WJEC-FM (106.5) will broadcast the game live.

Columbus Christian still fighting injury bug

STEENS — The sight of another football player limping around the hallways at Columbus Christian Academy isn’t a good sign.

But there RJ DeLoach was Wednesday, wearing a Tennessee Volunteers warmup jacket/top and moving slowly to class.

With starting quarterback Dawson Shaw already out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, the thought of playing without DeLoach, an experienced two-way contributor, was a sobering thought for coach Greg Watkins, especially with the team’s Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class A-AA, District 2 opener against Winona Christian set for 7 p.m. Friday in Steens.

Shorter confident Noxubee County’s schedule will be an asset

MACON — Tyrone Shorter knows how this story plays out.

Regardless of classification, the Noxubee County High School football team hasn’t shied away from playing the state’s best teams. Since he replaced M.C. Miller as the head coach in 2010, Shorter has taken that notion to the next degree by filling the Tigers’ schedule with local rivals — West Point, Starkville, Columbus, New Hope — that play in higher classifications in the Mississippi High School Activities Association — as well as state powers like Meridian and Kemper County and regional powers from the states of Alabama and Texas.

Oak Hill Academy’s Easterling delivers winning kick

WEST POINT — Chris Craven doesn’t have any problem leaving the fate of his football team in the hands of a kicker.

The confidence Craven has in Grayson Easterling is magnified because the 5-foot-11, 140-pound sophomore is in only his second year with the Oak Hill Academy varsity football team. Prior to Friday night, Easterling had attempted only one game-winning field goal. But Easterling’s inexperience in last-second situations didn’t factor into Craven’s decision to send his sophomore into the game to attempt the game-winner against West Memphis Christian.

Central Academy gets ‘needed’ win against Hebron Christian

PHEBA — Michael Dawkins and the Central Academy football team needed this one.

After falling victim to bigger and faster teams and a fair share of self-inflicted mistakes in their first three games, Dawkins and the Vikings hoped Friday night to establish some positive momentum against Hebron Christian in their Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Eight-Man, District 2 matchup.

MSU soccer wants to extend winning streak at home

STARKVILLE — Mallory Eubanks and Tanya de Souza like what the Mississippi State women’s soccer team has accomplished through six games.

While some might be surprised by the team’s 4-2 start to the season, Eubanks, a junior forward, and de Souza, a junior goalkeeper, believe the results are a sign of bigger and better things to come for the Bulldogs.

Eubanks and de Souza hope the next positive step comes at 7 tonight when MSU plays host to No. 25 Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams at the MSU Soccer Field.

Heritage Academy hopes pieces continue to click

Sean Harrison always believed the Heritage Academy football team had plenty of pieces to put defenses back on their heels.

A loss to Lamar School in Week 2 forced Harrison to re-examine his play-calling and ultimately convinced him the best way to utilize his assets was to mix them up and move them around to create multiple looks and formations. The decision enabled the Patriots to go back to the spring when Harrison first arrived from Wayne Academy and the team worked on a spread attack.

The move paid off last week, as Heritage Academy broke out to a 28-point lead in the first quarter en route to a 48-13 victory against Oak Hill Academy. The win helped erase the memory of a 26-6 loss to Lamar School and gave the team a sense of confidence entering its matchup at 7 tonight against Lee Academy.

Noxubee County hopes to eliminate simple mistakes against Meridian

MACON — Tyrone Shorter doesn’t have to rant and rave to let you know he isn’t happy.

Former MSU volleyball standout Warren set for pro career

Alex Warren knew she wasn’t done.

CCA runners perform well at Junior Olympic Games

STEENS — Chris Webber and Glenn Misiak still are getting used to having the term “All-American” associated with their names.

Offensive line paves way for Noxubee County’s ground game

MACON — Jakerrius Oliver would love to be a workhorse.

But you’re bound to get more than one player willing to shoulder a bigger load when you have an offensive line with the size and experience of the Noxubee County High School football team. With four of its five offensive linemen listed at 6-foot-3 or taller and weighing at least 250 pounds, Noxubee County has the girth and athleticism to make the most of the talents of Oliver and a deep and versatile backfield.

Caledonia’s Suggs commits to Hinds C.C.

CALEDONIA — Logan Suggs entered the summer hoping there would be a destination at the end of a busy road.

Like many local standouts, Suggs entered the summer between his junior and senior year at Caledonia High School with a goal to secure an opportunity to play at the next level. And like more and more local players, the pitcher/infielder wanted to play in games outside the Golden Triangle to raise his profile and to increase the likelihood he could attract the attention of college coaches.

CCA’s Parker ready for bigger role without Shaw

STEENS — Nate Parker had plenty of time to think about the possibilities.

After watching senior quarterback Dawson Shaw suffer a knee injury in the season opener against Heritage Academy, the Columbus Christian Academy junior had a feeling his role was going to change. Parker’s worst fears were confirmed a few days later when he learned that Shaw, one of the team’s vocal and on-field leaders, had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Oak Hill Academy looks to reverse fortunes against Heritage Academy

WEST POINT — Chris Craven isn’t a big fan of looking ahead or in the past.

The second-year Oak Hill Academy football coach prefers to take a more focused approach to determine what is going to help his team have success on game day. Craven doesn’t believe past results will dictate how a game will turn out. Instead, he feels wins and losses in previous seasons only serve as fodder for people to discuss prior to the latest matchup.

New Hope looks to go to 3-0

Kris Pickle sees the difference in Thomas Stevens after one season.

A year ago, Pickle watched Stevens go through the growing pains most quarterbacks have in their first season taking over a team. While Stevens had his flashes, the Trojans struggled through a season that saw them unable to close several close games. The result was a three-win campaign that left New Hope eagerly awaiting a fresh start.

It’s easy to see now why New Hope was so optimistic about 2016.

New Hope’s Stevens commits to play at Northeast Mississippi

A busy summer of baseball paid off Tuesday for Thomas Stevens.

After playing close to 80 games with a variety of teams, the New Hope High School senior catcher/outfielder gave a verbal commitment to attend Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville. He made the commitment Tuesday evening after his second visit to the school.