Woodard Jr. maturing into leader for Columbus

When you’re a member of the No. 1 team in the state’s biggest classification, every game is going to be a test.

When you’re a sophomore and you already are regarded as one of the state’s best players, everything you do gets scrutinized.

MSU women continue to have success sharing

STARKVILLE — There’s no telling how far the Mississippi State women’s basketball can go if it remains in a giving mood.

Judging from the efforts of Morgan William and the rest of the Bulldogs on Sunday, MSU doesn’t intend to stop sharing the basketball anytime soon.

Victoria Vivians had a season-high 27 points, and William handed out a career-high 11 assists to help No. 8 MSU beat Savannah State 92-25 before a crowd of 3,672 at Humphrey Coliseum.

Noxubee County survives against Greenwood

GREENWOOD — Tyrone Shorter couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

With each fumble, penalty, dropped interception, or missed scoring opportunity, the Noxubee County High School football coach silently wondered if this wasn’t his team’s night.

In a season filled with injuries and more than the typical share of adversity, Shorter could only hope the Tigers were going to stick together and find a way the overcome the mistakes and a hungry bunch of Greenwood High Bulldogs.

Noxubee County stands two wins away from repeat state championship

MACON — The road to Oxford will include a detour.

SEC women’s basketball squads off to strong starts

Matt Insell is looking forward to January.

Running game starting to click for Noxubee County

MACON — Tyrone Shorter doesn’t get surprised by a lot of things.

Earlier in the season, the Noxubee County High School football coach was caught off guard by the length of his team’s winning streak in Class 4A, Region 4 (21 games).

Aside from that, though, Shorter usually is in tune with the Tigers, knows all of their statistics, and what everybody is saying about his program.

Dillingham emerging as bigger threat on offense

STARKVILLE — A little goes a long way with Dominique Dillingham.

If you have watched the Mississippi State junior throw her body on the floor for loose balls or sacrifice her body to take a charge, you understand how much the 5-foot-9 guard gives to her team.

Hamilton back to work after injury-ravaged season

HAMILTON — Josh Baty looked at Brandon Johnson and smiled.

The Hamilton High School football coach felt relatively certain nobody was going to get hurt in the stretching line prior to the regular-season finale against Vardaman.

Vivians finds range for No. 10 MSU

STARKVILLE — It doesn’t matter whether you prefer the term shooter or scorer. Let’s agree those players are a different breed.

When asked to describe their craft, some will shrug their shoulders and attribute their success to hours of practice in the gym, while others will say that they been blessed with a gift.

So how does it feel to be in one of those “zones” when everything you send toward the rim goes in?

Noxubee County comes together to beat Houston

HOUSTON — Protect the quarterback is an adage as old as the game of football.

Quincy Stokes has to be old school. The Noxubee County High School senior offensive lineman eschews the contemporary accessories so many players make part of their game day wardrobe. Stokes prefers to lace them up and go, shirts untucked regardless of their color.

The Pavilion at Ole Miss will serve multiple functions

OXFORD — Ross Bjork set out to ensure that The Pavilion at Ole Miss would be more than just a basketball facility.

Instead of building a new and bigger arena with all of the latest amenities, Bjork and the Ole Miss administration wanted something that served as a front door for the athletic department and a facility that could be integrated into the day-to-day life of everybody on campus.

West Lowndes will go on road to face No. 1 Simmons

Lavante Porter isn’t surprised the West Lowndes High School football team is one of the last eight standing in Class 1A in the state.

Porter is in his fourth year as a key contributor for the Panthers, so he has seen plenty of talented players come through the program.

While there are plenty of weapons on the 2015 team, Porter said the difference between this year’s group and past squads is the talented individuals have decided to become part of a team.

Noxubee County faces region foe in playoff rematch

MACON — Like many of his peers, Noxubee County High School football coach Tyrone Shorter doesn’t enjoy playing teams twice in one season.

MSU women’s basketball team working on identity

STARKVILLE — The construction continues for Vic Schaefer.

Noxubee County faces region rival Houston in playoffs

MACON — Jeffery Simmons lingered at midfield a little longer than usual.

Minichino column: Numbers coming fast for MSU women

The numbers are coming fast and furious at the Mississippi State women’s basketball team.

Conner’s dart to Mason lifts Noxubee Co. past Lafayette Co.

MACON — Four-man fade likely will go down as one of the biggest plays in Noxubee County High School football history.

It shouldn’t be surprising that Kymbotric Mason and Timorrius Conner were involved in the play, or that it was a pass completion between a junior wide receiver and senior quarter back that sealed Noxubee County’s 20-13 victory against Lafayette County. After all, this is Noxubee County, a program that has earned a reputation for having an explosive passing attack.

Confident Nevitt eager to contribute

STARKVILLE — Hesitancy can cripple a shooter.

Kayla Nevitt admits there were so many things going through her head last season in her first year with the Mississippi State women’s basketball team that she questioned whether she shoot the ball, where she should shoot it from, and how she should shoot the ball.

West Lowndes excited to play host to playoff game

Taras Woodson and Lavante Porter have been waiting for this moment.

As the only two seniors who have been on the West Lowndes High School football team for the last four years, a home playoff game has remained an elusive reward for all of the Panthers’ hard work.

That will change at 7 tonight when West Lowndes (8-4) plays host to Ray Brooks in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Class 1A playoffs.

Oak Hill Academy players, coach earn all-star game invites

WEST POINT — Heath Ford and Caleb Robertson were two of the fortunate sons on the Oak Hill Academy football team this season.