Aberdeen’s athleticism wears down Amory

ABERDEEN — Junior quarterback Forest Williams was a virtual one-man show early on, but the size and athleticism of the Aberdeen High School football team eventually wore Amory down in a 60-12 victory in Monroe County’s annual battle for the A-Team trophy.

First-year Amory High coach Trent Hammond surprised Aberdeen early, abandoning his running game in favor of a short-passing attack. Williams responded by accounting for the Panthers’ first 160 yards of offense on an 11-for-17 throwing effort for 115 yards. He also rushed for 45 yards on 10 carries in less than two quarters.

Starkville nips rival West Point 21-20

WEST POINT — The West Point High School football team built a 20-0 lead and held Starkville High to 33 yards and three first downs in the first half Friday night.

But the Green Wave committed three turnovers and numerous penalties that allowed the Yellow Jackets to pick up momentum in the second half. The mistakes provided all the openings Starkville needed to rally for a 21-20 victory to give first-year coach Jamie Mitchell a signature win and the program its first victory in the rivalry in four years.

Heritage shows toughness in beating Lamar School

The toughness Brad Butler has been looking for in the Heritage Academy football team surfaced in a big way Friday night.

Led by a strong defensive effort and a key fourth-down conversion in the fourth quarter, quarterback Brandon Bell scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard plunge to help lift Heritage Academy to a 22-14 victory against the Lamar School.

Columbus and Starkville host art swap

The Columbus Arts Council and Starkville Area Arts Council are sharing artistic talent this month. In a mutual exchange, each arts organization is displaying two- and three-dimensional work from the other.

Starkville Academy unable to stop Parklane rushing attack

McCOMB — Brandon Austin and Joseph Clark led a running attack that grounded out 368 yards and had five touchdowns Friday night to push Parklane Academy to a 38-20 victory against Starkville Academy.

Austin rushed for 260 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, while Clark rushed for 98 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries.

Austin scored the first touchdown on a 62-yard run. Clark added scoring runs of 15 and 5 yards to help Parklane take an 18-0 lead in the second quarter.

Gartman gets first win as Pickens Academy’s coach

CARROLLTON, Ala — The first one is always sweet.

First-year head coach John Gartman earned his initial victory as head coach of the Pickens Academy football team with a 27-0 decision against South Choctaw on Friday night.

The 31-year-old Gartman, who played at the University of Alabama, is in his first season at Pickens Academy after being the defensive coordinator at Morgan Academy for five years and Montgomery Macon-East the past three years.

John Morgan Owens rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns. Owens scored on runs of 30 and 10 yards in the second quarter and on a 34-yard run in the third quarter.

Immanuel scores most points in four years

CALHOUN CITY — The Immanuel Christian football team scored its most points in a game in four years Friday night in a 51-20 victory against Calhoun Academy.

It was Immanuel Christian’s highest-scoring output since beating Brooklane Christian 54-38 on Sept. 22, 2006.

Norris Harris rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns and Michael Tate rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns to lead Immanuel Christian (1-3).

Press veteran joins Dispatch

A veteran press expert with more than 30 years in the printing industry has joined The Dispatch as production manager.

‘STELLA!’: Competitors try to outshout each other (video)

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Columbus earns bragging rights

The Columbus High School football team scored 25 consecutive points in the fourth quarter Friday night to beat New Hope 39-22 at Trojan Field.

Area schools show improvement in accountability rankings

Schools in many area districts showed improvement in state school district accountability scores released today, though some districts did not meet growth standards set by the state.

Hamilton Lions will honor undefeated team of 1977

The goal of every successful high school football program is to go undefeated on the season. It’s an achievement very few teams have pulled off.

If a high school team goes undefeated, it is even rarer for that squad not to allow a point. It’s the dream of every defensive coordinator and the daily double of prep football, so to speak.

Tonight, just such an accomplishment will be celebrated, as members of the 1977 unbeaten, unscored upon Hamilton High School football team will be honored prior to the Hamilton-Hatley contest.

Columbus police officer accused of rape

A Columbus police officer has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an investigation into an alleged rape in Lowndes County.

Memphis Business Journal: Renasant to open new location in Columbus (link)

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Port Authority signs on to support biofuels project in Columbus

The Lowndes County Port Authority board Wednesday approved a memorandum of understanding for a new KiOR biofuels plant to be located in Columbus, at the Columbus-Lowndes County Port.

Renasant to expand in Golden Triangle

Renasant Bank Wednesday announced its intention to enter the Columbus-Lowndes County market during the fourth quarter of 2010.

Tea Party to hold town hall meeting with local leaders

The Starkville Tea Party is hosting another town hall meeting this weekend, only this time it will give city and county residents the opportunity to quiz local elected officials on issues facing the community.

MSU will have to find way to contain Newton

Cameron Newton called it “probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve made in my recent life.”

It went beyond telling one of his closest mentors since high school, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen, that he would sign with Auburn University instead of MSU this past winter.

Personnel changes, studio schools top Starkville school list

School officials approved a list of student fees and a long list of personnel changes in a meeting Tuesday where they heard about the first Starkville School District student participation in a studio school classroom.

Two opinions given for start of Starkville schools

School board members learned there are 47 more students in the Starkville School District this year than last, and 36 more students enrolled in early September than were enrolled when school began in Aug. 5.