Alisa Holen: ‘Limiting ourselves to small dreams’

I write this with a heavy heart. My normal, optimistic demeanor has been sidetracked by the recent announcement by the Mississippi State Legislature to effectively kill the name change for our University. I am truly hopeful that the Mississippi University for Women will be able to survive as a standalone institution, but I am also realistic… and I know that our name is a tremendous hindrance on our ability to recruit students. The statistics are remarkable.

Townsel leads Starkville past Grenada

STARKVILLE — Senior guard Edward Townsel scored 20 of his game-high 26 points in the second quarter to help the Starkville High School boys basketball team turn a 10-point deficit into a nine-point halftime lead en route to a 79-68 win against Grenada in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A North Half State Tournament.

Nelson, Murrah too much for Columbus boys

JACKSON –– The Columbus High School boys basketball team couldn’t find a way to stop Dundrecous Nelson.

Nelson, a University of Mississippi signee and member of The Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen team, poured in a game-high 37 points Tuesday to lead Murrah to a 70-58 victory in the opening round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A North State Tournament.

Pargo, Aberdeen advance

ABERDEEN — A poor first quarter and an even worse fourth quarter, which was fueled by a sterling performance by Rashad Pargo, proved to be the undoing for M.S. Palmer here Tuesday, as the Aberdeen High School boys basketball team posted a 76-61 victory in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A North Half State Tournament.

Aberdeen girls roll past East Side

ABERDEEN — The top-seeded Aberdeen High School girls basketball team moved one step closer to its fourth straight trip to Jackson with a 62-40 win against a game, but inexperienced and outmanned Cleveland East Side squad in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A North Half State playoffs here Monday evening.

Immanuel Christian girls clinch first State berth

BENTON –– The Immanuel Christian girls basketball team clinched its first berth in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A State Tournament on Monday by beating Hebron Christian 51-49 in the consolation game of the Class A North Central Tournament.

Author returns to Columbus with new novel

Joe Lee, a Starkville native and a graduate of Mississippi State University, will sign copies of his new suspense thriller, “The Magnolia Triangle” (Dogwood Press, 2009), at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m.

Cinderella’s closet is open

A local philanthropic group, The Cinderella Project of Lowndes County, will be conducting its first annual “Gown a Gal” dress distribution Saturday, Feb. 27, at the former Lia Fashions building on Highway 45 North in Columbu

Caledonia seniors offered scholarship opportunity

This spring, one graduate of Caledonia High School will receive a $1,500 scholarship from the Shelter Insurance Foundation. The award will be sponsored and partially funded by local Shelter agent John Longmire.

Aberdeen boys, girls capture district championships

MOOREVILLE — The finals of the six-team Class 3A, Region 2, District 1 basketball tournament turned into a win-win situation for Aberdeen High School on Friday night, as the Bulldogs and the Lady Bulldogs knocked off Nettleton to capture district championships.

In the girls title game, Aberdeen built a 24-9 first-quarter advantage en route to a 68-54 win. The boys then claimed a 58-45 triumph in the fourth and final game of the night to complete the sweep.

Both Aberdeen teams, who also carted off regular-season championships, will advance to the next round of the playoffs. The girls will the loser of the East Side-Charleston game Monday at home, while the boys will face M.S. Palmer, the No. 4 team from Region 3.

West Lowndes defeats Calhoun City for region title

BRUCE –– The West Lowndes High School boys basketball team won a championship trophy Friday night to add to the school’s display case by beating Calhoun City 66-55 in the championship game of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 2A, Region 2 Tournament.

“It was real exciting,” West Lowndes coach Herman Peters said. “The guys played real hard. They played together as a team

Demetrius Malone had 16 points to lead West Lowndes (17-6). Andra Lewis had 15 and Tyquan Lucious added 11.

Swim Columbus has 20 going to State Championships

Swim Columbus will send 20 athletes to the 2010 Mississippi Swimming, Inc., Short Course State Championships on Friday through Sunday at the Laurel Natatorium in Laurel.

The meet will feature the state’s top age-group swimmers, and will begin Friday with the senior girls 200-yard freestyle relay. The meet will conclude Sunday with the boys 15 and older 1,650 free.

Sunglasses serve many purposes for outdoorsmen

Most water sports men and women you see wear sunglasses. 

Anglers wear them to see better while fishing. 

With polarized lenses, you are able to see underwater stumps and other cover that will likely hold a fish or two. During bedding season, anglers that bed fish wear polarized sunglasses to spot fish while they are on the bed.

Pleasure boats are filled with men, women and children and most of them are wearing sunglasses for a number of reasons. Some wear them because of having to squint in the sunlight. Others wear them to look stylish.

Noxubee County advances to championship game

CALEDONIA — Donquarius Mallard scored a team-high 25 points Thursday night to lead the Noxubee County boys basketball team to an 80-77 victory against Louisville in the MHSAA Class 4A, Region 4, District 4 tournament at Caledonia High School.

The Tigers built a 44-28 halftime lead, survived a 29-16 third quarter by Louisville, and then held on in the fourth quarter to advance to the district title game at 8:30 tonight against Houston.

The winner between Noxubee County and Houston will host a first-round Class 4A North State playoff game next week.

Columbus defeats host-team Tupelo in division tourney

TUPELO — The game plan didn’t change.

The pregame speech didn’t change.

The only thing that changed Tuesday night was the degree of discipline and the level of execution the Columbus High School boys basketball team delivered.

As a result, the Falcons will live to play again.

Bobby Wrench and Akeem Toppin scored 16 points each to lead Columbus to a 62-59 victory against Tupelo in the Class 6A, Division 2, District 4 tournament at Tupelo High School.

Immnuel advances in North Central State Tournament

BENTON –– Taylor Baudoin scored a game-high 24 points and had 16 rebounds, five assists, and six steals Tuesday to lead the Immanuel Christian Lady Rams past Tri-County Academy 58-33 in the MAIS Class A North Central State Tournament.

Immanuel (18-12) outscored Tri-County each quarter and led 14-10, 24-12, and 39-24 at the quarter breaks.

Also for the Lady Rams, Bailey Edwards had 15 points, nine rebounds, and three steals, and Abby Good had eight points and seven rebounds.

Immanuel wins district tournament

WINONA –– Justin James scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds Saturday night to lead the Immanuel Christian boys basketball team past Winona Christian 40-37 in the championship game of the MAIS Class A, District 3 championship game.

Ross Moore scored 11 points, A.J. Johnston scored six and Wade Lee scored five for Immanuel, which improved to 17-13.

Immanuel had to rally to claim the victory. The Rams trailed 11-6 after the first quarter and 24-23 at halftime before outscoring Winona Christian 8-2 in the third period to take a 31-26 lead.

As hunting season nears end, anglers begin to feel itch

With the hunting season coming to a close, I am seeing more boats on the water lately. 

Anglers are beginning to feel the itch to start fishing.

If they are slow and methodical with their lures and casts, they will find some good fishing.

Barefield named 2011 Lowndes Junior Miss

The Lowndes County Junior Miss Program has awarded $3,650 in college scholarships to deserving high school juniors in Lowndes County. In a program at Joe Cook Elementary Fine Arts Magnet School Jan. 23 Meredith Barefield, a junior at New Hope High School was chosen as the 2011 Lowndes County Junior Miss, succeeding Rachel Burttram. Meredith was also a scholarship award winner in the Interview, Fitness and Self Expression categories.

‘Man Gone Down’ is focus of Friends’ Book Talk

Columbus native Andrew Colom will review the book “Man Gone Down,” by Michael Thomas, for the Friends of the Library Book Talk Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 2 p.m. The program at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library at 314 Seventh St. N. is free and open to the public.