Ellis has career night for Victory Christian

When the lights went up Friday, Landon Ellis never expected he would double his personal touchdown record.

But Ellis did just that as he scored six touchdowns to lead the Victory Christian football team to a 69-16 victory against New Life Academy.

Late score lifts Hebron Christian

PHEBA — The homestanding Hebron Christian Eagles picked up their first win of the season Friday night with a 35-30 victory against the West Memphis Black Knights.

Quitman surprises Louisville

QUITMAN — All eyes were on Markese Triplett on Friday night.

Many believed the Louisville High School senior wide receiver would be the playmaker to watch against Quitman High.

Perhaps a couple of those eyes should have been watching speedy Quitman junior wideout Dyar Ealie.

Library presents “Tennessee Williams: Columbus Native, American Master” as part of Tribute

For the third year in a row, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library will present an exhibit in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams Tribute and Tour of Victorian Homes. The exhibit, titled “Tennessee Williams: Columbus Native, American Master,” displays an eclectic assortment of posters, playbills, and promotional materials, some of which are even signed by some of the most accomplished and renowned legends of the stage and screen. The exhibit will run only through the month of September.

Betty Stone: What have we come to?

Recently I was talking with a friend from Jackson who told me she was keeping her pre-school grandson. He had taken her cell phone when he went outside to play. When she got after him about it, he protested that he had to have it in order to call for help if he got kidnapped.

Adele Elliott: 09-09-09

The ninth day, of the ninth month, of the ninth year of the century. This cosmic repetition makes an ordinary Wednesday seem somehow quite important. It is as if the calendar is telling us something of great significance. “Pay attention!” it says. “I am repeating this for a reason.”

Mackey directs EMCC past Jones in its home opener

SCOOBA –– Preseason All-America quarterback Randall Mackey passed for two touchdowns and rushed for 77 yards to lead the No. 6 East Mississippi Community College Lions past Jones Community College 28-17 in its home opener Thursday at Sullivan-Windham Field.

Mackey wasted no time moving the football down the field on the Lions’ first possession. Taking the ball on its 27, EMCC mixed two rushing plays by Mackey and passes of 10 and 14 yards to T.J. Ballou and Marcus McQuarley, respectively.

Wide receiver Bill Franks hauled in a 36-yard pass to give the Lions’ a 6-0 lead with barely two minutes elapsed into the contest. Brett Spencer split the uprights for the extra point and a 7-0 lead.

Fishing in Mississippi is as good as anywhere

Mississippi has some of the best fishing waters anywhere in the South.

If you ask most weekend anglers, they stick with the water areas close to home.

The fact is an angler can plan a day trip and fish most any body of water Mississippi offers.

Returns help Central Academy beat Immanuel Christian

STEENS — Immanuel Christian football coach Shawn Gates said he noticed some positives in Friday night’s 36-22 loss to the Central Academy Vikings.

The biggest positive, Gates said, is sophomore running back Michael Tate.

“There was a lot of courage out of Michael Tate,” he said. “When he was hurt he stepped it up and went back in.”

Tate, who scored one touchdown, was instrumental in setting up all three of the Rams’ scores.

Bell, O’Briant propel East Webster past West Oktibbeha

MABEN — Timakis Bell had 66 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Demetrius Obriant added 16 yards with two touchdowns Friday night to help the East Webster High School football team defeat West Oktibbeha 40-0.

East Webster’s defense sparked the victory. The Wolverines had four interceptions — two by Miguel Graham and one each by Obriant, and Ryan Johnson.

Brennan Sparks and Obriant also helped East Webster recover two fumbles to give it excellent field position.

Oak Hill’s rally comes up short in loss to Pillow Academy

GREENWOOD –– The Oak Hill Academy Raiders rallied in the second half, but lost to Pillow Academy 48-21 on Friday night.

Oak Hill Academy outscored Pillow Academy 21-7 in the second half after trailing 41-0 at halftime.

Quarterback Davis Clayton got the Raiders (0-2) on the scoreboard in the third quarter when he scored on a 10-yard run.

Jake Orman scored twice for the Raiders in the final quarter on runs of 12 and 15 yards.

Pickens County’s Marchant gets first win as a head coach

REFORM, Ala. –– The Pickens County Tornadoes made a winner of Scott Marchant in his debut as head coach Friday night by doubling up Greensboro 48-24.

The victory helped Pickens County atone for a 26-21 loss to Greensboro in its season opener last season.

“It’s thrilling,” Marchant said of his getting his first win as a head coach. “It’s good to get that first one out of the way. I feel blessed. We’ve got a lot of good kids, a lot of good football players, and a great football staff helping me. I’m glad I could be a part of it.”

Love scores five touchdowns to lead Aberdeen to victory

ABERDEEN — Valentine’s Day is still months away, but Ray Brooks’ defense left Lester Miley Stadium with ‘Love’ on their minds.

Aberdeen senior running back Jamerson Love accumulated 316 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns Friday night in the Bulldogs’ 52-14 blowout.

“I knew the team was depending on me, so I just put them on my back,” Love said. “I just try to practice hard and play hard. That’s the best game I have ever had since I’ve played at Aberdeen High School.”

Love, a 5-foot-11, 175-pounder, picked up 238 yards on 16 carries and four touchdowns. He caught a pair of passes for 78 yards and another score.

Henderson’s touchdown lifts Heritage Academy past Winston

LOUISVILLE — It was a double dose of déja vu for the Winston Academy Patriots and their fans Friday night.

When Heritage Academy backup fullback Stance Henderson broke three tackles and raced 54 yards for a game-winning touchdown with 3 minutes, 27 seconds to play in the game, Winston Academy fans had to think back to memories of Henderson’s father, Joey, who starred at running back for the school’s undefeated 1975 state championship team and also wore No. 5.

Winston Academy’s 13-12 loss to Heritage Academy also was eerily similar to its last-minute meltdown last week against Leake Academy, when it dominated the first half but surrendered the lead late in the second half.

West Lowndes capitalizes on East Oktibbeha’s mistakes

The final statistics Friday night indicated the West Lowndes High School football team’s game against East Oktibbeha was a close one.

But the score, 26-0 in favor of the Panthers, told a different story.

Subplot A was the four interceptions the Panthers made against quarterback Chris Hunter.

Subplot B was the Titans’ ability to move the football between the 20s, racking up 173 total rushing yards to West Lowndes’ 159, before seeing their drives stall or end in turnovers.

Triplett leads Louisville past Starkville

STARKVILLE — Senior wide receiver Markese Triplett caught five passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Louisville High School football team to a 26-21 victory against the Starkville Yellow Jackets.

The 6-foot-4 receiver and University of Southern Mississippi commitment had an 87-yard touchdown reception on the second play from scrimmage to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead. He added a 60-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

“He’s just a playmaker,” Starkville coach Bill Lee said. “Louisville did a great job coaching tonight and getting the ball to the right guys.”

New Hope starts season right by beating Tupelo

Football coaches drill the importance of the fourth-quarter effort into their teams.

Many will pace the sidelines holding up four fingers and shouting “fourth quarter.”

The last 12 minutes sometimes involves a team blowing a lead due to exhaustion or sloppy play or players emerging to make a big play.

The latter happened Friday night for the New Hope High School football team in a 28-17 victory against Tupelo in the season opener for both teams.

Roger Truesdale: I have a dream — the recurring kind

My recurring dream has been recurring.

Surprisingly, I’ve found that it’s a pretty common dream, a fact that gives me some comfort as to the state of my mental health.

There are three variations all centered around my college days: I can’t find my classroom; have lost my class schedule; or a professor drops a three-page final exam on my desk that I have not prepared for and have no hope of passing.

Autrey develops into traffic cop on EMCC’s offensive line

SCOOBA –– East Mississippi Community College football coach Buddy Stephens describes the center position as the “traffic cop” of the offensive line.

The center is crucial in alerting guards and tackles to the location of an opponent’s linebackers.

Centers also make calls for the offensive line that allow adjustments for the correct stance before the football is snapped.

Heritage Academy controls Oak Hill Academy

The soggy conditions Friday night couldn’t stop Heritage Academy’s Will West from discovering where his passion on the football field lies.

Heritage Academy coach Brad Butler said West has played nearly every position but has finally found his role as a senior.

“I asked him earlier in the fall, ‘Do you like being a wide receiver or do you feel like a tight end?’ ” Butler said. “(Will) said, ‘Well, I feel weird about it, but coach, I like being a wide receiver.’ ”