Articles by Jared Conerly
Ten from Starkville set to swim at MHSAA state meet
The MHSAA state championship swim meets get underway tomorrow and Starkville will have 10 swimmers in the pool at the Tupelo Aquatic Center vying to bring home a state championship.
Pheasant no longer head coach of The W’s men’s soccer team
The Mississippi University for Women’s men’s soccer team has made a coaching change.
Cavs’ volleyball squad ‘outplayed’ by Commodores in 5A semifinal loss
Self-inflicted mistakes, missed opportunities but a whole lot of heart; despite a valiant effort from Caledonia’s volleyball team, the 2025 campaign for the Cavaliers ended with a 3-0 defeat in the semifinals of the MHSAA Class 5A playoffs Monday night in Lafayette.
MSU assistant women’s basketball coach talks new team at Starkville Rotary
With basketball season looming on the horizon, Fred Castro, an assistant coach and offensive coordinator for Mississippi State University’s women’s basketball team, spoke with excitement Monday at the Starkville Rotary Club about some of the new and returning players who will be leading the charge for the Bulldogs this season as they try to build upon last season’s finish in the second round of the NCAA Tournament – and there may be some slam dunks involved.
Green Wave, Trojans capture region wins, big 4th quarter sinks Tigers
Region games began last week for some area teams and West Point and New Hope both started out their season victorious in Region 1-5A. In Macon, the Tigers fell just short against Winona.
‘Lightning in a bottle’: West Point’s Hall showcases speed
West Point has its fair share of talented backs to hand the ball off to, and all of them have shown they can carve up a defense on any given night.
Volunteers’ defense bombarded by Chiefs in 42-14 loss
Behind its aerial superiority directed by quarterback Brannan Overstreet, Magnolia Heights rolled into Starkville Friday night and threw the ball all over the yard for a 42-14 win over Starkville Academy that left the Volunteers’ secondary scratching their heads.
‘It feels like a video game’: Hill, Benge using track speed to run wild at CCA
When Marcus Davidson was diagnosed in March with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare cancer of the lymphatic system, the only thing he was worried about was how the chemotherapy treatments were going to affect his time coaching Columbus Christian Academy’s track team.
No longer a district match, there’s still much to play for when Vols host Chiefs
Formerly District 1-5A foes, Starkville Academy’s game hosting Magnolia Heights tonight won’t have the same heft of district championship hopes on the line like last year’s clash – but that isn’t changing how the Volunteers are preparing for this week’s game.
Cavs, Trojans earn road playoff victories; advance to second round
Caledonia and New Hope both advanced to the second round of the MHSAA Class 5A volleyball playoffs Tuesday as each team captured an opening-round win on the road. Starkville and West Lowndes didn’t have as much luck in their opening round playoffs games and closed out their seasons in defeats in the first round.
Area golfer unsurprised as he lands two aces in three-week span
With how much golf he plays each week, Starkville resident Lewis Brown said it was bound to happen sooner or later, and despite the rarity of the feat, the 65-year-old lifelong golfer wasn’t really surprised on Monday when he knocked in his second hole-in-one in the span of three weeks.
Vols, Raiders end softball seasons in state tournaments
The softball season for Oak Hill Academy and Starkville Academy came to a close on Saturday in their respective division state tournaments as both teams suffered back-to-back losses. In volleyball, West Lowndes opened the 1A state playoffs with a win.
New Hope, West Lowndes earn blowout wins behind ground game
In high school football action last week, New Hope added another 60-point victory to its resume as West Lowndes picked up its second win on the season. Starkville Academy held off a late rally by Pillow Academy to win its fifth game of the season.
New Hope’s Jefferson racks up 219 yards and five touchdowns to earn Player of the Week
For the second consecutive week, New Hope has scored more than 60 points, mostly generated by an explosion of offense on the ground.
Caledonia, New Hope and West Lowndes end regular seasons and advance to volleyball playoffs
The MHSAA 5A volleyball playoffs are set, and both Caledonia and New Hope have earned the right to move on to the postseason after a long run through the regular season, which concluded Thursday night with Region 1-5A victories for both teams.
Kimbrell steals the show as Patriots rout ERA to begin district play
With the clock ticking down the final minutes, backup quarterback Brodie Watrous got his team onto the ball in the red zone and hastily took the snap.
Nine area football players named to all-star teams
The Mississippi Association of Coaches announced Tuesday the rosters for its Bernard Blackwell North/South All-Star Game and the roster for the annual Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Football Game, with players from many area teams getting the nod.
Patriots begin district play with rare matchup against East Rankin
Heritage Academy is set to begin its first foray into the new reshuffled MAIS District 2-4A at 7 p.m. today as it hosts East Rankin Academy.
Trojans all smiles during comeback over rival Cavs in Dig Pink match
It didn’t matter how big their deficit was or how many many sets they were down, the Trojans of New Hope’s volleyball team just wouldn’t stop celebrating.
Oak Hill, Starkville Academy end long postseason droughts, advance to state softball tournaments
In high school sports action this week, Oak Hill Academy and Starkville Academy played well enough in their respective region softball tournaments to advance to the MAIS state tournaments, which begin on Saturday in Magee. In volleyball, Starkville moved on to the 7A state tournament, and Columbus ended a long losing streak with a nonconference win.
