Articles by Scott Walters
EMCC survives against Holmes
GOODMAN — Typically, late season is when the East Mississippi Community College football team is on the prowl for style points.
On Thursday night at Ras Branch Stadium, No. 5 EMCC survived an intense battle with No. 16 Holmes C.C. before coming away with a 63-49 victory.
The win helped EMCC extend its Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) North Division winning streak to 22 games.
Key region games will have postseason implications
Some area Class 5A and 6A teams are at the crossroads in the third week of Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) region play.
As October rolls in, it is too early in the month for a second region loss. In Class 6A, Columbus and Starkville will be in bounce-back mode Friday night. Columbus will look to shake off a loss to Tupelo, while Starkville will look to shake off a loss to Northwest Rankin. In Class 5A, New Hope and West Point will try to ride the momentum of victories from last week.
Here is what to watch for in Week No. 8:
Heritage Academy rallies past West Lowndes
Down by two possessions on homecoming at C. L. Mitchell Field, Tyler Anderson stepped in at quarterback late in the third quarter and led the Heritage Academy Patriots to a 30-26 comeback win over the West Lowndes Panthers.
Tupelo turns in dominant performance in win over Columbus
After losing its first two home games in heart-breaking fashion, the Columbus High School football team went in the other direction Friday night.
No. 9 EMCC routs Mississippi Delta
SCOOBA — When the crowd drew quiet and the East Mississippi Community College football team was set to come out of a timeout to start a drive from its 1-yard line, one voice could be heard over any other at Sullivan-Windham Field.
EMCC band director Steve Stringer used a megaphone to tell his band members to “cue the fight song.”
On this night, it was good to have a megaphone handy.
EMCC, Mississippi Delta leave past behind them
SCOOBA — East Mississippi Community College ninth-year football coach Buddy Stephens made a phone call looking for closure earlier in the week.
Last season, EMCC and Mississippi Delta C.C. had an ugly benches-clearing brawl in the final game of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) regular season.
Columbus awaits region showdown vs. No. 3 Tupelo
Columbus High School football coach Randal Montgomery has talked about the process of helping his team learn how to win games.
As Montgomery has put his stamp on the program, the Falcons have become one of the most competitive teams in Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A play.
Plenty of big region matchups set for Friday
The anticipation has been building for Friday night’s Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A, Region 1 showdown between third-ranked Tupelo and Columbus.
Columbus opened the season with some of the highest expectations in program history. At the midway mark of the schedule, the Falcons are at 3-2. Columbus easily could be 5-0. Its losses were to Noxubee County and West Point by a combined five points.
Tupelo is undefeated and will provide Columbus one of its biggest challenges to date. Columbus is 3-0 on the road and 0-2 at home this season.
While this is one the state’s marquee matchups, there will be several other good games Friday night.
Big region games on deck for locals
One doesn’t need a calendar to know how important the prep football games are this weekend.
When the temperatures start dropping, it’s a safe bet that region play has begun. The quest for playoff berths heats up as the weather cools down. We are barreling toward October with several teams having a lot on the table.
Let’s look at the worksheet on some of our playoff hopefuls:
EMCC offense having fun
When the ball is in the air, East Mississippi Community College sophomore wide receiver Damion Willis feels a flutter in his heart.
“There is still nothing more exciting than running the perfect route and seeing the ball headed your way,” Willis said. “It never gets old. When you are a receiver, you are not directly involved on every play. That puts the pressure on. When the ball is headed your way, you have to make a play.”
Hill, Gholar fuel Falcons’ flight
Having played with fellow senior Kylin Hill for virtually all of his football career, Columbus High School senior quarterback C.J. Gholar knows when he is on the verge of seeing something special.
A Mississippi State commitment, Hill has turned in many special performances on the way to being considered one of the state’s best running backs.
Ole Miss will be ready for Memphis
Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze had been patiently waiting for a complete game.
It finally came Saturday when then-No. 23 Ole Miss defeated then-No. 12 Georgia 45-14 in a Southeastern Conference game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
With the mental hurdle of playing for four quarters cleared, No. 16 Ole Miss (2-2) will face another huge challenge at 6 p.m.
Saturday when it plays host to Memphis (3-0) in its Homecoming game. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 or SEC Network Alternate.
Columbus sets new scoring standard for Montgomery era
SOUTHAVEN — Columbus High School senior quarterback C.J. Gholar and senior wide receiver Michael McCloud have run hundreds of passing routes together.
On some late summer evenings, the close friends worked long hours in the grueling sun looking for that perfect throw and perfect catch.
Many of those routes and throws were harder to complete than the ones they attempted Friday night.
EMCC survives marathon against ICC
FULTON — East Mississippi Community College sophomore wide receiver Mario Lanier didn’t look the least bit winded.
He was in the minority.
“I could play four more quarters,” said Lanier, a former standout at Aliceville High School. “That was fun. Let’s keep the lights on and keep going.”
West Point looks for revenge against Oxford
With no field house to call home, West Point football players are having to do without the traditional countdown clock hanging on a side wall.
However, if a clock existed, it might have been set to this game even before the season started.
At 7 tonight, that time finally will arrive and give West Point a chance to end three years of misery to rival Oxford when the teams meet in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A, Region 1 opener at Hamblin Stadium in West Point.
Top area teams open region play Friday
This is a big week.
Columbus, Starkville, New Hope, and West Point begin Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) region play Friday night.
Those four teams are 11-5 as the curtain goes up on the most important part of the season.
Walters column: Columbus looks to take flight in region play
For the Columbus High School football team, the crossroads of the season have now been reached.
EMCC looks to extend division win streak at Itawamba C.C.
Each season, the East Mississippi Community College passing game finds a rhythm.
Challenges continue for Ole Miss with Georgia
Ole Miss football coach Hugh Freeze knows how close his team is to becoming one of the best in the nation.
Despite a 1-2 record, the Rebels have been competitive against one of the nation’s best schedules. In losses to top-five programs Florida State and Alabama, Ole Miss squandered 21-point leads in both games.
No. 23 Ole Miss (0-1 Southeastern Conference) will try again to play a complete game at 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN) when it plays host to Southeastern Conference rival and No. 12 Georgia (3-0, 1-0) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.
