West Point turns in dominating performance to defeat Noxubee County

WEST POINT – West Point was gracious enough to let Noxubee County perform the opening act Friday night.

No. 14 EMCC used ‘special’ plays to rout Northeast

SCOOBA — In a litany of obscene offensive numbers, special teams play often gets lost in the shuffle in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges.

On Thursday night, the No. 14 East Mississippi Community College football team needed the play of its special teams to be special to win its home opener. The unit was just that and played a key role in a 54-10 victory against Northeast Mississippi C.C. before an overflow crowd at Sullivan-Windham Field.

West Point ready to face another tough rival

West Point High School football coach Chris Chambless loves playing neighboring county rival games.

After falling to Starkville and beating Columbus, West Point finishes its Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) non-region slate by playing host to Noxubee County at 7 p.m. Friday at Hamblin Stadium in West Point.

Noxubee County-West Point matchup highlights prep football slate

Another excellent week of prep football action is on tap throughout the Golden Triangle area.

Noxubee County-West Point, Starkville-Meridian, and New Hope-Caledonia make for some outstanding matchups as teams are beginning to wind down their respective non-region schedules.

Starkville sets tone for area prep football teams

Friday night sends us past the one-third mark of the prep football season and close to the midway mark.

Region play already has begun for Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 1A schools, while Classes 5A and 6A will join next week. The following weeks, Classes 2A through 4A will swing into region action.

Time at EMCC has been ‘blessing’ for Aliceville’s Lanier

Mario Lanier is still learning in his second year with the East Mississippi Community College football program.

“There is so much to play on this level,”

Lanier said. “Even when you think you know it all, you learn so much more. In junior college ball, you are here and then gone in two years, so it’s kind of strange. You never really quit learning and then your time is done.”

Intimidation won’t be factor for Ole Miss

Intimidation shouldn’t be one of the emotions the No. 19 Ole Miss football team experiences this week while preparing for No. 1 Alabama.

That’s because the Rebels (1-1) have beaten the Crimson Tide (2-0) in each of the last two seasons. At 2:30 p.m. Saturday (WCBI) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Ole Miss will try to become the first team to defeat a Nick Saban-coached Alabama squad in three consecutive seasons.

Columbus can’t capitalize in red zone

Columbus High School senior quarterback C.J. Gholar stood on about the 2-yard line at Falcon Field and looked across the way, hoping to speak to a friend from West Point.

A grueling, physical, emotionally draining game had just taken place. For the second time in three weeks, Columbus had exhausted all options and come up short, falling 17-13 to West Point before a capacity crowd Friday night.

West Point’s defense answers call

Even though it was rhetorical question, West Point High School senior wide receiver Demarrio Edwards still didn’t have an answer.

“I don’t know what we would do without our defense,” Edwards said. “We wouldn’t have a chance. I love those guys to death. They make us who we are. If you saw them play tonight, we owe them everything.”

On a night in which more than 400 yards were allowed, great normally isn’t the label applied to a defense. However, “great,” “super,” and “incredible” were among the words used to describe the defense after West Point edged Columbus 17-13 before a packed house Friday night at Falcon Field.

Columbus hopes offense can ride momentum against Green Wave

Columbus High School football coach Randal Montgomery hasn’t been critical of his offensive line.

Instead, the veteran coach has used praise and motivation to help an inexperienced group mold into a cohesive unit.

After two tough starts to the season, things turned for the better last week when Columbus rushed for 350 yards in a 49-21 victory against New Hope.

FSU transfer Johnson impresses in EMCC debut

PERKINSTON — De’Andre Johnson reminded everybody Thursday night he still knows how to play football.

Johnson threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns as No, 12 EMCC knocked off No. 17 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College 45-7 before a capacity crowd at A.L. May Stadium.

EMCC bounces back to rout Mississippi Gulf Coast

PERKINSTON — East Mississippi Community College sophomore linebacker Diamante Pounds knew the moment his team’s defense had seized control of the game.

“It is like there is blood in the water and we are sharks getting ready to attack,” Pounds said. “When we force one turnover, it is easy to get another. We just start feeding off that. You can tell when the other team is beaten down.”

No. 12 EMCC held No. 17 Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. to 168 yards and forced four turnovers Thursday night en route to a 45-7 victory before a capacity crowd at A.L. May Stadium.

Walters column: What To Watch For – Week 4

We reach the official one-third mark of the prep football season this week.

Walters column: EMCC football season begins for real Thursday night

The East Mississippi Community College football program has finally paid the bill in full.

Columbus’ ground attack too much for New Hope

Columbus High School football coach Randal Montgomery has waited patiently for an inexperienced offensive line to come together.

That unit might have finally jelled Friday night at Trojan Field, as Columbus rushed for 365 yards and collected a season-high 506 yards of total offense in a 49-21 victory against Lowndes County rival New Hope.

Short-handed No. 1 EMCC falls to Jones County JC

ELLISVILLE — Dakota Allen, Tim Bonner, and Chauncey Rivers made plays against Division I opposition last season.

The setting was much different Thursday night when they played in the season opener for their new team, top-ranked East Mississippi Community College.

Still, leadership was needed and plays were to be made. In the end, short-handed EMCC didn’t make enough of them in a 27-25 loss to Jones County Junior College before a crowd of 5,500 at Bobcat Stadium.

Rivalry games highlight Week 3 of prep football slate

Rivalry weekend has arrived on the prep football scene.

As senior college football finally gets ready to join the fray this weekend, we find Week 3 of the prep football regular season littered with good games.

EMCC Stephens ready to make changes as he coaches No. 1 Lions

SCOOBA – East Mississippi Community College football coach Buddy Stephens watched with anticipation and nervousness a private screening of the Netflix documentary “Last Chance U” in April.

Walters column: Rivalry games highlight third week of prep season

My goodness, with barely enough time to recover from Noxubee County’s thrilling 24-23 win at Columbus Friday night, we now turn the page and look to the third week of the prep football season.

Schaefer shares building plan with Starkville Rotary

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer felt right at home Monday in a meeting of prominent people in the business community.

Speaking to the Starkville Rotary Club, Schaefer likened the process he and his coaching staff have followed in elevating the MSU women’s basketball program to the building of a business.