Swanigan takes spotlight chance and runs with it in Starkville victory

OXFORD — Andreus Swanigan has watched Avery Brown lead the Starkville rushing attack all season long.

New Hope basketball eases past county rival West Lowndes

New Hope High School senior Willie Ousley considers himself the defensive stopper on his basketball team.

Starkville rallies past Madison Central

STARKVILLE — It would be quite natural if the Starkville High School football team felt skepticism at halftime Friday night.

Playing for the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A North State championship for a second-straight season, the Yellow Jackets again had watched a two-touchdown lead evaporate on their home field.

Down by a field goal at halftime, the Starkville High defense made sure this season’s script didn’t have another horrifying ending and led the way for a 28-20 victory against Madison Central.

West Point finally gets rematch vs. Oxford

Early-season victories against Louisville, Columbus, and Noxubee County indicated the West Point High School football team was ready to reclaim its status as one of the elite teams in Class 5A of the Mississippi High School Activities Association.

A 50-28 loss to Class 5A, Region 1 rival Oxford revealed more work needed to be done, so West Point quickly went back to work, salivating at a chance to play Oxford again.

Eight wins later, West Point (11-2) will get that chance at 7 tonight when it plays Oxford (11-2) for the North State Class 5A championship in Oxford.

Nevitt, Salter shine in win for No. 8 MSU

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State sophomore guard Kayla Nevitt had an extra advantage to work her way into the good graces of coach Vic Schaefer.

“I have watched Kayla play since seventh or eighth grade,” Vic Schaefer said. “She and (Vic’s daughter and Kayla’s MSU teammate) Blair (Schaefer) have played probably a hundred Amateur Athletic Union games together. I know her potential. I have seen it for a long time. I know more about her than any other player I have ever recruited. These nights will be the norm.”

West Point gets its wish: Oxford

GRENADA — West Point High School senior defensive lineman Tony Rush has been waiting for this moment for quite some time.

“The senior class wanted to bring West Point football back,” Rush said. “After getting put out in the first round in my 10th-grade year and the second round last year, this game meant a lot to me. The seniors really poured their hearts into it. We wanted to make it a special season.”

West Point took another step toward a special season by beating Grenada 16-9 in a second-round Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North State playoff game Friday night at Charger Stadium.

Prather putting Williams’ lessons to use at Aberdeen

The succession of the quarterback position at Aberdeen High School started in 2014.

Quarterback Josh Williams was making the Bulldogs go for his third and final season. Tramonte Prather was a junior and earning a reputation as one of the team’s top defensive players.

While Aberdeen racked up the victories, each player knew the Bulldogs would look a lot different in 2015.

Starkville sweeps West Point in basketball

West Point High School boys basketball coach Brad Cox remembers the nightmare of his team trying to guard Starkville High School guard Tyson Carter during a summer league game.

Cox said his young team hung tight through three quarters until Carter took the contest over.

In his team’s home opener Thursday night, Carter did the destruction much earlier.

West Point has sights set on title

When the season began, football players at West Point High School felt like the team was ready to return to the upper echelon in Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A play.

West Point (10-2) will have a chance to prove it has realized that goal at 7 tonight when it plays at Grenada (10-2) in the second round of the MHSAA Class 5A playoffs.

New Hope basketball moves to 2-0 with rout of Noxubee County

New Hope High School senior Carlos Brooks likes the “positive vibes” coming from his basketball team.

SEC West title hopes still in play for Ole Miss

With a share of the Southeastern Conference Western Division title still within reach, two rivalry games will determine the No. 25 Ole Miss football team’s regular-season fate.

First, Ole Miss (7-3, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) will return from its open date to play host to No. 17 LSU (7-2, 4-2) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (WCBI). The Egg Bowl regular-season finale against Mississippi State (7-3, 3-3) will be at 6:15 p.m. Nov. 28 in Starkville.

Columbus High’s Hill has career night in playoff loss

Columbus High School junior running back Kylin Hill knows how far the Falcons traveled this season.

He also knows a state championship is within the team’s grasp.

Columbus saw its 2015 season end with a 56-42 loss to Clinton in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A playoffs Friday night. Hill did his part with 24 rushes for 382 yards and five touchdowns.

For his efforts, Hill is The Dispatch Prep Player of the Week.

Akers, Clinton too much for Hill, Columbus

The Columbus High School football team experienced every feeling Friday night in its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A first-round playoff game.

The Falcons then felt the one they feared the worst: Finality.

Gardiner helps EMCC earn sweep

SCOOBA — Jahyde Gardiner had a good Thursday.

The East Mississippi Community College sophomore forward foreshadowed an excellent night on the basketball court when he hit an off-balance 3-pointer in the corner as the shot clock horn sounded.

Earlier in the day, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his basketball career at Tennessee-Martin.

West Point gearing up for long playoff run

Junior Demarrio Edwards has watched the West Point High School football team’s offense grow up before his eyes.

“The numbers we are putting up right now are scary,” said Edwards, who plays quarterback, wide receiver, and anything else that might pop up. “To think we are doing all of this with mainly two sophomores is incredible. It has been fun to be along for the ride.”

Edwards is referencing sophomore quarterback Marcus Murphy and sophomore running back Chris Calvert. Each have cleared the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

Prep football: Columbus High hosts playoff game Friday

Roughly two years ago, when he was hired, Columbus High School head football coach Randal Montgomery promised his team would compete for championships

Starkville High’s Carter officially signs with Bulldogs

STARKVILLE — There was slight reluctance when Tyson Carter was handed a cowbell by a family member.

Ole Miss must regroup for final games with LSU, MSU

Once ranked third in the nation, the Ole Miss football team is now simply trying to save the season.

Columbus rallies past Hernando

HERNANDO — The payoff came Friday night for Columbus High School senior Marquavius Mitchell.

“Marquavius was down earlier in the year because he wasn’t getting that many balls,” Columbus junior quarterback C.J. Gholar said. “I told him to keep his head up because his day was coming. He is a great playmaker. I told him his day was coming.”

EMCC concerned brawl will tarnish reputation

SCOOBA — The East Mississippi Community College football program isn’t looking to be the favorite program in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges.

Instead, the Lions would be happy with being less hated.