The soccer season in Mississippi is coming to a conclusion very soon, but not before the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) and Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) playoffs. With teams gearing up for the state playoffs, The Dispatch is recapping the 2023-24 season for every school in our coverage area, complete with postseason outlooks.
MHSAA
Columbus Falcons
Boys soccer (6-12, 1-7 in 2-6A)
District ranking: No. 4 seed
Next Game: Center Hill (First Round, Class 6A state tournament)
Season Highlights: One win was all Columbus needed to secure a spot in the Class 6A tournament, squeaking out a 4-3 result against Vicksburg in mid-December. Because of head-to-head results, the Falcons got the playoff berth over the Gators and are set to face top-seeded Center Hill in the first round on Tuesday.
Girls soccer (3-14-1, 0-8 in 2-6A)
District ranking: Sixth place
Season Highlights: This season was one to forget for Columbus, as the Falcons were shut out 12 times, with nine via the mercy rule. The Falcons failed to score once in district play and despite a 2-3-1 start, went 1-11 to finish off the season, that lone win coming against Philadelphia. However, within those three wins was an impressive 5-1 result over district champs Winona.
Starkville Yellow Jackets
Boys soccer (13-6, 5-3 in 2-7A)
District ranking: No. 3 seed
Next Game: Hernando (First Round, Class 7A state tournament)
Season Highlights: This was a statement season following a semifinal appearance last season, and Starkville did just that, finishing third in district play with an impressive 13-6 record overall. That includes non-district wins over New Hope, Caledonia and New Albany, and a big district win over Saltillo.
Girls soccer (6-11-1, 1-7 in 2-7A)
District ranking: Fifth place
Season Highlights: The season started out promisingly for Starkville, who raced out to a 5-1-1 start with wins over current playoff teams like New Hope and New Albany. That momentum, however, did not carry through district play as the Yellow Jackets finished the season with a one win in the season’s final 11 matches. The Jackets remained competitive, suffering three one-goal losses, including two in district play.
West Point Green Wave
Boys soccer (4-9-1, 0-8 in 1-5A)
District ranking: Fifth place
Season Highlights: A promising 3-0-1 start gave way to an incredibly brutal district schedule and 10-match stretch to end the season. West Point scored six goals over that stretch, getting shut out eight times while allowing four or more goals in each match. The Green Wave went 1-9 to end the season and 0-8 in district play, missing out on the state tournament altogether.
Girls soccer (3-11, 0-8 in 1-5A)
District ranking: Fifth place
Season Highlights: Losses were plentiful this season for the Green Wave, who were shut out nine times overall, including in all eight district matches played. A 1-0 win over Louisville in its regular season finale provided a bright spot to an otherwise tough season for West Point.
New Hope Trojans
Boys soccer (10-5-2, 6-2 in 1-5A)
District ranking: No. 1 seed
Next Game: 5 p.m. Saturday vs. Greenville/Pontotoc (Semifinals, Class 5A, District 1 tournament at Lafayette)
Season Highlights: The winning train didn’t stop for New Hope boys soccer, as they comfortably secured a district championship with a dominant run of form in district play. The Trojans’ best wins came in district play, most notably Corinth and Pontotoc, putting them in the driver’s seat in the state tournament while securing a first round bye, too.
Girls soccer (13-6, 5-3 in 1-5A)
District ranking: No. 2 seed
Next Game: 5 p.m. Saturday vs. Pontotoc (Second Round, Class 5A state tournament)
Season Highlights: While the Trojans just missed out on taking home yet another district title, a solid performance in district play was plenty good to get a high seed going into the state tournament, where the Trojans dominated in the first round against Canton with a 10-0 victory.
Caledonia Cavaliers
Boys soccer (9-5-2, 5-1 in 2-4A)
District ranking: No. 1 seed
Next Game: North Pontotoc (Second Round, Class 4A state tournament)
Season Highlights: This season was full action for Caledonia, from a 5-1-2 start to a stretch of four-straight losses, three of them being 1-0 defeats. Things ended on a high note with a four-match winning streak and now, the district champs could be playing in the state quarterfinals, pending late Tuesday results.
Girls soccer (13-2-1, 6-0 in 2-4A)
District ranking: No. 1 seed
Next Game: West Lauderdale (Second Round, Class 4A state tournament)
Season Highlights: Caledonia ran the gauntlet and then some this season, proving to be one of the best Class 4A teams in the state. The Cavaliers’ two losses this season came against a 17-5 Lafayette team and a 20-1 Saltillo team, but 11 clean sheets and a perfect district record speak volumes as to what they’ve accomplished so far.
Mississippi School for Mathematics & Science Blue Waves
Boys soccer (7-4, 5-1 in 4-I)
District ranking: No. 1 seed
Next Game: Tupelo Christian Prep (Second Round, Class I state tournament)
Season Highlights: Last season saw MSMS win its first-ever state playoff game, and now this season, the Blue Waves have repeated the feat, quite emphatically against Coahoma County. Not only that, but MSMS took home a district title this season with a 5-1 district record.
Girls soccer (3-8, 3-3 in 3-I)
District ranking: No. 3 seed
Season Highlights: What was unfortunately a down season for the Blue Waves still saw MSMS reach the Class I state tournament, coming out of its district as the No. 3 seed. That season was cut short in the first round as a hard-fought match against Vardaman saw the Blue Waves bow out, losing 2-1.
MAIS
Heritage Academy Patriots
Boys Soccer (9-5-1, 4-2 in x-5A)
District ranking: No. 2 seed
Next Game: Thursday at Pillow Academy (Quarterfinals, Class II state tournament)
Season Highlights: What a journey it was to get to this point as Heritage won its final three matches of the season, including a penalty shootout thriller against rival Starkville Academy, to capture the final seed in the East for the playoffs. A rebuilding year has turned into an exciting one for the Patriots.
Starkville Academy Volunteers
Boys Soccer (11-3, 5-1 in x-5A)
District ranking: No. 1 seed
Next Game: Thursday vs. Wayne Academy (Quarterfinals, Class II state tournament)
Season Highlights: Despite struggles early on, the Volunteers rattled off a lengthy winning streak, including nearly running the table in district play, to firmly take home a district title. A regular-season finale loss against rival Heritage Academy didn’t waver SA’s spirits, who go into the state tournament as the top seed out of the East.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
