HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Pitching will key for East Webster vs. Stringer

Posted 4/30/2009 in High School Sports

MABEN — East Webster High School baseball coach Wes Johnson knows good pitching when he sees it. As a pitcher who played for coach Ron Polk at Mississippi State, Johnson understands the importance of commanding the strike zone.

Columbus High enjoying hard-hitting spring

Posted 4/30/2009 in High School Sports

The Columbus High School assistant football coaches already are in midseason form. The CHS players are doing their part to join them. Judging from the players’ performance Friday in an intrasquad scrimmage, the Falcons have made the most of their offseason workouts and are attacking spring football with enthusiasm.

New Hope baseball building on regular season

Posted 4/30/2009 in High School Sports

Philip Tice doesn’t hesitate when asked what qualities make a clutch hitter. “Confidence,” Tice said. In his first year as a varsity starter, Tice is showing confidence beyond his years.

Starkville's Tate commits to run track at MSU

Posted 4/29/2009 in High School Sports

STARKVILLE -- Tavaris Tate will stay home to run track collegiately. The Starkville High School senior has committed to Mississippi State to remain close to family and friends. He will officially sign Friday. The sprinter had many choices to consider, but said he couldn’t go wrong with Mississippi State.

South Lamar softball team hopes to have pitching intact

Posted 4/29/2009 in High School Sports

South Lamar softball coach Tony Seals hopes to have a full compliment of pitchers when his team hosts the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class A, Area 10 Tournament. South Lamar’s pitching staff has been decimated by injuries and sickness in recent weeks and Seals hoped the Lady Stallions would be at full strength when the tournament began this morning. Seals had to pitch seventh-grader Kayla Jones for the first time in a varsity game against Gordo on Friday because Brittany Sanford has been sick, and Laken Hancock and Kendra Wilson have been injured.

New Hope baseball team sweeps playoff series

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

Some players would have lost focus the moment they didn’t get the job done. But when you have been locked in at the plate like Philip Tice has been this season, no situation is too overwhelming. Stuck in an 0-2 hole after missing two bunt attempts, Tice lined a two-run triple down the right-field line Friday night to lift the New Hope High School baseball team to a 7-6 victory against Pontotoc in game two of its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A second-round best-of-three playoff series at Trojan Field.

West Lowndes baseball team uses speed to advance in playoffs

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

Speed and athletic ability are keys to winning baseball games at West Lowndes High School. In the 12 years that Todd Stanley has been the baseball coach at West Lowndes, the Panthers have tried to use an aggressive style on the basepaths to score runs. That was the case Friday night when West Lowndes manufactured a pair of runs to beat the Edinburg Eagles 2-0 and advance to the third round of the Class A state playoffs.

East Webster baseball team makes most of second chances

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

MABEN –– Tanner Roberson, of the East Webster High School baseball team, didn’t need nine lives Saturday afternoon. Two of them turned out to be very beneficial, however. Roberson’s good fortune began an offensive outbreak for East Webster as the Wolverines defeated the Bogue Chitto Bobcats 14-4 in six innings to clinch the second round Mississippi High School Association South Class A playoff series. East Webster (27-3) won the first game 17-2 Thursday.

Hamilton softball team prevails as best in the North

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

HAMILTON — A bloop proved to be just the spark the Hamilton High School fast-pitch softball team needed. Katie Beth Dahlem’s bloop single paved the way for key hits by Miranda McCormick and Kelle West in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday afternoon and helped Hamilton defeat Hatley 7-6 in game two of the Class 2A North State best-of-three state playoff series. With the victory, Hamilton (15-10) advances to the Class 2A best-of-three state title series Friday to play the winner of Enterprise and Loyd Star at Freedom Ridge State Park in Ridgeland.

Halterman pitches no-hitter for East Webster softball team

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

MABEN — Jessica Halterman didn’t need to make any adjustments Saturday. One game after hurling a complete-game, four-hitter, the East Webster senior was even more dominating — and nearly perfect. Halterman pitched a no-hitter, struck out 14, and allowed only four baserunners to lead East Webster to a 7-0 victory against Bogue Chitto in game two of its Class A South State best-of-three state title series.

Heritage golf team plays North tournament on home course

Posted 4/26/2009 in High School Sports

Will Swedenburg wants to do more at 10 a.m. Monday than help the Heritage Academy golf team just qualify for the Mississippi Private School Association Class AAA State Tournament. Playing on their home course at Columbus Country Club, Swedenburg and his Heritage Academy golf teammates feel they have a shot to challenge Pillow Academy and the rest of the top teams at the North AAA Tournament.

Heritage salvages split with Starkville Academy

Posted 4/24/2009 in High School Sports

The beauty of the game of baseball is you will see something different every day if you watch enough games. The Starkville Academy and Heritage Academy baseball teams did their best Thursday night to ensure all the fans at Trip Carson Field doubled their pleasure and saw plenty of things they might never see again. At 11:08 p.m., more than six hours after the first pitch of game one, Cole Vaughan retired Jim Beasley on a fielder’s choice to help Heritage Academy earn a 12-10 victory in game two and salvage a split of their doubleheader.

Hamilton provides Earnest with run support

Posted 4/24/2009 in High School Sports

HAMILTON — Kevin McCartney’s solo home run in the bottom of the first inning Thursday got the Hamilton High School baseball team off to a good start. The rest of the Lions did their part, too. McCartney’s fourth homer of the season was the first of 12 hits for Hamilton in its 11-1 victory against East Union in six innings. McCartney hit his home run to center field on the first pitch by Craig Bullock.

New Hope responds without its coach

Posted 4/24/2009 in High School Sports

PONTOTOC –– The New Hope Trojans responded to playing without coach Stacy Hester on Thursday by beating Pontotoc 15-5 in five innings in game one of their best-of-three Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A second-round state playoff series. New Hope (21-9) played without Hester, who was suspended for three days by Lowndes County Superintendent Mike Halford and New Hope Principal Lynn Wright for unspecified reasons. Hester, who is in his 17th season as New Hope’s coach, was suspended after an alleged incident during the Trojans’ playoff game at Hernando this past Saturday.

Caledonia's Gonzalez perseveres in pole vault

Posted 4/24/2009 in High School Sports

CALEDONIA — Stephanie Gonzalez started pole vaulting in less than ideal circumstances. The then-Caledonia High School sophomore ran on grass and fell into a pole vault pit made up of mattresses. She probably still has the scrapes on her legs from the experience.

Starkville track team bidding for another title

Posted 4/24/2009 in High School Sports

STARKVILLE — Cleveland Hudson is in his 30th year as Starkville High School’s boys track coach. The Yellow Jackets rewarded Hudson for his years of service last season by winning the Class 5A state championship. In his milestone year, the team would like nothing better than to win another title. Starkville senior sprinter Tavaris Tate appreciates the guidance and support Hudson has provided him in his track career.