The Mississippi School for Math and Science soccer teams are making Morri Mims and Dr. Bill Odom look like coaching geniuses.
Taylor Potter had three goals Tuesday night to lead the MSMS boys to a 9-0 victory against Aberdeen in a Class 1A-2A-3A Division 2, District 4 match at the Joe Cook Soccer Complex in Columbus.
Erica McCoy and Carlee Odom scored for the MSMS girls in their 2-0 victory.
The victories paved the way for showdowns against Winona at 5 and 7 p.m. Thursday. The games will determine the seeding for the playoffs, which will begin next week. The top seed from the district will earn the right to play host to a first-round game, while the second seed will go on the road.
The MSMS boys (5-0, 3-0 district) defeated Winona 3-2 and the MSMS girls (3-2, 3-0) earned a 2-1 victory in the first meeting between the schools.
Mims, who is in his first season as a high school varsity coach, said his players” drive on and off the field has helped the team remain undefeated.
“We have a core group that is able to work around their schedule and practice,” Mims said. “We only practice three days a week, but they make the majority of the practices. … Tonight they showed they know where are and where they are going to be (without thinking about it).”
Mims has worked as a coach at the Division II rec level in Columbus and Caledonia. He said he has learned to appreciate the game of soccer as his children have matured with the sport. The enjoyment he gets from working with kids also has helped his transition to being a high school coach.
The skill of his players makes things even easier. MSMS wasn”t tested against Aberdeen, but still it was easy to see the players know each other and have a feel for the game. Jacob Boyer, Chad Hickman, Arslan Arshad, Dylan Mims, who is coach Mims” son, Tyler Crutcher, and Eric Briscoe scored for a Blue Wave squad that substituted liberally and controlled the action.
Coach Mims said the nature of the school, which has only juniors and seniors from across the state of Mississippi, makes it challenging to bring together so many players to form a cohesive unit. So far, though, he said the players” desire to listen and to improve have been key to the team”s success.
“Really all you have to do is put it out there, make a few tweaks or corrections, and get out of the way and let them play,” Mims said. “The biggest thing is keeping them calm enough to make good decisions and to play hard. They”re a great group of kids. It is easy to look like you know what you”re doing when you have a good group of kids.
“It has exceeded my expectations. I thought if we could come in and learn a little bit about soccer and put on a decent showing it would be something the kids could be proud of. Then, in the future, by learning the four pillars of soccer — physical, psychological, technical, and tactical — if I could get those guys to analyze their games based on those four principles, then when they have their own kids and if they are interested in coaching, they have the basis to carry it on down the line.”
Mims” style as a quiet instructor who devises a game plan and allows the players to carry out has been made things simple. He feels it is easier to explain how and why his players might do things differently and to let them implement it than standing on the sidelines yelling and screaming.
“Once they have done it a couple of times and they go, ”Hey, he is right. He has put me where I can make an adjustment and do it well,” then it really sticks,” Mims said.
Odom also has coached in the past. He has worked at MSMS for 15 years primarily as a biology and a chemistry teacher. He said his team faces a challenge later this week against Winona and will need to do a better job finishing scoring opportunities.
Midfielder and tri-captain Abigail Cathcart, who is from Starkville, controlled much of the play, but she wasn”t able to convert any of her possession.
Laurel Marsh, Carlee Odom, a tri-captain who is from Columbus and is coach Odom”s daughter, and Amanda Baker set the tone with good pressure up front. Senior tri-captain Caitlyn Chambers, Kaitlan Rester, who is from New Hope, and McCoy then provided a lift off the bench to maintain the attack.
Still, Odom would like to see the Lady Blue Wave polish their shooting and their passing to create even more dangerous opportunities.
“That finish thing is really important,” Odom said. “We are not going to be able to beat Winona by holding them scoreless. They will score, I am sure, one, and I hope not more than that. We”re going to have maybe three to beat them. That is what I would like to see them work on. What they worked on real hard and got, finally, is trying to own the middle of the field. They”re getting better control of the ball in the middle of the field. They are moving better to the ball more effectively. … That will be a challenge to see if they step up to that Thursday. It will be fun. I am looking forward to it.”
MSMS plays at Columbus High at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday.
Basketball
n Central Academy 47, Winona Christian 44: Ferris McGuire had 17 points to help the Vikings (5-11, 2-7 district) pull the upset.
Rowdy Rigdon and Will Thomas each had 10 points.
Kendall Taylor had 17 points for the Central Academy girls in a 64-29 loss.
Central Academy will play Calhoun Academy at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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