From the notebook…………….

**The 2012/13 MAIS basketball season will wrap up this weekend as the Overall Tournament concludes Saturday at Mississippi College in Clinton. While winning the Gold Ball will be on the line the topic of whether the parity gap has widened or narrowed will be answered. Some say the gap has narrowed between the top Class AAA teams and those in Class AA but with the Starkville Lady Vols making a strong case for one of the best MAIS girls teams ever, trying to gauge that gap on the girls side may be a more difficult task.

**Starkville will continue their quest to be the first girls team to repeat since the 2001 Jackson Academy squad. The Lady Vols will put their 50 game winning streak on the line on Final Four Friday against the team who holds the second longest winning streak in the MAIS, Bowling Green. The Lady Bucs just won their first state title since 1991 and have won 37 straight since losing 51-46 to Starkville in the season opener.

**Overall Tournament Facts:

>The last time both boys and girls teams repeated in the same year – 2001 (Jackson Academy girls & Hillcrest boys)

>Central Private is the only team in the semi-finals that has never won an Overall Championship.

>Two of tomorrow’s semi-final games will include teams meeting for the first time this season. Central Private/Parklane and Presbyterian/Leake.

Starkville defeated Bowling Green 51-46 on October 30^th  and Jackson Prep defeated Marshall 50-34 on January 10^th.

Girls

>Class AA has won two of the last four Overall Tournaments - Brookhaven (2011) & Leake (2009)

Most Overall Titles

Pillow – 6

Leake – 5

Jackson Prep – 5

Jackson Academy – 5

Boys

Last AA boys team to win Overall - Brookhaven  (1989)

Most Overall Titles

Jackson Prep – 14

MRA – 8

Jackson Academy – 4

**Southern Sports & Travel is excited to welcome Toyota of Brookhaven as a supporter and sponsor of the Southern Sports & Travel All-MAIS teams and boys and girls Player of the Year which will be released in two weeks.

**At current levels Southern Sports & Travel is on pace to average 45,000 hits a month. A big “Thank You” to all the new readers and those who visit regularly. In the five years since the site was created each year has seen considerable growth but the 2012/13 athletic season has brought aboard a 30% increase compared to this time last year.

**Baseball season is underway, Coaches please send in scores or designate someone to text them to 985-750-3455. Baseball rankings will be posted in two weeks.

** Everyone please “Buckle Up” this weekend and stay safe.

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See ya somewhere………………

Division I Soccer Championship decided

Jackson Prep defeated Jackson Academy 2-1 to win the 2013 Division I State Soccer Championship tonight. Prep is coached by Jon Marcus Duncan.

Prep takes second straight state championship

Jackson Prep defended their 2012 state championship by defeating MRA 54-49 Saturday night.  Prep improved to 32-3 and will take on the Brookhaven/West Memphis winner Wednesday night at 6:45 in the Overall Tournament.

Prep is coached by David Horner.

Claiborne wins first ever MAIS state championship

The Claiborne Academy Lady Rebels won their first ever MAIS basketball state championship Saturday afternoon with a 40-33 win over second ranked Tri-County. Claiborne, ranked number one in the Southern Sports & Travel rankings for most of the season, will enter this week's Overall Tournament with a 31-2 record and will play third ranked Class AAA Presbyterian tomorrow at 3:30.

Claiborne is coached by Wade Heigle.

Porter’s Chapel, a season of firsts

Southern Sports & Travel

For more than a few years Porter’s Chapel head basketball coach E.J. Creel noticed that before each game the opposing head coach would walk past and shake hands with the Eagle’s assistant coach and say “Good luck Coach” and then return to his bench thinking he had just shaken hands with the Porter’s Chapel head coach.

That won’t happen any longer after E.J. Creel led Porter’s Chapel to the school’s first boys state championship with a 74-72 upset win in overtime over highly touted and second ranked Cenla to become the first woman head coach in MAIS history, and most likely state history, to lead a boys high school team to a state championship.

The 30 year old graduate and former player at Porter’s Chapel is in her sixth year as boys head coach and said Saturday night’s thrilling overtime win was “like a whirlwind” particularly in the waning minutes of overtime.

“Saturday night was just a big blur, we were up two points then down four with a minute left but somehow managed to pull it out,” said Creel.

“We got it down to one point with ten or so seconds left and we hit two free throws to put us up.”

Although Porter’s Chapel had the lead Creel said she was worried about Cenla driving the lane and scoring to pull out the win and that’s what she saw unfolding as Cenla did just that but the shot rimmed out and Porter’s Chapel pulled in the rebound and would add another free throw to give the Eagles a 74-72 lead and ultimately the win.

“Things just went our way Saturday night,” said Creel.

Creel said it hasn’t always been easy and she particularly recalls when the administration at Porter’s Chapel first approached her about coaching the boys varsity team.

“I was shocked when they asked me to do it,” said Creel. “I was pregnant with my second child at the time so not only was I a female but I was big and pregnant also.”

Amazingly Creel not only coached the boys varsity squad that season but the girls varsity and both junior varsity teams.

One area of concern would linger. Would the boys accept her as their head coach?

“I had no trouble at all with the boys accepting me as their head coach.”

Now in her sixth season Creel is able to build relationships with players at a younger age instead of coaching a group for a year or so before they graduate.

“I’m just now getting kids that I’ve coached for three years and they know I what expect out of them.”

“I have a group that knows I care about them and they work extremely hard for me. We have fun but at the same time they know it’s all business. I feel like this team has really grown and put their trust in me.”

Creel, who played basketball at the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus and then at Belhaven in Jackson, grew up the daughter of a farmer in the Delta 30 miles north of Vicksburg and attended Sharkey-Issaquena before eventually transferring to Porter’s Chapel.

“My dad would put me and my sisters on the treadmill in the mornings before school to kind of wake us up and when he realized that was too easy he had us run before school. He had a tractor barn that he converted into a gym and we spent hours upon hours in that gym nearly every day. There may have been two days a month that we didn’t spend time working in that gym.”

Creel’s dad was her motivator and disciplinarian but it was her brother, Mitchell Willis, who taught her the game of basketball.

“My brother coached us, he taught us how to do everything.”

Creel will lead Porter’s Chapel to another first this week as they play in the MAIS Overall Tournament for the very first time.

The 26-3 Eagles will take on Class AAA Parklane at 5:00 on Tuesday and it is probable that when the opposing coach looks to greet his opponent before the opening tip, he will know exactly who the boys head basketball coach at Porter’s Chapel is.

Bowling Green ends Leake’s reign to capture state

Southern Sports & Travel

Coaching in the same era as two Hall of Fame coaches can be a daunting task.

For Bowling Green head coach Pat King having to play Doyle Wolverton and Dale Watts teams during his nine years coaching at his Alma mater brought heartbreaking losses and denied King at least two chances of coaching his first state championship team.

At this time last season King saw his squad fall prey in the finals to the dynasty that is Leake basketball as Doyle Wolverton led his team to an unprecedented seventh straight state championship.

On Saturday the two met once again in a state championship meeting that seemed predestined since last season’s matchup.

In an electric standing room only atmosphere where fans were jam-packed in the front lobby and lining the baseline walls of a deafening Canton Gymnasium Bowling Green ended the most successful consecutive state title reign in the history of the MAIS by defeating top ranked Leake 55-49.

What followed was pandemonium as Bowling Green players, filled with the emotions of the moment, rushed to center court and a dog-pile ensued along with sobbing after realizing what they had just accomplished.

Sophomore Reagan Moody scored 13 points and five Lady Bucs each scored 8 points in leading Bowling Green to their first state championship since 1991.

Bowling Green looked rattled in the early stages of the contest as the Lady Bucs turned the basketball over on their first two possessions, the second resulted in a Hannah Moore basket in the paint to put the defending state champions on top 2-0 just over two minutes into the game.

Bowling Green senior Caroline Haik would sink two free throws at the 5:36 mark and the Lady Bucs grabbed the lead at 4-2 fifteen seconds later as freshman Ashley Foret drained two free throws.

Haik’s offensive rebound and put back at the 4:48 mark extended Bowling Green’s lead to 6-2 but Leake would explode in the final four minutes of the quarter behind the torrid shooting of senior Hannah Peoples.

Peoples hit a deep 3-pointer from the wing to pull the Rebelettes to within a point at 6-5 and Anna Kat Nowell converted a Bowling Green turnover into an offensive rebound score, plus one, to give Leake their first lead at 8-6 with 3:52 left in the quarter.

Peoples drilled another 3-pointer after Bowling Green’s fourth turnover of the quarter and the senior moved to the top of the key to sink her third 3-pointer of the quarter to give Leake a 14-6 lead and complete a 12-0 run to end the opening eight minutes of play.

Leake would extend their lead to 15-6 as Anna Kat Nowell hit one of two free throws at the 7:01 mark of the second quarter but the entire flow of the game was about to shift dramatically.

At the 5:55 mark Reagan Moody gave Bowling Green their first points since 4:48 of the first quarter as the sophomore hit a 3-pointer from the corner and Moody capitalized on a Leake turnover by draining another corner 3-pointer to trim the deficit to 15-12 with 5:09 remaining in the half.

Leake would return the favor as they picked up a Lady Buc turnover and it resulted in a Hannah Peoples driving basket off the glass, plus one, to push the lead back to 18-12.

Bowling Green answered back as Ashley Foret broke the Leake press and served up an assist to center Caroline Haik.

Chloe Thaggard hit two free throws to keep the Rebelette advantage at six points but Bowling Green would ring up six straight points in response.

Ashley Foret scored on an offensive rebound and put back and Melissa Crowe canned two free throws to get Bowling Green to within two points at 20-18 with 2:47 remaining in the half.

Breanna McNeese hit a 10 foot jumper from the baseline to tie the game at 20-20 and cap an 8-2 Bowling Green run with 1:38 left in the quarter but Leake would take a four point edge at 24-20 to finish the half as Anna Kat Nowell hit one of two free throws and Hannah Peoples hit an amazing fall away jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer.

Bowling Green wasted little time in cutting the Leake lead in half at 24-22 as Melissa Crowe scored on a fast break basket eighteen seconds into the third quarter but the defending champions were about to threaten putting Bowling Green into a huge hole.

Leake would push out to a seven point lead at 31-24 following a Mary Grace Key 3-pointer from the wing with 4:18 left in the quarter and the Rebelettes once again grabbed a seven point cushion at the 2:33 mark when Anna Evans scored off an offensive rebound but the final 2:19 of the third quarter would turn the tide of the entire game.

Bowling Green sophomore Kristina Jerrell would come off the bench and nail a 3-pointer and point guard Mackayla Dykes hit from 17 feet to pull the Lady Bucs to within two points at 33-31 but as Leake has been accustomed to doing they answered with a Mary Grace Key 3-pointer from the corner with under one minute remaining in the quarter to extend the lead back to 36-31.

What would prove to be one of the biggest shots of the game came in the closing seconds as senior Mackayla Dykes drilled a deep 3-pointer from the wing to send the teams into the final quarter with Leake clinging to a 36-34 lead.

Bowling Green tied the game on a Reagan Moody 16 foot jumper fifteen seconds into the championship quarter but Leake immediately grabbed the lead back at 38-36 as Hannah Moore scored in the paint.

Bowling Green then took their first lead since the 4:33 mark of the first quarter when Reagan Moody hit her third 3-pointer of the game to give the Lady Bucs a 39-38 edge with 7:11 still to play.

Although Leake would regain control once more at 40-39 on an Anna Kat Nowell 16 foot jumper the Rebelettes would witness something they aren’t accustomed to seeing as Bowling Green would control the remaining six minutes of the contest.

Kristina Jerrell’s 18 foot jumper, and one, would give Bowling Green a 42-40 lead with 6:01 to play and it would be a lead they would not relinquish.

With 3:21 remaining in regulation a Mackayla Dyles 3-pointer would give Bowling Green their biggest lead of the afternoon at 47-42.

Most in the boisterous Canton Gymnasium were sitting back anticipating a Leake run but with 2:10 remaining Rebelette fans were beginning to face the reality of what was about to take place as senior point guard Anna Kat Nowell notched her fifth foul.

Less than one minute later Bowling Green extended their lead to 52-44 following a Melissa Crowe free throw and a Kristina Jerrell fast break basket off a Leake turnover.

Hannah Peoples hit a 3-pointer and Katie Webb canned two free throws in the waning seconds but Bowling Green would hit on 3 of 4 free throws down the stretch to preserve a 55-49 win.

“We worked hard during the summer and we purposely strengthened our schedule tremendously to prepare our girls just for this game and it paid big dividends for us,” said Bowling Green assistant coach Barry Seal.

Bowling Green notched regular season wins against Class AAA heavyweights Presbyerian, MRA, Jackson Academy and East Rankin with their only loss of the season coming at the hands of defending Overall Champion Starkville by five points.

Bowling Green was led by Reagan Moody with 13 points, Mackayla Dykes added 8 points and 5 rebounds, Melissa Crowe had 8 points and 7 rebounds, Caroline Haik had 8 points and 6 rebounds, Ashley Foret had 8 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, Kristina Jerrell 8 and Breanna McNeese 2.

Hannah Peoples led Leake with a game high 18 points, Hannah Moore added 8, Anna Kat Nowell 7, Mary Grace Key and Anna Evans 6 each and Chloe Thaggard and Katie Webb 2 apiece.

Bowling Green (36-1) will take on Class A #2 seed Tri-County (26-4) on Wednesday at 5:30 in this week’s Overall Tournament.

Leake (39-1) will play Class AAA #2 seed MRA (29-9) Tuesday night at 7:30.

Post Game with Bowling Green Head Coach Pat King

Post Game with Bowling Green senior Mackayla Dykes

Post Game with Bowling Green Sophomore Reagan Moody

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Marshall defends title, eyeing Overall

Southern Sports & Travel

The anticipation had been building all season long and on Saturday night top ranked Central Private finally squared off with two-time defending state champion Marshall to determine the 2013 Class AA state championship from Canton Academy.

When the dust had settled Marshall would hoist the state championship trophy for the third consecutive season following a 64-54 win that was led by senior Peyton Lewis and sophomore Dakota Dailey who each scored 26 points as the Patriots won the fifth state title in school history.

The contest was tied four times and saw six lead changes but Marshall would gain control midway through the third quarter and Central Private never fully recovered.

The top ranked Rebels were as advertised in the opening quarter of play.

The first score didn’t come until the 5:28 mark of an intense first quarter when Marshall’s Peyton Lewis nailed a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.

What ensued afterwards was a customary 12-2 Central Private run.

After Jaydyn Cohen got the Rebels on the board with two free throws at the 3:46 mark Marshall regained a three point advantage on two Dakota Dailey free throws but the Patriots would be held scoreless for the remaining 3:36 of the quarter.

Central Private center Liam Thomas scored on consecutive possessions to give the Rebels their first lead at 6-5 and Simpson Anderson’s steal and lay-in at the 2:19 mark pushed the lead to 8-5.

Central Private closed the quarter on an Anderson driving lay-in and a Liam Thomas bucket in the paint to take a 12-5 lead after one quarter of play.

Marshall would trim the deficit to four points at 12-8 to open the second quarter but Central Private stretched their lead back out to seven points once again at 15-8 on Jaydyn Cohen’s lay-in, plus one, with 6:32 left in the half.

That would be the Rebel's largest lead of the game as Marshall began finding holes in the Rebel zone defense.

Marshall fired off a 12-3 run paced by Peyton Lewis to regain the lead at 20-18 with 3:13 remaining in the quarter. Lewis drained a 3-pointer and two mid-range jumpers during the stretch.

Marshall’s lead didn’t last long as 6’10” senior Liam Thomas converted on an offensive rebound and put back and the Rebels went back on top at 22-20 on a Simpson Anderson slam dunk following a Marshall turnover.

Anderson nailed a jumper from the elbow to extend the lead to 24-20 but Marshall would outscore the Rebels 6-2 over the remaining 55 seconds of the half to tie the game at 26-26 heading into intermission. Dakota Dailey did what he has done throughout tournament play, finish the quarter strong.

Dailey was fouled attempting a 3-pointer and converted on all three free throws and the sophomore canned a 3-pointer from the wing in the closing seconds to tie the game.

Central Private quickly pounded the basketball inside to Liam Thomas to start the third quarter and it paid dividends as the center scored on the block to give the Rebels a 28-26 lead.

Marshall responded with a Dakota Dailey 3-pointer fourteen seconds later which was followed rapidly by a 3-pointer from Central Private’s Thomas Kelley to give Central Private what would be their final lead of the night at 31-29 with 6:59 left to play in the third quarter.

Marshall took the lead for good when Peyton Lewis drained a 3-pointer and Lewis converted on a transition basket at the 5:21 mark to give the defending champions a 34-31 lead.

A Jaydyn Cohen 3-pointer from the wing with 56 seconds left in the quarter tied the game at 42-42 but Marshall once again closed a quarter with a score. This time it was Brad Bennett who sank a 3-pointer from the deep corner to give Marshall a 45-32 lead heading into the championship quarter.

Marshall pushed out to a seven point lead almost three minutes into the final quarter as Devonte Smith muscled in a basket in the paint and Peyton Lewis scored from close range to put the Patriots up 49-42.

Central Private would draw to within five points on two occasions during the final five minutes of the game but would get no closer.

Peyton Lewis’s 3-pointer from the wing at the 1:49 mark to give Marshall a 57-49 lead seemed to take the air out of Central Private’s attempt to fight back into the contest and Lewis closed the door by going 6/6 from the free throw line in the last minute to seal things up at 64-54.

Lewis and Dakota Dailey each had game high honors with 26 points apiece, Brad Bennett added 4, Randy Love and Antonio Love had 3 each and Devonte Smith 2.

Simpson Anderson led Central Private with 18 points, Liam Thomas added 17, Jaydyn Cohen 13 and Thomas Kelley and Syrshawn Fitch 3 each.

Marshall (34-3) will take on Class A #2 seed Cenla (29-7) Wednesday at 4:15 in next week’s Overall Tournament.

Central Private (26-4) will battle Class AAA #2 seed MRA (29-9) on Tuesday at 6:15.

Post Game with Marshall Head Coach Craig Dailey

Post Game with Marshall senior Peyton Lewis

Post Game with Marshall sophomore Dakota Dailey

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Marshall looking for three-peat after semi-final route

Southern Sports & Travel

It was billed as a heavyweight battle between two Class AA basketball powers but the battle was anything but that as two-time defending state champion Marshall obliterated third ranked Brookhaven 54-24 in semi-final play last night at Canton Academy.

Marshall point guard Dakota Dailey had his way with the Brookhaven defense as the sophomore scored 20 first half points en-route to a game high 24.

With the win Marshall earns the chance to win their third straight Class AA State Championship and fifth in school history as they will take on Central Private tonight at 7:15 in a matchup between the top two teams in Class AA.

Although Marshall would ultimately go on to hammer Brookhaven last night the third ranked Cougars looked in prime playoff form in the first quarter of play.

The Cougars drew first blood as Matthew Evans drove hard to the basket to put Brookhaven on top 2-0 just ten seconds into the contest.

Marshall would respond quickly as Dakota Dailey returned the favor with a drive of his own to knot the game at 2-2 and Brad Bennett would give Marshall their first lead at 4-2 on a driving lay-in off a Brookhaven turnover with 7:02 still remaining in the opening quarter.

The quarter would be tied three times and consist of five lead changes but after a Gage Posey basket gave Brookhaven a 9-7 lead at the 3:27 mark the wheels were about to come off for the Cougars.

Marshall’s Dakota Dailey would prove to be a thorn in Brookhaven’s side as the sophomore finished the quarter with a hard drive to the bucket following a Cougar turnover and a 3-pointer from the wing to give the defending champions a 12-9 lead after one quarter of play.

Dailey would dish out an assist to Randy Love on a transition basket to start the second quarter and Peyton Lewis hit from 15 feet out to push the Patriot lead to 16-9 following consecutive Brookhaven turnovers.

Dailey struck again at the 5:50 mark with a 3-pointer from the wing to increase the lead to 19-9 and finish off a 12-0 Marshall run that started in the later minutes of the first quarter.

Two Matthew Evans free throws pulled Brookhaven to within eight points at 19-11 and gave the Cougars their first points since the 3:27 mark of the first quarter. Marshall would dominate the quarter and close with a 14-1 run that ended in the same fashion the first quarter did. Dakota Dailey converted on a driving lay-in and then drilled another 3-pointer to give the Patriots a 33-12 lead heading into intermission.

Marshall would capitalize on five Brookhaven third quarter turnovers and shut the Cougars out while posting sixteen points to take their biggest lead at 49-12 as both teams headed into the fourth and final quarter.

Both benches were cleared and a running clock quickly brought the semi-final contest to an end with Marshall taking a 54-24 win to improve to 33-3 and advance to tonight’s championship game.

Tonight’s title game with Central Private will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Marshall was led by Dakota Dailey with a game high 24 points, Devonte Smith added 9, Brad Bennett had 7, Peyton Lewis 5, Randy Love 4, Tobe West 3 and Antonio Love 2.

Travis Thornton led Brookhaven (25-13) with 6 points, Matthew Evans had 4, Zac Smith and Gage Posey 3 each, and four players had 2 points, Drake Flowers, Josh Wiggins, Jarrod Johnson and Peyton Hood.

Brookhaven will play Leake at 6:00 pm this evening  in the consolation game with the winner advancing to next week’s Overall Tournament.

Post Game with Marshall Head Coach Craig Dailey

Central Private throttles Leake to advance to title game

Southern Sports & Travel

It’s been eleven seasons since a Central Private basketball team last hoisted a state championship trophy but the top ranked Rebels will get an opportunity to win the school’s fifth state title after dismantling sixth ranked Leake 79-43 in Class AA semi-final action last night at Canton Academy.

Seniors Liam Thomas and Simpson Anderson combined for 46 points as Central Private punished Leake to improve to 26-3 and earn the right to face second ranked and two-time defending state champion Marshall in tonight’s Class AA State Championship game.

Central Private was dominant in all aspects of their matchup with Leake last night and quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead as Liam Thomas scored in the paint and Thomas Kelly nailed a 3-pointer from the wing with less than a minute gone in the game.

Leake kept things interesting early on as they answered with consecutive 3-pointers from Tristan Hernandez and Reed Mayfield to take what would be their only lead of the game at 6-5 with 5:27 left in the opening quarter of play.

Leake’s lead evaporated in short time as Liam Thomas dished an assist to a cutting Syrshawn Fitch for a bucket and that was followed by a trademark Simpson Anderson slam dunk over a Leake player to extend the lead to 9-6 at the 4:37 mark.

Liam Thomas would go hard to the glass for a basket, plus one, to double up Leake at 12-6.

Following a 10 foot jumper by Leake’s Alex Shepard Central Private started pulling away.

Jaydyn Cohen drained a 3-pointer from the wing and Liam Thomas canned two free throws to give the Rebels their biggest lead at 17-8 with 2:54 left in the first quarter.

Will Myers would grab an offensive rebound and score to pull Leake to within seven points at 17-10 but Central Private closed the quarter with a 7-1 run to increase their lead to 24-11 as the quarter ended.

Central Private opened the second quarter with an 11-3 run to stretch the margin to 35-14.

Reed Mayfield’s 3-pointer halted the Central Private run but Leake couldn’t match the firepower of the top ranked team in Class AA.

Simpson Anderson drained a 3-pointer from the deep corner and Jaydyn Cohen notched one of his own to push the lead to 41-17 with 3:04 to go in the half.

Central Private would take their biggest lead of the half at 49-23 as Jaydyn Cohen sank a 45 footer at the horn.

The Rebels showed no let up to open the third quarter as Liam Thomas scored in the paint and Jaydyn Cohen earned an assist to Simpson Anderson to extend the lead to thirty points at 53-23.

Central Private ended the quarter with a 9-3 run highlighted by another Simpson Anderson slam and a Jaydyn Cohen 3-pointer from the wing to take a commanding 72-34 lead into the final eight minutes of play.

Both benches would clear as Central Private coasted to a 79-43 semi-final win over Leake.

Liam Thomas led all scorers with 25 points for Central Private, Simpson Anderson added 21, Jaydyn Cohen 12, Thomas Kelly 10, Daniel McNamara 3 and four players each had 2 points, Carlos Emanuel, Loyd Ussery, Syrshawn Fitch and Jordan Bowers.

Alex Shepard lead Leake (28-9) with 16 points, Tristan Hernandez had 9, Reed Mayfield 7, Chipper Jones 5, and William Johnston, Adam Holly and Will Myers 2 apiece.

Leake will take on Brookhaven in this evening’s consolation game with the winner advancing to next week’s Overall Tournament.

Post Game with Central Private Head Coach Henry Gantz

MRA heading for state championship game once again

Southern Sports & Travel

The Madison-Ridgeland Academy Lady Patriots punched their ticket to today’s Class AAA State Championship game with a hard fought 59-53 win over fifth ranked East Rankin. With the win the second ranked team in Class AAA improved their season mark to 29-8 and most conclude the Lady Patriots were one of the hottest teams heading into this week’s tournament being held at Jackson Academy.

In MRA’s win one of the best players in the MAIS was on full display as versatile sophomore Amber Landing scored 20 points and altered dozens of shots in the paint.

Landing had little effect on East Rankin in the first quarter in yesterday’s Class AAA semi-final contest as ERA would jump out to an early 5-2 lead following a Karlie Coghlan 3-pointer from the corner.

MRA would never grab the lead in the first eight minutes of play as East Rankin was successful from the perimeter and with 1:12 left in the quarter Kendal Walsh’s 18 foot jumper gave ERA a 9-7 lead.

Amber Landing wouldn’t get her first basket until the sophomore canned an 8 foot jumper in the paint to knot the game at 9-9 to wrap up the first quarter of play.

East Rankin came out on fire in the second quarter.

Karlie Coghlan would hit on one of two free throws to give East Rankin a 10-9 edge but MRA would take their first lead of the game at the 6:31 mark as Carmen Carter served up an assist to Amber Landing in the paint to give the Lady Patriots an 11-10 lead.

East Rankin then jumped out to an 18-13 lead as they went on an 8-2 run fueled by Karlie Coghlan who was responsible for six of those points.

East Rankin’s lead would be erased quickly as MRA produced a run of their own to close out the first half.

Consecutive baskets from Lauren Sheriff in the paint pulled the Lady Patriots to within a point at 18-17 with 2:29 left in the quarter.

After East Rankin’s Annabeth Bowman sank a 17 jumper to extend the lead back to three points at 20-17 MRA exploded.

Amber Landing hit from 15 feet out and Landing pulled down an offensive rebound and scored following an East Rankin turnover to give MRA a 21-20 lead with 1:12 left in the half.

With 34 seconds remaining Landing hit all bottom from 17 feet out and Mackenzie Johnson’s lay-in at the buzzer following an East Rankin turnover gave MRA a 25-20 lead and capped a 12-2 run to finish out the first half.

MRA took their biggest lead at 27-20 on a Tori Hines driving lay-in to start the third quarter but East Rankin wouldn’t go away.

With MRA holding a 35-28 lead Karlie Coghlan drained a 3-pointer and capitalized on an MRA turnover by sinking a 17 foot jumper to pull East Rankin to within two points at 35-33 with 1:27 left in the third quarter.

MRA would hold on to a three point advantage at 38-35 heading into the fourth quarter.

Early fourth quarter turnovers would haunt East Rankin and MRA made them pay.

Laura Beth Reeves hit a 3-pointer from the corner off an ERA turnover to start the quarter and a Carmen Carter steal and lay-in pushed the MRA lead out to 43-35 less than one minute in.

Carter would give MRA their biggest lead at 45-35 with an offensive rebound and put back at the 6:12 mark but East Rankin fired back as Katelyn Keeton hit a 3-pointer and Annabeth Bowman’s basket in the paint trimmed the deficit to 45-40 with 4:23 left in regulation.

East Rankin would get no closer the rest of the way.

Amber Landing converted from close range and two Tavyn Lovitt free throws pushed the lead back to nine points at 49-40 with just over two minutes remaining.

MRA would hit on 12/14 free throws in the remaining two minutes to seal up a 59-53 win and advance to today’s Class AAA State Championship game against top ranked and undefeated Starkville.

MRA was led by Amber Landing with 20 points, Mackenzie Johnson and Carmen Carter added 11 each, Lauren Sheriff  and Tavyn Lovitt had 6 apiece, Laura Beth Reeves 3 and Tori Hines 2.

East Rankin (25-14) was led by Karlie Coghlan with a game high 25 points, Kendal Walsh added 10, Taylor Rhodes 6, Katelyn Keeton 5, Annabeth Bowman 4 and Jordan Graves 3.

East Rankin will take on Presbyterian in today’s consolation game with the winner advancing to next week’s Overall Tournament.

Post Game with MRA Head Coach Stephen Force

Lady Vols escape with narrow win over Presbyterian

Southern Sports & Travel

With 5:38 remaining in regulation Trista Magee had just sank two free throws to give third ranked Presbyterian a 33-21 lead over top ranked and defending Overall Champion Starkville.

Three minutes later Starkville finished off a 15-2 run to regain the lead at 36-35 and went on to defeat Presbyterian 40-37 to advance to today’s Class AAA State Championship game against second ranked MRA.

Sallie Kate Richardson scored 11 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and Anna Lea Little added 10 points as Starkville improved to 39-0 and kept their winning streak dating back to last season intact at 48 games.

Starkville uncharacteristically looked rattled in the early stages on the contest as Presbyterian started out of the gates focused and fired up.

The Lady Bobcats would strike first as Trista Magee converted on two free throws following a Starkville turnover at the 6:19 mark of the opening quarter and an offensive rebound and put back from Hannah McCarter doubled the Presbyterian lead at 4-0 on the ensuing possession.

Anna Lea Little would get Starkville on the board at the 4:30 mark with two free throws but Presbyterian’s aggressive play was paying dividends for the Lady Bobcats.

Lilly Waites pushed the Presbyterian lead to 6-2 on a driving basket but Starkville would quickly trim the lead to one point at 6-5 as Nora Kathryn Carroll drained a 3-pointer from the wing with 3:21 left in the quarter.

With 2:25 remaining in the quarter Presbyterian had just grabbed a 10-7 lead after a Reagan Dykes basket and the Lady Bobcats would ultimately have the last possession of the quarter following Starkville’s sixth turnover of the quarter with less than 30 seconds to go but Presbyterian returned the favor as Tiffany Huddleston’s steal and lay-in at the buzzer pulled the defending champions to within a point at 10-9 heading into the second quarter.

The Lady Vols grabbed their first lead of the game at 11-10 on a Tiffany Huddleston bucket in the paint forty five seconds into the quarter and Nora Kathryn Carroll provided a huge offensive boost with a 3-pointer from the wing and later an offensive rebound and score to increase the lead to 16-10 with 5:47 left in the half.

Presbyterian answered as Trista Magee scored on three consecutive possessions to knot the contest at 16-16 with less than three minutes to go before intermission.

Sallie Kate Richardson would give the Lady Vols a slim 18-16 lead as the junior sank two free throws with 3 seconds left on the clock to close out the half.

Presbyterian tied the game at 18-18 in the opening minutes of the third quarter as Reagan Dykes dished out an assist to Hannah Sellers in the paint and after Anna Lea Little converted on one of two free throws to give Starkville the lead back at 19-18 Presbyterian closed the quarter strong.

Trista Magee cashed in on a Starkville turnover with a basket in the paint at the 3:19 mark to give the Lady Bobcats a 20-19 edge.

That was followed by a Hannah McCarter 15 foot jumper to extend the lead to three points.

Following a Starkville turnover Reagan Dykes nailed a 3-pointer to give Presbyterian their biggest lead at 25-19 with 2:06 left in the quarter.

Sallie Kate Richardson stopped a five minute Starkville scoring drought with a jumper in the paint from 8 feet out and the quarter would close with Presbyterian adding a Hannah McCarter free throw to take a 26-21 lead into the final quarter of play.

Presbyterian pushed the student section into a frenzy to start the fourth quarter as the Lady Bobcats produced a 7-0 run to take a 33-21 lead with 5:38 left in regulation and forcing a Starkville timeout.

Starkville’s response? A 15-2 run sparked by Anna Lea Little and Sallie Kate Richardson to regain the lead at 36-35 with 2:14 left to play.

That lead was short-lived as Hannah McCarter hit two free throws to give Presbyterian the lead once more at 37-36 with 1:56 left in the game but that would be the Lady Bobcats last lead as they would score no more.

Maggie Proffitt converted on two free throws with 41 seconds remaining to give Starkville the lead for good at 38-37 and Sallie Kate Richardson did the same with 23 seconds to go as the Lady Vols took a 40-37 lead and eventual final score.

The win sets up a 2012 Class AAA State Championship rematch with second ranked MRA.

Sallie Kate Richardson led Starkville with 11 points, Laura Lea Little added 10, Nora Kathryn Carroll 8, Tiffany Huddleston 7 and Maggie Proffitt 4.

For Presbyterian (26-6) Trista Magee had a game high 20 points, Hannah McCarter chipped in with 7, Reagan Dykes 5, Lilly Waites 3 and Hannah Sellers 2.

Presbyterian will take on East Rankin today in the consolation game. The winner advances to next week’s Overall Tournament.

Post Game with Starkville Head Coach Glenn Schmidt

Cenla on a roll, blasts Central Holmes to advance

Southern Sports & Travel

If Cenla’s Khylnd Joiner needed a forum to display his vast talents on the basketball court the 6’2” junior did just that as he led second ranked Cenla to an impressive 69-46 round two win over Central Holmes yesterday in the Class A State Tournament at Rebul Academy in Learned, Mississippi.

Joiner led all scorers with 23 points as Cenla advanced to today’s semi-final round where they’ll take on top ranked West Memphis.

Cenla would jump out to a 4-0 lead on a basket by Tyris Price and a baseline drive from junior LaMontrell Goodeau but Central Holmes appeared up to the task as the Trojans responded with two buckets of their own to knot the contest at 4-4 less than two minutes into the contest.

In a frenetic first quarter of play Cenla cashed in on four early Central Holmes turnovers to produce a 10-2 run that would give the Lions a 14-6 cushion with 2:19 remaining in the quarter.

Both teams would trade baskets to complete a first quarter that had a combined eleven turnovers and little scoring that resulted in Cenla holding a 16-8 edge.

The pace in the second quarter was in stark contrast to that of the first.

Vernell Jackson’s 3-pointer quickly gave Cenla their biggest lead at 19-8 and the Lions converted a Central Holmes turnover into a Kory Baker fast break basket at the 6:32 mark to extend the lead to 21-8.

Ira Haymer’s basket kept Central Holmes relatively close at 21-10 but the Trojans proved to be no match for the high octane offensive power of Cenla.

Cenla reeled off a 13-2 run as four different players contributed to the run to increase the margin to 34-12 with 3:26 remaining in the half.

Terrance Miller would halt the Cenla run with a basket in the paint but there would be little Central Holmes could do in slowing down the Lions fast paced offense.

JaRae Battles sank a jumper from the elbow and Khylnd Joiner drove hard to the basket to bump the lead up to 38-14 with 2:36 left in the half.

The onslaught continued as Joiner converted on a fast break opportunity to give Cenla their biggest lead at 40-14 with 2:13 remaining but to Central Holmes’ credit they would score the last six points of the quarter to take some momentum into intermission down 46-24.

Khylnd Joiner brought the house down with a thunderous alley-oop slam to open the third quarter and that would set the tone the rest of the way.

Cenla twice grabbed twenty nine point leads in the quarter and would take a comfortable 60-37 lead into the final eight minutes of play.

As he did to open the third quarter Khylnd Joiner did the same to start the fourth. Joiner’s steal in the backcourt resulted in a monstrous one hand jam on the first possession of the fourth quarter to give the Lions a commanding 62-27 lead.

Cenla took a thirty point lead at 72-42 on a Jamar Fisher basket in the paint with 2:53 remaining in the contest but Central Holmes managed to finish with a 10-2 run to close out the final two minutes as Cenla advanced with a 74-52 win.

Khylnd Joiner had a game high 23 points and 21 rebounds to pace Cenla, Kory Baker added 12, Dezman Eddie and Vernell Jackson 8 each, Tyris Price 7, Demetrius Clark and La Montrell Goodeau 5 apiece and JaRae Battles and Jamar Fisher 2 each.

Ira Haymer and CJ Miller led Central Holmes with 11 each, Terrance Miller and Spencer Rutledge added 7 apiece, Corterrious Hogan 4 and Hayden Carter 3.

Cenla (28-6) will take on top ranked West Memphis tonight at 7:15.

Post Game with Cenla Head Coach Jonas Gauthier

West Memphis shakes off slow start to hammer Claiborne

Southern Sports & Travel

It wasn’t the start that West Memphis head coach Jeff Dalton wanted in the Black Knight’s second round encounter with unranked Claiborne but after shaking off a sub par first quarter the top ranked team in Class A rolled to a 69-46 win to advance to tonight’s semi-finals of the Class A State Tournament being held at Rebul Academy in Learned, Mississippi.

Grant Campbell scored a game high 22 points and Taylor Turnage chipped in with 14 as the Black Knights improved to 30-2 on the season. The win sets up a battle between the top two teams in Class A as West Memphis will take on second ranked Cenla tonight at 7:15.

Claiborne looked ready to pull an upset in yesterday’s matchup with West Memphis.

The Rebels came out on fire as Trey Washington wasted little time in draining an 18 foot jumper thirty seconds into the game.

West Memphis answered as Grant Campbell scored on a transition basket to tie the game at 2-2 in the early going.

Claiborne’s David Lewis responded with a long 3-pointer from the wing at the 6:02 mark as the Rebels regained the lead at 5-2 and Claiborne would maintain a lead until the 2:42 mark when West Memphis knotted the game at 12-12 on a Zane DeVazier 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Claiborne responded with a 7-2 run to take their biggest lead of the quarter at 19-14 with 47 seconds left but West Memphis was about to get cranked up.

Jack Carver scored on an inbounds play and Grant Campbell’s offensive rebound and put back would pull the Black Knights to within a point at 19-18 to close out the opening quarter of play.

West Memphis would tie the game at 19-19 as Grant Campbell converted on one of two free throws to open the quarter and the Black Knights grabbed their first lead of the game at 21-19 on Zane DeVazier’s floater in the lane at the 6:36 mark.

The Black Knight run continued as Taylor Turnage hit a 10 jumper and Grant Campbell extended the West Memphis lead to 25-19 with a floater off the glass with 4:54 remaining in the half.

Claiborne fired back as David Lewis drained a 3-pointer from the wing and a Ty Hays offensive rebound and put back brought the Rebels to within a point at 25-24.

West Memphis increased their lead back to eight points at 34-26 with 1:01 remaining on a Cortez Whitaker offensive rebound and score but Claiborne wasn’t going away as David Lewis scored in the paint with 4 seconds left to keep the Rebels close at 34-28 as the half ended.

That would be as close as Claiborne would get to the top ranked Black Knights.

David Lewis of West Memphis turned a Claiborne turnover into a 3-pointer to open the third quarter and that was quickly followed by a transition basket from Taylor Turnage to push the lead to 39-28 with less than two minutes gone in the quarter.

After Turnage hit on one of two free throws Cortez Whitaker scored off an offensive rebound to give West Memphis their biggest lead at 42-28 with 6:00 left in the quarter.

Claiborne finally got a score at the 5:44 mark on a Haider Laghari bucket but West Memphis was on a roll.

Grant Campbell drilled a 3-pointer and Campbell took a Claiborne turnover and served up an assist to Cortez Whitaker to increase the West Memphis lead to 47-30.

Whitaker scored again at the 3:45 mark and Ricky Patterson’s floater in the paint capped a 17-2 run to give the Black Knights a 51-30 edge with less than three minutes left in the quarter.

West Memphis would wrap up the third quarter on a Taylor Turnage score off an inbounds play with 25 seconds left to head into the final eight minutes of play holding a comfortable 54-35 advantage.

The Black Knights would take their biggest lead of the night at 67-40 on a Jonathon Gossett 18 foot jumper with 2:32 left in regulation and would earn a 69-46 win to advance to tonight’s semi-finals.

Grant Campbell led West Memphis with 22 points, Taylor Turnage added 14, Cortez Whitaker 10, Zane DeVazier 7, Ricky Patterson and David Lewis 5, Jack Carver 4 and Jonathon Gossett 2.

Claiborne was led by David Lewis with 13 points, Haider Laghari chipped in with 8, Jace Eulate 7, Ty Hays 6, Tyler Pitson and Trey Washington 4 each and Nick Baraka 2.

Post Game with West Memphis Head Coach Jeff Dalton

Tri-County advances to semis with win over Riverfield

Southern Sports & Travel

For second ranked Tri-County things were going their way as they raced out to an 18-5 first quarter lead but the Lady Rebels would find themselves in a dogfight in the second half  and would hold on to defeat a gritty Riverfield squad 50-41 to advance to today’s semi-final round of the Class A State Tournament.

Brook Martin and Patty Hancock combined for 30 points as Tri-County improved to 24-3 and will take on defending state champion Mt. Salus today at 2:30.

Tri-County saw Riverfield take a quick 2-0 lead on an Ashley Cooper offensive rebound and put back but that would be the only lead of the night for Riverfield.

Tri-County turned consecutive Lady Raider turnovers into baskets as Patty Hancock nailed a jumper from 16 feet and then Hancock drained a 3-pointer from the wing at the 5:42 mark to give the Lady Rebels their first lead at 5-2.

Hancock scored again less than thirty seconds later and Brook Martin would make Riverfield pay after another turnover by canning a 3-pointer to increase the Tri-County led to 10-2 at the halfway point of the opening quarter.

Each time Riverfield would score Tri-County responded as the Lady Rebels canned four 3-pointers in the quarter and went on to grab a 20-8 lead after one quarter of play.

Riverfield began grabbing momentum in the second quarter.

Riley Bridges nailed a 15 foot jumper and Ashley Cooper converted a Tri-County turnover into a basket in the paint to trim the deficit to 22-12 with less than two minutes gone in the quarter.

Tri-County managed to keep Riverfield at bay but couldn’t deliver a knockout punch.

Riverfield would draw to within five points at 25-20 on an Ashley Cooper driving basket with just 20 seconds left in the half but Tri-County received a huge boost as Brook Martin drained a 3-pointer with 4 seconds on the clock to close out the half with the Lady Rebels holding a 28-20 lead.

Tri-County managed to open up with a 7-2 run to take their biggest lead at 35-22 but five turnovers hindered their efforts to put Riverfield away.

Heading into the final quarter of play with a 37-28 edge Tri-County appeared to have things well in hand as they stretched their lead to twelve at 40-28 less than one minute into the fourth quarter but Riverfield started slowly chipping away and Tri-County turnovers would aid the Lady Raiders in their cause.

Riverfield would mount a 13-4 run to pull to within three points at 44-41 with 3:23 left in regulation but the Lady Raiders would miss the front end of two one and one opportunities down the stretch and would not score another point.

Bailey Randall nailed an 18 foot jumper with 1:13 remaining to push the lead out to 46-41 and Haley Alexander would convert a Riverfield turnover into a basket to ice the game at 48-41 with 28 seconds left in the contest.

Tri-County’s Brook Martin canned two free throws in the closing seconds to provide the final margin of 50-41.

Brook Martin led Tri-County with 17 points, Patty Hancock added 13, Bailey Randall 7, Lori Luke 5, Amanda Hodge 4 and Haley Alexander 2.

For Riverfield Ashley Cooper had a game high 21 points, Lauchlyn Emfinger had 9, Riley Bridges 6 and Joanna Franklin 5.

Post Game with Tri-County Head Coach Rod Delaney