By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
Feb. 15, 2001
The Leake Academy Rebelettes recorded their 900th all-time victory Saturday with a 62-37 pasting of Simpson Academy in the consolation game of the Academy AA South State Tournament at Brookhaven Academy.
A 68-63 loss to Kirk Academy Tuesday night in the Academy AA State Tournament at Grenada ended the Rebelettes' season with a 32-8 record and an all-time mark of 900-177 with 26th-year LA girls' coach Doyle Wolverton holding a 776-144 mark.
Lady Wildcats to play fast-pitch in 2002: Meridian High School will add fast-pitch softball to its athletic program next spring.
The Lady Wildcats will compete in Division 6-5A with Wayne County and Brandon.
A league of their own: On the fast-pitch front, Class 1A and 2A teams will be happy to know that next year the Class 3A teams will be moved into a class by themselves. The 1A and 2A schools will still be grouped together.
Scott boys win: After dropping their first 19 games, the Scott Central Rebels found the win column by beating Mississippi School for the Deaf Thursday in Jackson.
Another skid ends: The Noxapater Lady Tigers snapped a more modest six-game losing slide by beating Thomastown in the first round of the Division 5-1A Tournament Tuesday night.
On a roll: The 29-1 South Leake Wildcats will carry a 26-game win streak into tonight's Division 5-2A contest with West Lowndes.
The 25-2 War Eagles of Wayne County will bring a 19-game win streak into Friday's Division 5-5A championship game with Meridian.
The 27-3 Lady Hornets of Lake have a 19-game win streak going into tonight's Division 6-1A semifinal with Pelahatchie.
Noxubee County's girls take a 12-game win streak into tonight's Division 2-4A semifinal with Louisville.
The Lady Warriors of Choctaw Central take an 11-game win streak into today's Division 5-3A Tournament game with Velma Jackson.
Play ball: The 2001 high school baseball season is slated to get under way Friday.
Meridian High School will host the two-day Meridian Preseason Classic at John Moss Field.
On Friday, Northeast Lauderdale takes on Choctaw County, Ala., at 4 p.m. with Meridian facing Newton County at 6. Enterprise faces powerful Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Central at 8.
On Saturday, Newton County and Choctaw County open play at 1 p.m. Meridian hosts Tuscaloosa Central at 3 with Tuscaloosa Central squaring off with Choctaw County at 5. Northeast Lauderdale will host Enterprise at Northeast Saturday at 2 p.m.
Bay Springs and Wayne County are also slated to host classics on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Forest will host the Scott County Tournament on Saturday and Monday.
Shutting it down: The fast-pitch softball season hasn't even begun and Ackerman has notified schools in its division that the Lady Indians won't be fielding a team this spring.
The Lady Indians forfeited the last few games of the 2000 season due to a lack of players.
If you're heading to the coast… : If Sept. 7 finds you on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and you're a fan of good high school football, coastal powers Moss Point and Gautier will clash for the first time ever.
Moss Point is the defending Class 5A state champion, while Gautier hadn't lost a regular season game until this fall, its fourth year of existence.
The two will play at Pascagoula's War Memorial Stadium.
If you're on the coast the previous week, Moss Point opens its 2001 season at home against North 5A power South Panola.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. Email him at sports@themeridianstar.com