By Staff
From Staff Reports
Dec. 12, 2001
Noxubee County High School's Omar Conner has been named Most Valuable Player for Region 2-4A, while his coach M.C. Miller, was chosen coach of the year.
Horace Glenn of Louisville was named Most Valuable Running Back, while Martez Hopkins was Most Valuable Defensive Lineman and Vincent Dancy of Noxubee County was chosen Most Valuable Defensive Back.
O'Bryant Brandy of Noxubee County and Rubio Phillips of Kosciusko were named Co-Most Valuable Defensive Players, while John Henderson of New Hope and Richie Howard of Aberdeen were Co-Most Valuable Defensive Players.
Davis Carter of Louisville and Jacob Peeler of Kosciusko were chosen Co-Most Valuable Offensive Linemen, while T.C. Harris of West Point and George Sanders of Noxubee County were chose Co-Most Valuable Receivers. Maurice Howard of Aberdeen was selected Most Valuable Linebacker.
Other players from the Meridian Star coverage area making the Region 3-4A team were: running back Luke Smith, tight end Jacob Townsend, offensive lineman Allen Joiner, kicker Scott Shurden, defensive lineman Anthony Hopson, defensive back Andrew Robinson and defensive back Gavin Grady of Neshoba Central; running back Roberto Jordan, receiver Brandon Tate, offensive lineman Marco Roby, offensive lineman Marcus Pope, offensive lineman Robinsky Hickman, defensive lineman Jevar Doulan, defensive lineman Keon Land, defensive lineman Demetrius Thomas, linebacker Travis Duck and defensive back Antwain Cooper of Noxubee County; and running back Kentay Eiland, receiver Gabe Snow, offensive lineman Ryan Thompson, offensive lineman Timorros Jackson, linebacker Mantrell Ashford, linebacker Durrell Ashford, linebacker Ken Shields, punter Anthony Stanford and defensive back Laron Yarbrough of Louisville.
The coaching staff of the year was from Noxubee County High School.
Winning the Heart of a Champion sportsmanship awards were Luke Smith of Neshoba Central, Reginald Smart of Noxubee County, Courtney Smith of Louisville, Derek Moore of Aberdeen, Cedric Hughes of West Point, Bobby Bouge of New Hope and Marcus Jamison of Kosciusko.
Austin Bishop
Cats win impresses Stratton
Meridian's 81-66 Division 2-5A win at Tupelo Friday night left Golden Wave coach Lee Stratton impressed with the Wildcats.
Tupelo also lost to 2-5A foe Columbus earlier in the week. The Meridian loss dropped the Golden Wave to 7-3.
Starkville completes the four-team league.
Marty Stamper
Turnovers again a key in 2A final
St. John outgained Ackerman by a 301-to-181 yard count, but Ackerman has the gold trophy thanks in part to three critical St. John turnovers.
The first, may have been the most critical. St. John wingback Joseph Barker was just a foot from scoring a touchdown that would've put the Eagles up 20-0. Instead he was stripped of the ball before reaching the goal-line.
Derrick Boyd picked up the loose ball and raced 97 yards for the Ackerman touchdown. The play was essentially a 14-point swing.
Then in the second half, St. John fullback Leo Casey was popped at the Ackerman 12 and fumbled. The miscue prevented another potential score for St. John.
The final nail came in the fourth quarter when St. John quarterback Garner Wetzel tried a bootleg pass out of his own endzone. It was intercepted at the St. John nine. Ackerman then covered the nine-yard distance to go up 20-14.
Jeff Byrd
Admirals seeking return to glory years
The Gulfport Admirals enjoyed a great deal of success on the hardwood under former coach Bert Jenkins and it looks like they would like to return to the glory years that usually ended at the Big House.
The Admirals crushed Niceville, Fla., 95-46 Friday to improve to 9-0.
Marty Stamper