By Staff
From Staff Reports
Jan. 10, 2002
The Meridian Wildcats' and Lady Wildcats' clash with Columbus High set for Friday night has been moved.
The Division 2-5A contests will be played at Meridian Community College's Ivy Sports Center instead of Meridian High's Physical Education Building on Friday.
The Meridian High gym floor is being renovated. The refurbished floor is set to be ready in time for the Jan. 15 date when second ranked Starkville High visits.
The game times remain the same with the girls tipping off at 6 p.m. against the Lady Falcons who are 17-1 and ranked in the Top 10 in the latest state poll.
At 7:15, the Wildcats take on the Columbus Falcons who are the top-ranked team in the Clarion-Ledger prep poll.
Jeff Byrd
NEL B-team in tourney
In order to make the Sam Dale Tournament a six-team affair, Northeast Lauderdale head coach Lewis Lightsey has agreed to send his B-team to DeKalb to play in the tournament. The move was approved by the MHSAA, so the games will count on the opponents' varsity records.
So instead of just five teams in the boys field, there is now six.
The B-team Trojans will take on Kemper County in Thursday night's final game.
The Northeast varsity boys, meanwhile, are enjoying a bit of roll since meeting 5A power Callaway at the Jackson Public School Tournament.
The Trojans have won four straight including a win over Lexington McClain at the JPS. They won all three games at the Enterprise Round Robin last week to win the tournament.
"Southeast (Lauderdale) gave us the best game. That team has really improved over the past month," Lightsey added.
Jeff Byrd
Oak Grove Girls in Sam Dale
The reason for the odd number of teams is that there are six girls teams entered.
Oak Grove High School out of Hattiesburg entered the girls field. Oak Grove is a 5A school that plays Hattiesburg, Petal and Natchez in their tournament.
Defending 3A champion Southeast Lauderdale is the big draw in the tournament. Host Kemper County, Northeast Lauderdale, Quitman and Enterprise are also entered.
Oak Grove will take on the winner of the Kemper County-Enterprise winner on Friday. Southeast will get the Northeast Lauderdale-Quitman winner in the early Friday contest.
Jeff Byrd
Former players now coaching in prep ranks
Among the former college basketball players who now coach high school teams that have played in the area recently are David Midlick, who coaches both the boys and girls at Washington School, and Al Perry, who coaches the Pearl Pirates.
Midlick played at Ole Miss in the 1990s, while Perry played at Mississippi State in the late 1970s.
State players must be popular in Rankin County as former Bulldog Greg Carter leads the Brandon Bulldogs.
Marty Stamper
Hosey Jones has Lady Oilers pumping
Former Southern Mississippi Lady Eagle basketball player Nedra Hosey Jones has got her Heidelberg Lady Oilers pumping hard heading into the 2002 portion of its schedule.
The Lady Oilers knocked off both Newton and Laurel right before New Year's to move their record to 10-6. Both of the victims had just one loss before meeting Heidelberg.
Jones was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 1993 leading Bay Springs to two straight Class 3A Championships. In her junior season, she teamed up with current WNBA star and former Florida Lady Gator great Muriel Page.
Heidelberg will have to look forward to stepping back into the rugged Division 5-3A.
Jeff Byrd