By By Marty Stamper/staff writer
Feb. 4, 2002
For Mississippi Private School Association members, postseason play gets under way this week with district tournaments on tap.
In the Academy 3-A Tournament at Macon, action begins Tuesday. Newton County Academy takes on Heidelberg Academy at 4 p.m. in a girls' game, while the boys from Kemper Academy (4-18) and Sylva-Bay Academy meet at 5:30. At 7, the girls from Central Academy (14-17) and Sylva-Bay tangle, while the 8:30 boys' contest has Central (1-24) hosting Newton County Academy. All four of Tuesday's games are elimination affairs.
In Friday's semifinals, the top-seeded Lady Rams of Kemper (22-7) take on the NCA-Heidelberg winner, while second-seeded Wayne Academy gets the Central-Sylva-Bay survivor in girls' action. On the boys' side, top-seeded Heidelberg will take on the Kemper-Sylva-Bay winner, while second-seeded Wayne will play the NCA-Central survivor.
Consolation and championship games are slated for Saturday. The top four teams will advance to next week's Central Region Tournament at DeKalb.
The Academy 3-AAA Tournament at Copiah Academy in Gallman will begin Friday. In the girls' semifinals, Lamar's 5-22 Lady Raiders meet the top-seeded Lady Colonels of Copiah (32-2) at 4 p.m., with the 4-18 Raiders of Lamar taking on top-seeded Central Hinds at 5:30. Other semifinals have the Manchester girls playing Central Hinds at 7, with the Copiah (10-18) and Manchester boys clashing at 8:30.
Consolation and championship games are slated to begin Saturday at 4 p.m. All four teams in the district tournament will advance to next week's Academy AAA South State Tournament.
Leake Academy will host the Academy 3-AA Tournament at Madden. On Tuesday, Presbyterian Christian plays Prentiss Christian and East Rankin (18-8) meets Simpson Academy (9-17) in girls' elimination games. East Rankin (9-13) plays Prentiss Christian and Canton Academy (17-11) takes on Simpson (9-15) in boys' elimination contests.
In Friday's action, the Leake Rebelettes (29-5) will play the East Rankin-Simpson winner, while the Canton Academy girls (22-5) will face the Presbyterian Christian-Prentiss Christian survivor. On the boys' side, the Leake boys (25-6) will meet the winner of Canton and Simpson, while the Presbyterian Christian boys will meet the East Rankin-Prentiss Christian winner.
Consolation and championship games are set for Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. The top four teams will advance to next week's Academy AA South State Tournament at Madden.
The Winston Academy teams will be playing in the Academy 2-AA Tournament at Carroll Academy along with Benton Academy, Kirk Academy, and the host Carroll teams, Friday-Saturday. All four teams will advance to next week's Academy AA North State Tournament.
In Alabama private school tournament play, both boys' and girls' teams from Patrician Academy and Sumter Academy will be competing in the AISA State Tournament at Montgomery.
The 17-6 Patrician girls will take on the Pickens-Southern Academy loser, while the 9-9 Sumter girls will face the Pickens-Southern loser in first-round games.
Patrician will play Pickens, while Sumter will square off with Victory Academy-Jefferson Christian winner in first-round boys' action.
In this week's regular season MHSAA action:
Tonight's only game finds Enterprise hosting Stringer in a game that was moved up from Tuesday.
In Tuesday's key game, the Northeast Lauderdale teams host Quitman. A Quitman win in the boys' game would give the Panthers the Division 5-4A regular season championship, while a Northeast win would create a three-way tie at the top among the Trojans, Quitman, and Northeast Jones.
In Tuesday's other games, West Lauderdale hosts Heidelberg, Clarkdale hosts Kemper County, Newton hosts Scott Central, Neshoba Central hosts New Hope, Newton County hosts Carthage, Lake plays Thomastown, Philadelphia hosts Union, Choctaw Central goes to Williams-Sullivan, Nanih Waiya hosts Noxapater, Forest hosts Velma Jackson, Bay Springs hosts South Jones, Wayne County hosts Greene County, Louisville hosts Columbus, and Noxubee County hosts Kosciusko.
On Friday, Meridian entertains Provine and Union hosts Thomastown with the Division 6-1A boys' regular season championship at stake. Wayne County hosts Moss Point with the Lady War Eagles having a change to avenge their only loss of the season.
In Friday's other games, Kemper County hosts Northeast Lauderdale, Southeast Lauderdale hosts West Lauderdale, Newton County hosts Heidelberg, Clarkdale visits Noxapater, Enterprise goes to Scott Central, Quitman hosts Columbus, Lake hosts Edinburg, Forest hosts Newton, Neshoba Central goes to Aberdeen, Bay Springs goes to Mendenhall, Philadelphia hosts Nanih Waiya, Choctaw Central goes to Velma Jackson, Louisville hosts Starkville, and Noxubee County hosts West Point.
Saturday's play has Heidelberg going to Northeast Jones.