By Staff
Star Tracking …
May 18, 2001
KISSIMMEE, FLA. Like The Doors, the Meridian Community College Lady Eagles have officially broken on through to the other side. The winning side, that is. After staring down the barrel at their second straight two-and-out finish at the NJCAA Fastpitch National Championship Tournament, the Lady Eagles bore down and applied direct pressure in the only are they could, defense. The result was a 1-0 victory over the Seminole (Okla.) State CC Lady Trojans to stay alive in the loser's bracket.
La'Shonda Ford, a member of this year's Region 23 champion women's basketball team at East Central Community College, was killed in an automobile accident on May 11 in Rankin County. Services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. in the gym of Forest High School. Mapp Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Ford, a 5-foot-9 freshman, averaged 3.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 assist per game as ECCC went 22-7 and reached the NJCAA Women's National Basketball Championship in Salina, Kan., in March. At Forest High School, she helped the Lady Bearcats go 36-3 and finish second in the state in Class 3A during the 1999-200 season. During her high school career, Ford was all-district and all-state in three sports basketball, cross country, and track.
May 18, 1997
DEMOPOLIS, Ala. Meridian Community College's Brad Love pitched well enough to win. Unfortunately, Wallace-Hanceville's Craig Lewis pitcher better. The end result a 1-0 win for the Lions from Alabama. The victory sends No. 16 Wallace-Hanceville, 43-12, to their first NJCAA World Series appearance since 1992. The Lions swept the No. 1-ranked Eagles in the best-of-three series for the Southeastern District title, winning 5-2 in Friday's opener. With the loss, MCC ends its season at 50-8.
ODESSA, Tex. For the second consecutive year, Joe Walker's Meridian Community College Eagles placed second at the NJCAA Outdoor Track &Field National Championships. The Eagles finished with 73.5 points, just two points behind national champion Wallace-Hanceville (75.5). Rounding out the top five were Butler (68), Central Arizona (55) and Barton County (51.5). The men's national championship meet consisted of 43 teams.
May 18, 1992
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Wimp Sanderson's 32 years as Alabama's basketball coach, successful years at a school known as a football powerhouse, appear to be ending because of a black eye. He is accused of hitting a secretary hard enough to give her a shiner, and the university apparently does not want to risk a black eye on its reputation by keeping him aboard. According to published reports, Sanderson, 54, will announce his resignation today. He would leave with an annual pension of more than $75,000 but with his record tarnished and his future in doubt.
Ryan Satcher
Sports Faces …
Janet Montgomery
Janet Montgomery is the head women's softball coach at West Alabama. Her Lady Tigers had a tough 2002 team season going 15-34.
One of the problems for her program has been recruiting. There is just not enough talent in the immediate West Alabama, East Mississippi area. Much of this area is still tied to slow-pitch.
One thing Montgomery is looking for in players is size.
Jeff Byrd