By Staff
May 31, 2002
The Leake Academy Lady Rebels successfully defended their Academy AA slow-pitch softball state championship recently at Brookhaven.
Leake went 4-0 in the tournament, but had to battle from behind in three of the wins.
Leake opened the tournament with a 17-2 rout of Prentiss Christian, then drilled top-seeded Marvell (Ark.) 18-4 in second-round play.
Leake took the championship with 11-10 and 18-12 victories over host Brookhaven Academy.
The Lady Rebels outhit Brookhaven 39-24 in the two games.
In the 18-12 win, Leake got a grand slam from Allison Phillips. Ashton Agent and Anna Lisa Posey added solo homers. Anya Dickerson went 3-for-4. Agent and Kristen Chipley were both 3-for-5.
In the 11-10 win over Brookhaven, Chipley went 4-for-5, while Dickerson, Phillips, Caroline Dees, and Jessica Dickens each had two hits.
Marty Stamper
Faulkner's retirement brief
Charles Faulkner's retirement as football coach at Quitman High School didn't last long. The former Okolona coach has been recently hired as the new football coach at West Point.
Marty Stamper
Myrtle learning quickly
Myrtle won the Class 1A state championship in baseball this spring. Not bad for a school that didn't make its first playoff appearance until 1999.
Myrtle defeated St. Aloysius for the state championship, but even bigger was knocking off Hamilton 4-3 and 9-2 in the North State championship series to end Hamilton's string of seven straight appearances in the state finals.
Marty Stamper
Titans on the move
Lynn Moore had 55 varsity players and 40 freshman come out for football this spring at Ridgeland High School, which is set to open its doors for the first time in August.
The Titans will compete as an independent in 2002. Ridgeland will play its second-ever game at Newton County High School on Sept. 6.
In a spring scrimmage at Taylorsville against Northeast Jones and Taylorsville, the Titans' first-team defense allowed only one touchdown.
Marty Stamper
Shannon turns to Stanfield
Aquanda Stanfield has been named girls' basketball coach at Shannon High School, replacing Ralph Green, who is taking a job in administration. Stanfield was previously an assistant at Oxford and a ninth grade coach at Tupelo.
The Houston native played at Itawamba Community College and was named All-Region 23. She finished her degree at Ole Miss.
Marty Stamper
It's Cards for Riley
Ronnie Riley has been selected to replace Heather Deaton as girls' basketball coach at Belmont High School. Deaton led the Lady Cardinals for three years, going 89-29 and winning the 2000-01 Class 2A state championship in a 38-2 season.
Riley, 45, is a native of Fulton. He has been at Southaven the past five years, leading the Lady Chargers to an 87-66 mark. He previously coached at Itawamba AHS for seven years and at Smithville for one season.
– Marty Stamper
Childers headed to Ripley
Former Northeast Mississippi Community College men's basketball coach Harvey Childers has been named boys' basketball coach at Ripley High School.
– Marty Stamper