By Staff
From staff reports
March 6, 2004
There are several area baseball and softball teams off to good starts this season, but the team with the most wins this season is the weather.
Rain has wreaked its share of havoc, causing high school coaches to work hard to rework their schedules.
Among the games washed out Friday night was West Lauderdale's key Region 5-3A game against arch-rival Newton County High School.
That game was rescheduled for today, with the varsity contest starting at 7 p.m. That means the regularly scheduled game for tonight against Union has been moved to Monday night at 7 p.m.
Austin Bishop
Please report changes, results
Coaches and scorekeepers are urged to inform the sports staff of The Meridian Star when games are postponed, canceled or rescheduled.
We also encourage all area teams to report the results of their games. Please include first and last names of all athletes when these reports are made.
Changes and results can be reported three ways. They can be phoned in at 693-1551, ext. 3235 or 1-800-232-2525, ext. 3235 and left on voice mail; they can be sent in by fax to the attention of the sports department at 485-1275 or they can be sent by e-mail to sports@themeridianstar.com.
Austin Bishop
Baseball, baseball, baseball
There will be plenty of baseball played at Quitman High School in the next few days.
The Panthers, currently 3-2 on the season, have games lined up with West Lauderdale and Meridian High School for today. The Panthers play West Lauderdale first with the varsity game at 1 p.m. and the junior varsity at 11 a.m. Then they host the Wildcats with the varsity game at 6 p.m. and the junior varsity contest starting at 4:30 p.m.
The Quitman High School Invitational starts Monday with Vicksburg, Warren Central, Kosciusko and Bay Springs entered. The tournament was originally scheduled for three days but that has been cut back to two after Raleigh pulled out.
Monday's schedule is as follows: 1 p.m. Vicksburg vs. Bay Springs; 4 p.m. Vicksburg (B team) vs. Quitman; 6:30 p.m. Vicksburg vs. Quitman.
Tuesday's schedule is as follows: 11 a.m. Bay Springs vs. Quitman; 2 p.m. Bay Springs vs. Warren Central; 5 p.m. Warren Central vs. Kosciusko; 8 p.m. Kosciusko vs. Quitman.
Steve Swogetinsky
Neshoba players honored
A number of Neshoba Central boys and girls soccer players were named to the District 2-4A first and second team soccer squads.
The Neshoba Central boys placed Tyler Adkins, Zack Kilpatrick, John Mark Kilpatrick and Scott Fieber on the first team, and Matt Loper, Austin Herrington, Ben Stokes and Kyle Vowell on the second team.
The Neshoba Central girls squad was represented by Katie Cunningham, Kenzie Gaines, Celest Burt and Lindsey Vowell on the first team, and Brianna Stinson, Sarah Williamson and Samantha Giambrone on the second team.
The All-District teams were selected by the coaches.
Tony Krausz
Out to preserve history
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. When the Central-Coosa boys basketball team suits up for the AHSAA Boys Class 4A State Championship basketball game today, it will be trying to keep its place in the history books.
Central-Coosa, which meets Livingston at noon in the title game at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, was the last boys 4A team to win back-to-back titles.
Central-Coosa captured the state crown in 2000 and 2001. The game is also the team's first trip back to the finals since winning it all three years ago. Livingston defeated Beauregard 80-65 last year to win the 4A title, after the team fell short of winning the championship in 2002 against Central-Hayneville.
Tony Krausz
Enjoying the big life
Former Meridian High standout Tijwana Collins is in her final season at the University of Texas-San Antonio and is enjoying a successful senior campaign.
Collins leads the Lady Roadrunners in three-point percentage and is second on the team in three-point field goal made. Collins started 24 games last season for Texas-San Antonio and was among the team leaders in assists.
The Lady Roadrunners are 12-13 overall and 8-6 in conference play.
Robby Atkinson
Diamond Club taps coaches
The Crossroads Diamond Club, co-sponsors of the Pizza Hut Mississippi High School All-Star Baseball Games, has announced the coaches for the 2004 games.
The coaches are David Lara of Brandon and Brian Jones of Neshoba Central for the North 4A/5A; Larry Watkins of Petal and Randy Spring of Brookhaven for the South 4A/5A; David Luke of Carthage and Adam Dillinger of Ackerman for the North 1A/2A/3A; and Eddie Loftin of Seminary and Brian Goodman of Lake for the South 1A/2A/3A.
This year's 4A/5A game will be played at 1 p.m. on June 5 at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson, while the 1A/2A/3A game will be played at 6 p.m.
special reports