07/23/03
Strider Academy - Noah Ryals, a pitcher, shortstop and third baseman for Strider Academy, earned District 2 Most Valuable Player this past season after going 12-1 as a pitcher and hitting .673 with 3 home runs and 32 RBI. Along with a breaking pitch, he has good movement on his 82-83 miles per hour fastball. The 5-11, 168-pounder played for former Major League Baseball player Ron Hunt last summer in St. Louis.

07/22/03
Vancleave HS - According to a source of mine, junior Johnny Peterson, a 5-8, 150-pound cornerback and free safety, had 57 tackles, 1 interception, 3 fumbles caused, 3 fumbles recovered and 14 deflected passes last season. He benches 200+ pounds, squats 350 and powercleans over 200+ pounds. His forty is 4.7.

Jim Hill HS - Senior defensive tackle Tivan Harris (5-8, 265) has attended the June 7th Louisiana Tech and the June 28th Southern Miss Senior camp. He also plans on attending the July 26th Mississippi State camp. Tivan runs the forty in 5.2, benches 385, squats 550 and has a vertical leap of 25 inches. With a 3.3 grade point average, Tivan will easily qualify.

07/21/03
Starkville HS - Senior fullback Jamile Owens (6-1, 230) is now bench pressing 315 pounds. Look for him to attend this weekend's MSU 7 on 7 football camp.

Meridian HS - 10th grader Lamario Hopson is a 5-6, 160-pound football player who plays safety for Meridian HS. With a 270 max bench press and 500 squat to his credit and a 4.5 forty, Lamario is a player to watch.

Leake Academy - Jeffery Chancellor is a senior baseball/football player who plays for Leake Academy. Earning All-Conference this past season, Jeffery hit .481 with 1 home run, 10 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 23 games as Leake Academy's leadoff hitter. Jeffery has really come into his own this summer, hitting 5 home runs (2 grand slams) in less than 10 games. Not only does he have great potential as a baseball player, he is also an excellent student who has made the honor roll or headmaster's list every year - 1st through 11th - as well as being selected to the Beta Club.

07/13/03
Ridgeland HS - According to a source of mine, Derrick Holmes, a three-sport letter-winner (football, baseball, basketball) for Ridgeland HS, has caused a great deal of excitement among the coaches at RHS as well as several college coaches.

After batting .500 with 6 triples and 30 stolen bases for Coach Dowdy this past season, Derrick - a centerfielder - made the 4A All-District team. My source also said that Derrick already has baseball plans for next year, including playing in the Mississippi State Games next summer and attending two baseball showcases - Florida (Baseball One) and Las Vegas - that he has been invited to.

In basketball, my source went on to say that current Pearl High School head coach - and former MSU head basketball coach - Richard Williams was impressed enough with Derrick to add him to his summer all-star team that will play in July.

As for football, the 5-10, 170-pound defensive back has, according to my source, impressed football coaches - Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Tennessee - at the summer camps that he has attended because of his aggressiveness and speed (4.4 forty). Tentative plans for next year have him attending the Nike football camp and camps at Michigan, UCLA, Mississippi State and Southern Miss.

All this and, amazingly, he will only be a junior next season. Obviously a player to keep an eye on next year.

07/08/03
St. Joseph HS (Greenville) - Max Freeman, who is a an upcoming junior shortstop/pitcher, made the first-team 1-A All State baseball team as a high school freshman. According to my source, he has been selected the MVP of his highschool baseball team and was selected and played in the State Games of Mississippi this past June in Meridian. He is 6-3, 170, bats and throws right-handed. His pitching record last year was 8-2. He batted .440.