Support your hometown high school sports team because these players and coaches put forth a lot of effort and hard work to be the best they can be and by going to their games you show them that you appreciate their efforts. If you want to have an added incentive, go to the game to see if you can find a prospect I can put on this page. I want your input to make this page the best it can be.
| 1997 | March | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Jan | Feb | March | April | May | June | July |
08/31/98 - Two Heritage Academy (Columbus, MS) players who are probable D-I prospects are senior quarterback James Wamble (6-3, 195) and sophomore running back Clay Dulaney (5-11, 171). James has thrown for 2,613 yards and 25 TDs the past two years. He is also a good student. BTW, Heritage defeated Carroll Academy last Friday night.
Look for a lot more high school info tomorrow. Ran out of time last night.
08/29/98 - According to one of my sources who attended the Sturgis/Edinburg game Friday night, a player who could be a good one is Edinburg junior running back Chris Ferguson. Chris rushed for somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 yards and returned a kickoff 76 yards. What was so impressive about all of this is he was playing on a bad leg.
08/29/98 - Caledonia HS defeated Hatley High School 7-6 last night behind a tough and determined defense and the outstanding running of junior Jerome Wilson (5-10, 150). Caledonia showed a tremendous amount of fight last night and an abundance of enthusiasm. A huge congratulations goes out to every kid on the Caledonia football team as well as the coaching staff, which is led by new head coach Chris Chambless.
08/29/98 - Smithville High School's outstanding running back Matt Grier gained 271 yds. on 15 carries and scored 4 touchdowns. He also caught several passes and played defense in a 40 to 28 Smithville victory over Vardiman.
08/29/98 - Have you ever heard of Milton Garth? I hadn't either until last night. Milton, a 6-1, 220-lb linebacker/running back, is a sophomore at Leland HS in Leland, Miss. According to my source, Milton, who started as a freshman, is a dominant force on defense and is as quick as they come. His bloodlines are good when you consider that his brother is Kedrick Holmes, one of the most dangerous punt returners and track men in the state about 2 years ago. This is one young football player that needs to be watched very closely the next three years.
08/29/98 - Taylorsville's super junior quarterback Jason Campbell (6-5, 190) started the season off with a bang, going 9-18 for 151 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT (five passes were dropped, including two that would have been TD passes). He also rushed 8 times for 40 yards. Included in his rushes were two sacks for losses of about 5 yards. According to my source, who went to the Taylorsville - Collins game Thursday night, Jason made the correct read every time, had great touch on his passes and was excellent on play action passes. My source, having seen Jason last year, felt he had improved a great deal.
Jason, however, wasn't a one-man team. Taylorsville has a senior kicker, Dusty Hillman, who booted field goals of 32 and 35 yards. They also have a freshman OL/DL by the name of Timmy Ducksworth (6-3, 280) who played outstanding. Plus, they have a sophomore running back, Chris Keyes (5-10, 155) who reminded my source of the late MSU running back Keffer McGee. Chris showed excellent quickness, good speed and great vision.
BTW, Taylorsville defeated Collins 20-0.
08/29/98 - Sam Husband, 6-1, 190-lb quarterback from Tunica Institute of Learning Academy, was a busy youngster this summer. He camped at Alabama, Ole Miss, Southern Miss and the Auburn/FSU passing camp.
In his first game this season, he threw for 225 yards while going 12-for-18 with 2 TD passes. He also ran for 46 yards. His team won 49-19 over the Mississippi County Christian Academy, which is located in Arkansas.
08/26/98 - J.T. Brown is a 6-1, 260 pound senior fullback from South Pontotoc High School. Tulane is showing some interest as a possible tight end. My source feels J.T., who benches 325 and squats close to 500, has the athletic ability to make a good blocking tight end. He could possibly be converted to an offensive lineman. J.T. was listed as one of the top North Mississippi players by the Tupelo Daily Journal.
08/25/98 - Casey Gilbert is the most well known football player from Pascagoula HS (PHS) this year, but keep an eye out for another big man from that school by the name of Chris Hollis. Chris, a senior, is a 6-3, 260 lineman (OG and DE) who was All-Conference as a 9th grader and 2nd Team All-Region last season. As a 11th grader, Chris also won the PHS Ed & Eddie Langford Award which is given to the player who shows the most desire and determination. You never know, Chris may just be one of those guys who comes on strong his senior year and catches the eye of recruiters.
08/24/98 - Harrison Central HS has a player who has a chance to be a good one. Isiah Martin, a 5-9, 190 tailback/safety with 4.6-4.7 speed in the forty, will be a sophomore this year. He benches 275 and squats 375. Keep an eye out for this young man.
08/23/98 - Florence HS has at least four football players that bear watching this season:
08/23/98 - Former Clinton HS basketball player Joe Ward has enrolled at Lanier HS in Jackson, MS. At the earliest, he will gain playing eligibility for the spring semester.
08/21/98 - I haven't mentioned him in a while, but Walnut HS baseball player Trave Hopkins made the All-County Team and All-Division 1-2A First Team in baseball. BTW, his fastball was clocked at 86 mph this summer. Trave will be a junior this coming season.
08/21/98 - Another Walnut HS youngster to watch this coming season is linebacker Nick Hopper (5-11, 170). My source said he is very quick and loves the game. My source felt, with time in the weight room, Nick has a chance to be a D-I caliber player.
08/21/98 - Here is an excellent preview of the New Hope HS Lady Trojan Softball Team:
The Lady Trojans began their MHSAA Class 4A Slow-Pitch title defense this past week. New Hope, 4A State Champions in 1997, begins their 17th year of softball this season. The Lady Trojans have compiled some impressive statistics during the past 16 years. New Hope has won three (3) State Championships in softball. (1989, 1990, and 1997). The first two championships were won during the period of time when the MHSAA conducted one Overall State Championship where all classes, 1A through 5A, competed in the same tournament. New Hope teams were State Runner ups during 1988, 1991 and 1995. One statistic that stands out is the fact that Lady Trojan Softball teams have earned eight (8) appearances in the Final Four tournament conducted by the MHSAA since the tournament started in 1988. New Hope has won 11 district titles, 6 North State Championships and earned berths in 10 MHSAA State Playoffs.
New Hope has the following players participating in softball on the college level at this time:
Angie Davidson - Bevill State, AL (1996)
Leslie Gray - MUW (1995)
Torie O'Brian - MUW (1995)
Heather Weems, Ashley Shepherd, Michelle Winter, Tshurah Dismuke, Kellie
Villeneuve, Stephanie Morton - all from last years (1997) State
Championship team and attending East Mississippi Community College
Coach Cary Shepherd's New Hope teams have compiled an overall record of 352 wins and 117 losses over the past 16 years. Coach Shepherd, considered one of the pioneers of slow-pitch softball in the public schools of the State of Mississippi, recently served as one of the North All-Star coaches during the Mississippi Association of Coaches Softball All-Star Classic, an honor she has received on more than one occasion. Coach Shepherd is assisted by Kathi Fleming, who also serves as the girl's high school basketball coach.
The 1998 Lady Trojan team returns 5 starters:
Michelle Booth, Sr., First Base
Heather McQueen, Sr. Center Fielder
Katherine Hinton, Sr., Pitcher
Pam Gallop, Jr., Short Left Field
Samantha Payne, Jr. Short Stop
Also returning are two part-time starters from last years squad:
Christina Patterson, Sr., Second Base
Jennifer Hester, Jr., Pitcher and Outfielder
Twenty-two players make up our Varsity team which includes 5 seniors, 7 juniors, 8 sophmores, 1 freshman and 1 8th grader. The current Lady Trojan team is 3-1 as of 8/19/98.
08/17/98 - According to my West Point sources, new head football coach Tom Goode, Jr. (son of East Miss CC head football coach Tom Goode, Sr.) has completed his coaching staff, which consists of the following men:
On an unpaid, voluntary basis, Ricky Byrd, Miss State University alumnus, will help coach the offensive line.
08/17/98 - Robert Hamlin, formerly the assistant basketball coach at Armstrong Junior HS in Starkville, will be new Starkville HS basketball coach Orien Watson's assistant coach. Robert, a Miss State graduate, has been coaching with Orien for three years prior to this year.
08/14/98 - According to The Commercial Dispatch, "Danny Cowart, the Magee High School football coach and athletic director who was fired in June for calling the school's principal an obscenity, was reinstated by a court order Wednesday. Simpon County Judge Larry Buffington ordered the county board of education to either reinstate Cowart, find another job for him or to suspend him with pay."
08/11/98 - I haven't been able to confirm it just yet, but the very strong rumor is Oak Hill Academy baseball standout Walt Simmons signed with the University of West Alabama yesterday. They got an outstanding player in Walt.
08/08/98 - Trey Fryfogle, a wide receiver from George County, finished 7th in the USA Track and Field National Championships in Seattle, WA last weekend. He participated in the intermediate boys (15-16 yrs) triple jump. His jump was 12.88 meters which I believe is a little over 42 feet.
Christy Fairley from George County finished 2nd in the intermediate girls (15-16 yrs) 400 meter dash.
To the person who supplied this info to me, I tried to email you a thank you but, for some reason, my email would not go through. Thank you very much for this info.
08/08/98 - Oak Hill Academy (West Point, MS) baseball pitcher Caley Chrismond has signed with Bevill State (AL). Bevill got a very good one in Caley. Look for a teammate of his to sign with the University of West Alabama this Monday. I will say who Tuesday morning.
BTW, a couple of names of Oak Hill Academy baseball players to watch this coming baseball season are Bailey Menetree and Jason Gaskins. More on them later.
08/07/98 - Marshall Academy has three underclassmen baseball players that have the potential to play on the next level.
08/04/98 - According to a rumor I heard last night, Greenwood high school assistant coach Jim Tindall is going to Delta State as a graduate assistant. Tindall was the offensive coordinator last year at Greenwood.
08/04/98 - Caledonia high school's new head football coach is former Sturgis high school assistant coach Chris Chambless. I was told by several sources who know Chris, that Caledonia made a great choice selecting this young man as their head football coach.
08/03/98 - Here are the names and some info on several players I saw play Saturday at the American Legion Senior State Tournament at West Point:
Brett Mosley:
Dusty Lyles:
David Brister