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Top 15 5A-6A

1. South Panola  89 (5)
2. Madison Central 85 (1)
3. Olive Branch 68
4. Wayne County 65
t5. Oak Grove 59
t5. West Jones 59
7. Ocean Springs 57
8. Meridian 54
9. Picayune 46
10. George County 24
11. Oxford 23
12. Hattiesburg 17
13. Southaven 12
14. Ridgeland 9
t15. Moss Point 8
t15. Natchez 8

Others receiving votes: Brookhaven 7, Pearl 6, Clinton 5, Yazoo City 4, Harrison Central 3, West Point 3, Petal 1

Top 15 3A-4A

t1. Louisville  72 (2)
t1. Noxubee County 72 (3)
3. Shannon 65
4. Tylertown 56
5. Quitman 43
6. Itawamba AHS 39
7. St. Stanislaus 35
8. Forest 31
9. Ripley 28
10. Lawrence County 27
11. Lafayette County 21
12. Forrest County AHS 15
13. Philadelphia 14
14. Columbia 12
15. South Pike 11

Others receiving votes: Hazlehurst 9, Morton 8, Franklin County 7, Charleston 5, Nettleton 5, Northeast Jones 5, Perry Central 5, Carthage 4, Velma Jackson 4, West Lauderdale 4, Collins 1, Corinth 1

Top 15 1A-2A

1. West Bolivar 75 (5)
2. Bassfield 62
3. Puckett 61
4. Ackerman 51
t5. Eupora 41
t5. Weir 41
t7. Scott Central 34
t7. Durant 34
9. Ray Brooks 31
10. Hollendale Simmons 31
11. Vardaman 20
12. Baldwyn 19
13. Walnut 15
14. Calhoun City 13
t15. Mount Olive 12
t15. North Forrest 12

Others receiving votes: J.Z.George 9, Bruce 8, Bogue Chitto 7, Mize 7, Taylorsville 7, Sebastopol 5, Union 3, Coffeeville 2

Top 10 MAIS

1. Jackson Prep 49 (4)
2. Jackson Academy 41
3. MRA 38
4. Lamar School 31 (1)
5. Washington School 28
6. Trinity Episcopal 22
7. Simpson Academy 10
t8. Lee Academy 9
t8. Pillow Academy 9
10. Parklane Academy 8

Others receiving votes: Oak Forest Academy (LA) 5 River Oaks Academy (LA) 4, Presbyterian Christian School 6, Bowling Green (LA) 3, Brookhaven Academy 2, Central Hinds Academy 2, Desoto Academy (Ark) 1

CALHOUN CITY — Avery Hill has emerged as a viable option in the Wildcats’ running attack after the injury suffered by quarterback JR Jennings has forced Howard to move from the running back position to take snaps in the past two games.

Hill’s 12-yard touchdown run in the third quarter proved to be the difference maker in the Calhoun City’s 21-15 win over the Houston Hill toppers this past Friday night.

Jennings saw limited time due to a shoulder injury suffered in last week’s 32-27 loss to Coffeeville, but the junior made the best of his time on the field throwing a pair of touchdown passes early in the contest.

Jennings threw the first of his two touchdown tosses to a wide open Raheem Roberson for a 17-yard score. Roberson booted through the extra point to give the Cats’ a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Later in the second quarter he found Demarius Howard for a 28-yard scoring toss, but the kick failed allowing Houston to make it a 13-8 ball game when Reggie Buchanan scored on a 5-yard run and added to the two point conversion on the ensuing drive.

Hill scored on a 12-yard run and added the two-point conversion to give the Cats a 21-8 lead early in the third quarter, but once again the Toppers answered with a Will Kirby 22-yard touchdown run and extra-point by Emmit Dendy to tack on the games final score late in the third quarter.

Neither team could manage any points in the fourth quarter and Calhoun City held on to pick up the six-point victory over the Hilltoppers.

Hill rushed for a touchdown and 151 of the team’s 284 yards of total rushing offense while Jennings completed 3-of-5 passing for 55 yards and two touchdowns.

Calhoun City improved to 1-1 while Houston fell to 0-2 on the season.

Up next for Calhoun City will be a team in the same shoes the Wildcats were in this past Friday night against Houston — the Water Valley Blue Devils.

The Class 3A Blue Devils (0-1) dropped a 34-25 season opening decision to the Coffeeville Pirates (2-0) this past Friday night. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Vardaman head coach Justin Hollis announced earlier today that the Rams’ September 11th game against in-county rival Calhoun City has been moved to Thursday, September 10th.

Danny McKenzie/Blue Mountain College

BLUE MOUNTAIN — Though the first official Blue Mountain College softball season is still a year away, Lady Toppers coach Kevin Barefield will hold an open tryout for prospective players on Saturday, Sept 12 at the New Albany Sportsplex.

The tryouts are scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon and 4 p.m.-7-p.m. Each session is open to current high school and college students.

The Lady Toppers will begin intercollegiate competition in the NAIA TranSouth Athletic Conference during the spring of 2011.

“We’ve got a whole year before we start playing, but we want to field the best team we can once we do,” Barefield said. “The TranSouth is a strong softball league, but with the level of high school and community college competition in our immediate recruiting area to build on we feel like BMC will right in the middle of things.”

For complete information about the tryouts and the Blue Mountain College softball program, contact Barefield at 662-837-5353 or kbarefield@bmc.edu.

The Mississippi Prep Sports Source rankings are produced each week by Austin Bishop and Bobby Gray. Bishop has been covering high school sports in Mississippi since 1975, while Gray is a longtime follower of prep football in North Mississippi. The ranking service is in its second year.

MHSAA 6A

1. South Panola (2-0) — Beat No. 15 Northwest Rankin 34-13
2. Madison Central (2-0) — Beat Memphis Melrose (Tenn.) 43-28
3. Oak Grove (2-0) — Beat No. 9 Petal 21-18
4. Meridian (2-0) — Beat Wayne County 21-7
5. Olive Branch (2-0) — Beat Millington (Tenn.) 41-13
6. Hattiesburg (1-1) — Beat Laurel 24-21
7. Ocean Springs (1-1) — Lost to  Tylertown 22-21
8. Petal (0-2) — Lost to No. 4 Oak Grove 21-18
9 Clinton (2-0) — Beat Ridgeland 33-20
10. Southaven (2-0) — Beat Center Hill 35-14
11. Natchez (2-0) — Beat Wilkinson County 44-14
12. Gulfport (2-0) — Beat Gautier 28-14
13. George County (1-1) — Lost to Stone County 38-0
14. Brandon (1-1) — Beat Pearl 13-7
15. Warren Central (1-1) — Beat Lawrence County 34-13

Lurking Around: Biloxi (2-0), Hancock (2-0), Harrison Central (1-0, Northwest Rankin (0-2).

MHSAA 5A

1. West Jones (1-0) — Beat Northeast Jones 13-12
2. Wayne County (1-1) — Lost to Meridian 21-7
3. Stone County  (2-0) — Beat George County 38-0
4. Moss Point (1-1) —Beat No. 2 Picayune 41-19
5. West Point (0-1) — Open
6. Gautier (1-1) — Lost to Gulfport 28-14
7. New Hope (1-0) — Beat Tupelo 28-17
8. Picayune (0-1) — Lost to No 5 Moss Point 41-19
9. Brookhaven (1-0) — Beat Franklin County 26-18
10. Hernando (0-0) — Open
11. Forest Hill (2-0) — Beat Wingfield 36-6
12. Neshoba Central (1-1) — Lost to West Lauderdale 14-7
13 Pearl (0-2) — Lost to Brandon 13-7
14. Callaway (1-1) — Beat Murrah 33-13
15. Oxford (1-1) — Lost to Charleston 31-13

Lurking Around: Ridgeland (1-1), Vancleave (1-1), Clarksdale (1-1), Yazoo City (1-1).

MHSAA 4A

1. Noxubee County (2-0) — Beat Columbus 23-12
2. Louisville (2-0) — Beat Starkville 26-21
3. Shannon (2-0) — Beat Memphis East (Tenn.) 42-34
4. Lafayette County (2-0) — Beat Memphis Trezevant (Tenn.) 33-13
5. Quitman (2-0) — Beat Heidelberg 18-0
6. Itawamba AHS (1-0) — Beat Amory 49-7
7. NE Jones (0-1) — Lost to West Jones 13-12
8. St. Stanislaus (2-0) — Beat Mendenhall 50-7
9. West Lauderdale (1-1) — Beat Neshoba Central 14-7
10. Lawrence County (1-1) — Lost to Warren Central 34-13
11. South Pike (1-0) — Beat McComb 14-12
12. Forrest County AHS (2-0) — Beat Bassfield 22-12
13. Greene County (2-0) — Beat Vancleave 30-6
14. Magee (1-0) — Beat St. Andrew’s 40-21
15. Senatobia (2-0) — Beat Corinth 48-21

Lurking Around: Columbia (1-1),  New Albany (1-1), Cleveland (0-2), Humphreys County (1-0), Pontotoc (1-0).

MHSAA 3A

1. Tylertown (2-0) — Beat Ocean Springs 22-21
2. Forest (1-0) — Beat Scott Central 39-18
3. Perry Central (2-0) —Beat Columbia 35-20
4. Philadelphia (2-0) — Beat J.J. McClain 36-14
5. Morton (2-0) — Beat No. 6 Hazlehurst 46-28
6 Aberdeen (1-1) — Beat Ray Brooks 52-14
7. Charleston (2-0) — Beat Oxford 31-13
8 Hazlehurst (1-1) — Lost to No. 10 Morton 46-28
9. Booneville (2-0) — Beat Baldwyn 14-6
10. Ripley (0-1) — Lost to New Albany 33-28
11. Franklin County (0-2) — lost to Brookhaven 26-18
12. Corinth ((0-1) —Lost to Senatobia 48-21
13. Raleigh (2-0) — Beat Mize 14-11
14. Velma Jackson (2-0) — beat Canton 20-14
15. McLaurin (2-0) — Beat Dexter 33-28

Lurking Around: St. Patrick (1-0), South Delta (1-1), Choctaw Central (2-0), Collins (1-1), St. Andrews (1-1), Winona (1-1), Leland (1-0, Jefferson County (0-1), Ruleville Central (1-0), Belmont (1-0).

MHSAA 2A

1. West Bolivar (2-0) — Beat Cleveland 13-7
2. Eupora (2-0) — Beat Weir 48-7 on Thursday night
3. Ackerman (2-0) — Beat Durant 42-14
4. Puckett (2-0) — Beat Pelahatchie 34-0
5. North Forrest (2-0) — Beat Stringer 17-7
6. Scott Central (1-1) — Lost to Forest 39-18
7. Loyd Star (2-0) — Beat Cathedral 27-20
8. Bassfield (0-2) — Lost to Forrest County AHS 22-12
9. Hollandale-Simmons (1-0) — Beat South Delta 13-8
10. Pisgah (2-0) — Beat Edinburg 67-6
11 Mize (1-1) — Lost to Raleigh 14-11
12. Taylorsville (1-1) — Beat South Jones 42-6
13. Calhoun City (1-1) — Beat Houston 21-15
14. Baldwyn (0-1) —Lost to Booneville 14-6
15. Walnut (1-0) — Game canceled

Lurking Around: East Marion (1-0), Stringer (1-1), Enterprise-Clarke (1-0), Union (1-1), Hinds AHS (1-1), 15-13 Bruce (0-1), Wesson (1-0), Pelahatchie (1-1), Madison St. Joe (1-1), East Webster (1-1), Bay Springs (1-1), West Lowndes (2-0).

MHSAA 1A

1. Vardaman (1-0) — Beat Bruce 24-22
2. Mount Olive (0-1) — Open
3. Durant (1-1) — Lost to Ackerman 42-14
4. Ray Brooks (0-1) — Lost to Aberdeen 52-14
5. Coffeeville (2-0) — Beat Water Valley Beat Water Valley 34-25
6. Weir (1-1) — Lost to Eupora 48-7
7. Sebastopol (2-0) — Beat Lake 30-8
8. Greenville St. Joe (2-0) — Beat Madison St. Joe 21-7
9. Nanih Waiya (1-1) — Beat Kemper County 28-22
10. Bogue Chitto (1-1) — Beat Enterprise-Lincoln 9-8
11. Smithville (1-0) — Beat Hamilton 13-12
12. McAdams (2-0) — Beat Williams-Sullivan 42-14
13. Okolona (1-0) — Open
14, Natchez Cathedral (0-1) — Lost to Loyd Star 27-20
15. Drew (0-1) — Lost to Ruleville Central 26-20

Lurking Around: Shaw (0-1), Biggersville (2-0), Falkner (0-1, St. Aloysius (1-1), Dexter (0-2), South Leake (1-1), Ethel (1-1), French Camp (1-0).

MAIS

1. Jackson Prep (2-0) — Beat MRA 35-0
2. Jackson Academy (2-0) — Beat Oak Forest (La.) 16-6
3. Pillow Academy (2-0) — Beat Oak Hill 48-28
4. Washington School (1-1) — Beat River Oaks 24-7
5. Lamar School (2-0) — Beat Starkville Academy 43-7
6. MRA (1-1) — Lost to Jackson Prep 35-0
7. Magnolia Heights (2-0) — Beat Marshall 34-7
8. Oak Forest (1-1) — Lost to Jackson Academy 16-6
9. Clarksdale Lee (2-0) — Beat Kirk 34-12
10. Centreville (1-1) — Beat Parklane 22-21
11. Parklane (0-2) — Lost to Centreville 22-21
12. Leake Academy (1-0) — Open
13. Simpson County (2-0) — Beat Wayne Academy 36-0
14. DeSoto School (2-0) — Beat Hebron Christian 35-6
15. Heritage (2-0) — Beat Winston 13-12

Lurking Around: Trinity Episcopal (2-0), Brookhaven (2-0), Presbyterian Christian (2-0), Bowling Green (2-0), Winston (0-2), Canton (1-1), Central Private (2-0).

Sitting (L-R): Christi Lewis, Alex Shelton, Cori Arceneaux, Rickia Morgan, India Whittle, Kimberly Hendrix, Renikka Ware, Portia Randle, Chae Godwin. Standing (L-R): Head coach Junior Noel, Erica Carter, Samantha Johnson, Ebone' Gaskin, Jennifer Fox, Caprisha Mullen, Nikeisha Noel, Raycine Clarke, Chanetta Stevens, student assistant Todd Chisolm. Photo courtesy of the EMCC Athletic Site.

Jennifer Fox has accomplished something she never dreamed of doing during her stellar athletic career at Calhoun City High School — playing collegiate soccer.

Fox, a sophomore at East MS Community College, participated in and excelled at basketball, track, cheerleading, and band while at Calhoun City, a school that does not have a soccer program. As a matter of fact; none of the schools in Calhoun County offer the sport.

There are no summer soccer programs or leagues in the county making the fact of her successfully making the team both impressive and curious.

“My roommate, Cori Arceneaux, from Diamondhead, MS got me interested in soccer because she has been playing for 10 years,” said Fox.

It was an interest turned success as head coach Junior Noel molded the raw talent of Fox into a valuable starter at the defender position.

“Coach said if I can walk on my two feet then he can teach me to play soccer,” Fox.

East Mississippi (1-0-2) is off to a solid start in their inaugural season beating East Central 12-0 last Thursday and battled to a 5-5 tie against Co-Lin Community College and a 2-2 final against Southwest CC.

“In the three games I’ve played I’ve learned a lot,” Fox. “I’ve learned that soccer is actually a fun sport. You have got to be in shape and there is a lot more to it than just kicking a ball around… you have positions and zones you can not cross. I will have to say that after basketball, soccer is my favorite sport.”

She hopes to pursue a career in soccer past East Mississippi, but says if that isn’t an option she is looking to attend Mississippi State, West Alabama, or UAB to continue her education.

Fox will play in a pair of double headers in North Mississippi this month; first at Senatobia against Northwest on Friday September 18th at 2:00 p.m. and on Wednesday September 23rd starting at 6:00 p.m. in Tupelo.

Josh Hodges improved to 2-1 on the season as the Rookie Gulf Coast League Marlins picked up a 6-1 win over the Astros on Sunday. Hodges struck out four batters, walked two, and scattered three hits over four scoreless innings of work.

“I’m finally getting back to the velocity I had during high school,” said Hodges who has a 4.02 ERA along with 14 strike outs in 15.2 innings pitched this season.

The win was the second in the month of August for the Ingomar native.

The Marlins will wrap up the regular season this Monday against the Nationals and will battle the Yankees on Tuesday for the right to go to the GCL Championship.

The 16-under World Series Champion Cody’s Angels was honored during a ceremony held before the Atlanta Braves game against the Florida Marlins this past Sunday.

Front row: left to right: Kimberly Whitt, Shelby Whitt, Halee Hunter, Raven Hayes, Ashley Camp, Bailey Oswalt, Magen Tapley, Haley Gravat, Cathryn Moore, Courtlyn McCollum Back row: left to right: Coach Jeff Whitt, Paige Earnest, Coach John Gravat, Houston Mayor Stacy Parker and Coach Braxton Franks. Photo by Melissa Gravat.

Dylan Favre completed 32 of 50 passing for the record-breaking 549 yards in St. Stanislaus Rockachaws’ 50-7 win over Mendenhall.  The 549-mark tops the old record of 544 yards held by Micheal Spurlock – formerly of Indianola-Gentry.

Spurlock passed for Class 5A state records of 3,348 yards and 35 TDs in 2000, also rushed for another 1,161 yards and scored 10 TDs, giving him 4,509 total yards and 45 TDs during senior campaign. He  currently holds the record for touchdowns in a single game with 9.

He eventually signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006.  In 2007, Spurlock etched his name in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he back the first player in franchise history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in the regular season against the Atlanta Falcons.

Spurlock is currently with the San Fransico 49ers.

Favre currently holds the most touchdown passes in a season with 48 — surpassing the mark of 42 by North Panola’s Clifton Davis III in 1990.

Jeremy Kennedy/Special to GoreSports.net

Rivalry games have long had monikers or phrases associated with it to bring about how different they are than games between two teams with no ties to one another.

For the last week I’ve been talking about a phrase I would like to add to it: expect the unexpected.

Two weeks into the 2009 season and we’ve already covered a bunch of rivalry games, and the unexpected has occurred more than the expected.  Take the Bruce-Vardaman game from Thursday night.  That should have ended in a blowout for Vardaman, but instead turned into an instant classic because nobody expected what the incredibly young Bruce Trojans would do in a matter of five minutes. It went from 18-0 deep in the 4th quarter to a 24-22 Vardaman win, with some controversy at the end to really polish off a good rivalry game.

The Booneville-Baldwyn game also had its quirks.  If you tuned into the telecast you heard myself and Adam Gore mention over and over again the glaring statistics: 6 Booneville turnovers, and 6 possessions started inside Baldwyn territory and only one score; and that score came only because a Baldwyn player touched the ball at the 10 yard line and gave the Blue Devils a goal-to-go start.  Finally, the Blue Devils punched it in and clinched the win 14-6 but you just got the feeling that it felt more like a moral loss than anything else because of all the miscues.

But then again maybe it didn’t.

Maybe because in these rivalry games, when so much is on the line and so much is won or lost, expecting the unexpected is more intelligent analysis than trying to cover the X’s and O’s.  One thing I’m taking away from the first two weeks of rivalry games is that sometimes match ups and schemes aren’t nearly the deciding factor as the unexpected.

So expect it.

In related news: “Y’all vs US Series” to air feature rivalries games across the state