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Smithville's Whitney Fears looks to lead her team to back-to-back Class 1A Slow Pitch Championships.

SMITHVILLE — Whitney Fears has long been a key fixture to Smithville’s highly successful softball programs and Monday night the senior shortstop reminded everyone of that in the Lady Seminoles’ 9-4 Region 2-1A win over the Houlka Lady Wildcats.

Fears went 4-for-4 with a trio of singles and a double that drove in four runs while scoring another run to help Smithville stay undefeated inside region play.

Houlka’s Jasmine Spencer hit a grand slam to tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the third, but the difference in game was the bottom half of the Smithville lineup.

Mallory Cooley, Breanna Edgeworth, Kyla Ford, Caitly Capps, and Jennie Avery combined to go 8-for-12 reaching on a walk and error resulting in seven runs compared to Houlka’s bottom five going 0-for-10 producing no runs after reaching on a trio of errors and a walk.

The win over Houlka ensures the Lady Seminoles a spot in the playoffs either as the number one or number two team from Region 2-1A.

A Houlka loss to Ingomar on Tuesday would eliminate the Lady Wildcats from post-season play while a Houlka win would deal the same fate to the Lady Falcons.

An Ingomar win over Houlka plus a win by 2 or more runs over Smithville would give the Lady Falcons the region championship while a win over Ingomar would give the Lady Noles the championship no matter the outcome of the Houlka/Ingomar game.

A Houlka win over Ingomar mixed with Smithville loss to Ingomar would open the door for the Lady Wildcats to take the number one seed. Houlka would have to beat Smithville by 6 or more runs on Thursday to claim the region championship.

All the above barring an upset loss to Tupelo Christian by Smithville or Houlka.

Smithville will not know who they will face in the opening round of the playoffs until the make-up game between Myrtle and West Union scheduled for Wednesday.

The Lady Seminoles have won 10 out of their last 11 games after a 1-6 start to the season.

Adam Armour/Itawamba County Times

An Itawamba Agricultural High School football assistant coach has been accused of sending sexually explicit material to a minor via text message.

Bobby L. Hill, 34, of 1111 East Main Street, Fulton, was arrested Friday evening, Sept. 25, after allegedly sending a sexually explicit photograph of himself to a 16 year old female IAHS student. He was charged with dispensing sexual material to a minor, a misdemeanor charge.

According to Sheriff Chris Dickinson, Hill was issued a bond in the amount of $1,000, which is the standard amount in misdemeanor cases. He is currently out of jail.

If convicted, Hill faces a penalty of up to one year imprisonment.

Click here for the original story and for more developments at Itawamba360.com

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 received by more than 30 media outlets and is in its second year.

MHSAA 6A

1. Madison Central (5-0) — Beat Clinton 24-3
2. South Panola (4-1) — Beat Horn Lake 53-14
3. Meridian (5-0) —Beat Natchez 35-0
4. Oak Grove (4-0) — Beat Wingfield 44-12
5. Olive Branch (4-1) — Beat Southaven 26-15
6 Clinton (4-1) — lost to Madison Central 24-3
7. Petal (3-2) — Beat Biloxi 40-14
8. Ocean Springs (4-1) — Beat Hancock 20-0
9. Hattiesburg (3-2) — Beat Brandon 28-14
10. Southaven (4-1) — Lost to Olive Branch 26-15
11. George County (3-2) — Beat Harrison Central 44-7
12. Gulfport (4-1) — Beat Pascagoula 42-20
13. Brandon (3-2) — Lost to Hattiesburg 28-14
14. Warren Central (3-2) — Beat Northwest Rankin 27-26
15. Harrison Central (4-1) —Lost to George County 44-7

Lurking Around: Natchez (3-2), Biloxi (3-2), Starkville (1-4), DeSoto Central (3-2), and Hancock (2-3).

MHSAA 5A

1. Wayne County (4-1) — Beat Stone County 13-7
2. West Jones (4-0) —Beat Brookhaven 31-14
3. West Point (4-1) —  Beat Indianola Gentry 39-20
4. New Hope (4-0) — Beat Oxford 21-11
5. Stone County  (3-2) — Lost to Wayne County 13-7
6. Brookhaven (2-2) — Lost to West Jones 31-14
7 Pearl (3-2) —Beat Lanier 50-14
8. Moss Point (3-2) — Beat Long Beach 41-20
9. Callaway (4-1) — Beat Provine 26-14
10. Picayune (2-2) —Beat McComb 34-6
11. Forest Hill (4-1) — Beat Pearl River Central 30-6
12. Ridgeland (4-1) — Beat Canton 33-12
13. Gautier (3-2) — Beat West Harrison 54-7
14. Indianola Gentry (3-2) — Lost to West Point 39-20
15. Oxford (1-4) — lost to New Hope 21-11

Lurking Around: Lanier (3-2), Saltillo (3-2), Provine (1-4), Vancleave (2-2-1), and Neshoba Central (3-2).

MHSAA 4A

1. Itawamba AHS (6-0) — Beat Corinth 33-14
2. Shannon (5-0) — Beat Cleveland 29-0
3. Noxubee County (5-1) — Beat Memphis Sheffield 27-0
4. Lafayette County (5-1) — Beat Byhalia 40-6
5 Forrest County AHS (5-1) — Beat Poplarville 31-21
6. Quitman (4-2) — Beat Lawrence County 12-10
7. St. Stanislaus (5-1) — Beat Bay St. Louis 43-29
8. Pontotoc (5-0) — Beat Amory 35-6
9. West Lauderdale (4-2) — Beat Louisville 19-18
10. Louisville (4-2) — Lost to West Lauderdale 19-18
11. Senatobia (6-0) — Beat North Panola 7-6
12. Greene County (4-2) — Beat Pass Christian 43-0
13. Magee (4-1) — Beat Mize 20-12
14. Columbia (4-2) — Beat West Marion 42-28
15. North Pontotoc (5-0) — Open

Lurking Around: Northeast Lauderdale (4-2), Lawrence County (2-3), South Pike (2-3), Bay St. Louis (4-2), New Albany (4-2) and Purvis (3-2).

MHSAA 3A

1. Tylertown (5-0) — Open
2. Forest (4-0) — Beat Raleigh 55-14
3. Morton (6-0) — Beat McLaurin 47-0
4. Charleston (6-0) — Beat Ray Brooks 28-0
5. Perry Central (5-0) — Leads Northeast Jones 13-0 in suspended game
6 Hazlehurst (5-1) — Beat Port Gibson 14-0
7. Booneville (5-0) — Beat Walnut
8. Franklin County (4-2) — Beat Mendenhall 47-7
9. Philadelphia (5-1) — Beat Newton 42-8
10. Aberdeen (4-2) — Beat Houston 73-7
11. Velma Jackson (6-0) — Beat Raymond 46-0
12. Belmont (5-0) — Beat Red Bay (Ala) 39-6
13. McLaurin (5-1) — Lost to Morton 47-0
14. Nettleton (5-1) — Beat Bruce 29-12
15. South Delta (3-3) — Beat Humphreys County 22-18
Lurking Around: Raleigh (3-3), Ripley (2-3), Mooreville (5-1), Choctaw Central (4-2), and Corinth (2-3).

MHSAA 2A

1. West Bolivar (6-0) — Beat Leland 28-0
2. Bassfield (4-2) — Beat Collins 16-0
3 Ackerman (6-0) — Beat Choctaw Central 28-8
4. Eupora (5-0) — Open
5. Puckett (4-1) — Open
6. Loyd Star (5-0) — Open
7. Hollandale-Simmons (5-0) — Beat Riverside 52-0
8. Scott Central (5-1) — Beat Bay Springs 13-6
9. North Forrest (5-1) — Beat Southeast Lauderdale 7-0
10. Taylorsville (4-2) — Beat East Marion 21-0
11. Lumberton (4-1) — Open
12. Mize (4-2) —Lost to Magee 20-12
13. East Marion (3-2) —Lost to Taylorsville 21-0
14. Pisgah (6-0) — Beat Clarkdale 14-7
15. Walnut (4-1) — lost to Booneville

Lurking Around: Wesson (4-0), J.Z. George (4-2), Hinds AHS (4-1), Pelahatchie (5-1), and West Lowndes (4-1).

MHSAA 1A

1. Durant (4-1) — Beat McAdams 32-0
2. Weir (4-1) — Beat Ethel 48-14
3. Coffeeville (4-2) — Beat Drew 28-6
4. Vardaman (3-1) — Beat Coldwater 28-3
5. Nanih Waiya (4-1) — Beat Thomastown 55-6
6. Shaw (3-1) — Open
7. Smithville (5-0) — Beat Wheeler 34-0
8. Sebastopol (3-2) — Beat Natchez Cathedral 26-13
9. Ray Brooks (2-3) — Lost to Charleston 28-0
10. Bogue Chitto (2-3) — Beat St. Aloysius 12-7
11. Mount Olive (0-4) — Leading Salem 15-0 at half when game postponed
12. Biggersville (4-1) — Beat Thrasher 40-0
13. Greenville St. Joe (3-3) — Beat Montgomery County 61-14
14. St. Aloysius (3-2) — Lost to Bogue Chitto 12-7
15. Okolona (3-2) — Beat Falkner 20-12

Lurking Around: Dexter (3-3), McAdams (2-2), French Camp (2-2), South Leake (3-2), and Drew (0-4).

MAIS

1. Washington School (5-1) — Beat Lee 31-0
2. Lamar School (5-0) — Open
3. Jackson Academy (5-1) — Beat Jackson Prep 10-7
4. Jackson Prep (4-2) — Lost to Jackson Academy 10-7
5. MRA (4-1) —Beat Magnolia Heights 42-9
6. Pillow Academy (4-1) — Open
7. Presbyterian Christian (5-1) — Beat Heritage 20-7
8. Trinity Episcopal (6-0) — Beat Central Private 40-19
9. Brookhaven (6-0) — Beat Simpson 37-14
10. Bowling Green (5-1) — Beat Centreville 21-0
11. Magnolia Heights (3-3) — Lost to MRA 42-9
12. Parklane (3-2) — Beat Adams Christian 48-6
13. Leake Academy (5-0) — Beat Canton Academy 24-20
14. Centreville (4-2) — Lost to Bowling Green 21-0
15 DeSoto School (5-0) — Beat Deer Creek 38-0

Lurking Around: Central Private (5-1), Simpson (5-1), Winona Christian (6-0), Tri-County (6-0), and River Oaks (5-1).

Submitted to the Chickasaw Journal

Alcorn Central got on the board early, but East Webster got on the board more often in the Wolverines’ 42-19 Homecoming victory over the Golden Bears this past Friday night.

Dylan Cagle scored on a 1-yard run to put Alcorn Central (2-4, 0-0 Region 1-3A) up 7-0 with a few ticks over nine minutes left in the first quarter, but East Webster (4-2, 0-0 Region 2-2A) answered with a 58-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ledrick Patterson. The two-point conversion failed allowing Central to hold to a one-point edge.

Patterson gave the Wolverines a 12-7 lead on a 29-yard scoring run in the final minute of the first quarter. Patterson found the end zone for the third time in the first half on a 6-yard run after the Wolverines recovered a fumble deep inside Central territory just before halftime.

A successful two-point conversion gave East Webster an 18-7 lead at the break.

The Ledrick Patterson show wasn’t over as he scored on a 22-yard run, connected with Miguel Graham for a 26-yard scoring toss, and capped off the night with a 5-yard touchdown run to give East Webster a 42-7 lead through three quarters of play.

The Wolverines put the offense on cruise control and coasted their way to their second win in a row with an impressive victory on Homecoming Night in Cumberland.

Friday will mark the start of region play for the Wolverines as they hit the road to take on bitter-rival Eupora.

Eupora (5-0, 0-0 Region 2-2A) were off last week. The Eagles have been getting it done on both sides of the ball this season averaging 35 points per game on offense. Defensively they are only allowing 10.6 points per game.

DeMarcus Pass averages 116.6 yards rushing per game while Tre McCarthy is slinging the ball around the yard for an average of 79 yards passing per game. Emanuel Brooks is leading the way on defense with 47 tackles and one sack on the season.

Next week things will not get easier for the Wolverines as they stay inside region play as they play host the high-scoring Ackerman Indians (6-0, 0-0 Region 2-2A).

A severe thunderstorm suspended the Northeast Jones-Perry Central game Friday night about five seconds into the second quarter.

With Perry Central leading 13-0, the game is suspended until the Mississippi High School Activities can rule on the game Monday.

“According to the MHSAA every time there is lightning spotted in the area,” said Northeast coach Bubba Hathorn. “We have to stop the game for 30 minutes,” Hathorn said. “After about four lightning spots around the area, we would have been 10:30 starting the game. So, for protection of the fans and players, we decided to let the MHSAA make the ruling.”

With 11:55 left in the second quarter… officials from each school decided to suspend the game. >>> click here to read more from John Blackledge of the Leader Call.

For just under a decade, Alex Dees walked 17.5 miles a day delivering the mail in his hometown of Philadelphia as part of a 33-year career with the U.S. Postal Service.

On his rounds, Dees gave away gum he carried for children. He doted on postal patrons who were aged or handicapped. Soft-spoken, he wore his uniform – short pants and all – with pride and good humor.

My late mother always appreciated having Alex wait on her at the post office. But what many people in his hometown – especially younger people and newcomers – didn’t know was that Dees had worn another uniform before he wore the uniform of a small town postal employee.

Pound-for-pound, Alex Dees may well have been the best college football player to grow up in Philadelphia. How can one make that claim about someone from Marcus Dupree’s hometown? >>> click here to read more from Sid Salter.

Submitted to the Monroe Journal

NETTLETON — With starting running back Corbin White ailing from a reoccurring ankle injury, Coach Jack Clark turned to back-up running back sophomore Elmonte McClendon to carry the offensive load for the Tigers Friday night.

He didn’t disappoint.

McClendon put on a show in front of the homecoming crowd rushing for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns on 15 carries and capped off his impressive night by picking off a pass in the fourth quarter as the Tigers won their fourth-straight game 29-12 over the Bruce Trojans.

Nettleton (5-1, 0-0 Region 2-3A) took advantage of an early Trojan miscue when a bad snap sailed over the punter’s head forcing Bruce (0-5, 0-0 Region 1-2A) to fall on the loose ball inside their own 5-yard line. The Tigers wasted little time putting points on the board when Anthony Franklin hit Odarius Lowe for a 5-yard scoring pass. Joe Sullivan added the PAT to take a 7-0 lead.

Franklin connected on a 10-yard pass to Lowe and added the two-point conversion on a pass to Colby Chaney to take a 15-0 lead at the half.

The Trojans missed two first half scoring opportunities after an interception on the Tigers’ opening drive of the game and after driving deep inside Tiger territory in the latter stages of the second quarter.

McClendon put the game away on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter.

An electrifying run saw the sophomore break numerous tackles and weave his way past other would-be defenders to race down the sidelines for a 64-yard touchdown run to give Nettleton a 22-0 lead after the successful kick.

Zach Ross tacked on a 1-yard insurance touchdown run later in the quarter to put the Tigers up 29-0 midway through the third quarter, but the scrappy Bruce Trojans didn’t go away quietly into the muggy night.

Freshman quarterback Davis Brown came off the bench to lead the Trojans to a pair of touchdowns. The first late in the third quarter on an 8-yard pass to Justin Green and another after the Trojans blocked a Sullivan punt to set up a 33-yard toss to Zay Armstrong on their first play from scrimmage.

Brown finished 11-of-22 for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Shaq Bush caught six passes for 118 yards.

Nettleton out gained Bruce 291 to 210 offensively.

Ross finished with 44 yards and a touchdown on four carries and one catch for 16 yards. White rushed 14 yards on three carries. Franklin completed 6-of-17 passing for 56 yards and two touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 19 yards on 12 carries. Lowe caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. Patrick Jones had two catches for 20 yards and one carry for 2 yards.

This week the Tigers travel to Yalobusha County to take on the Water Valley Blue Devils to open region play.

The Blue Devils (2-3, 0-0 Region 2-3A) are coming off back-to-back tough losses after a questionable safety call handed them a 16-14 road loss to North Pontotoc and a blocked extra point opened the door for a 7-6 home loss to Independence.

Next week the South Pontotoc Cougars (3-3, 0-0 Region 2-3A) come to town for the first of two-straight home games for the Tigers.

This is how the Top 15 teams in each classification of the Mississippi Prep Sports Source Rankings fared on Thursday and Friday night. The MPSS rankings are in their second season and are compiled by Austin Bishop and Bobby Gray and are subscribed to my more than 30 media outlets in Mississippi.

MHSAA 6A

1. Madison Central (5-0) — Beat Clinton 24-3
2. South Panola (4-1) — Beat Horn Lake 53-14
3. Meridian (4-0) —Beat Natchez 35-0
4. Oak Grove (4-0) — Beat Wingfield 44-12
5. Olive Branch (4-1) — Beat Southaven 26-15
6 Clinton (4-1) — lost to Madison Central 24-3
7. Petal (3-2) — Beat Biloxi 40-14
8. Ocean Springs (4-1) — Beat Hancock 20-0
9. Hattiesburg (3-2) — Beat Brandon 28-14
10. Southaven (4-1) — Lost to Olive Branch 26-15
11. Harrison Central (4-1) —Lost to George County 44-7
12. Brandon (3-2) — Lost to Hattiesburg 28-14
13.. Gulfport (4-1) — Beat Pascagoula 42-20
14. Warren Central (3-2) — Beat Northwest Rankin 27-26
15. Natchez (3-2) — Lost to Meridian 35-0

MHSAA 5A

1. Wayne County (4-1) — Beat Stone County 13-7
2. West Jones (5-0) —Beat Brookhaven 31-14
3. West Point (4-1) —  Beat Indianola Gentry 39-20
4. Stone County  (3-2) — Lost to Wayne County 13-7
5. New Hope (4-0) — Beat Oxford 21-11
6. Brookhaven (2-2) — Lost to West Jones 31-14
7 Pearl (3-2) —Beat Lanier 50-14
8. Moss Point (3-2) — Beat Long Beach 41-20
9. Callaway (3-2) — Beat Provine 26-14
10. Picayune (2-2) —Beat McComb 34-6
11. Forest Hill (4-1) — Beat Pearl River Central 30-6
12. Ridgeland (4-1) — Beat Canton 33-12
13. Indianola Gentry (3-2) — Lost to West Point 39-20
14. Lanier (3-2) — Lost to Pearl 50-14
15. Gautier (3-2) — Beat West Harrison 54-7

MHSAA 4A

1. Itawamba AHS (6-0) — Beat Corinth 33-14
2. Shannon (5-0) — Beat Cleveland 29-0
3. Noxubee County (4-1) — Beat Memphis Sheffield 27-0
4. Lafayette County (5-1) — Beat Byhalia 40-6
5 Forrest County AHS (5-1) — Beat Poplarville 31-21
6. Quitman (4-2) — Beat Lawrence County 12-10
7. Louisville (4-2) — Lost to West Lauderdale 19-18
8. St. Stanislaus (5-1) — Beat Bay St. Louis 43-29
9. Pontotoc (5-0) — Beat Amory 35-6
10. Senatobia (6-0) — Beat North Panola 7-6
11. Greene County (4-2) — Beat Pass Christian 43-0
12. Magee (4-1) — Beat Mize 20-12
13. Columbia (4-2) — Beat West Marion 42-28
14. Lawrence County (2-3) — Lost to Quitman 12-10
15. North Pontotoc (5-0) — Open

MHSAA 3A

1. Tylertown (5-0) — Open
2. Forest (4-0) — Beat Raleigh 55-14
3. Morton (6-0) — Beat McLaurin 47-0
4. Charleston (6-0) — Beat Ray Brooks 28-0
5. Perry Central (6-0) — Beat Northeast Jones 13-0
6 Hazlehurst (5-1) — Beat Port Gibson 14-0
7. Booneville (4-0) — hosts 4-0 Walnut on Monday
8. Franklin County (4-2) — Beat Mendenhall 47-7
9. Philadelphia (5-1) — Beat Newton 42-8
10. Aberdeen (4-2) — Beat Houston 73-7
11. McLaurin (5-1) — Lost to Morton 47-0
12. Velma Jackson (6-0) — Beat Raymond 46-0
13. Belmont (5-0) — Beat Red Bay (Ala) 39-6
14. Nettleton (5-1) — Beat Bruce 29-12
15. Raleigh (3-3) — Lost to Forest 47-0

MHSAA 2A

1. West Bolivar (6-0) — Beat Leland 28-0
2. Bassfield (4-2) — Beat Collins 16-0
3 Ackerman (6-0) — Beat Choctaw Central 28-8
4. Eupora (5-0) — Open
5. Puckett (4-1) — Open
6. Loyd Star (5-0) — Open
7. Scott Central (5-1) — Beat Bay Springs 13-6
8. Hollandale-Simmons (5-0) — Beat Riverside 52-0
9. North Forrest (5-1) — Beat Southeast Lauderdale 7-0
10. Taylorsville (4-2) — Beat East Marion 21-0
11. Lumberton (4-1) — Open
12. Mize (4-2) —Lost to Magee 20-12
13. East Marion (3-2) —Lost to Taylorsville 21-0
14. Pisgah (6-0) — Beat Clarkdale 14-7
15. Walnut (4-0) — at 4-0 Booneville on Monday

MHSAA 1A

1. Durant (4-1) — Beat McAdams 32-0
2. Weir (4-1) — Beat Ethel 48-14
3. Coffeeville (4-2) — Beat Drew 28-6
4. Vardaman (3-1) — Beat Coldwater 28-3
5. Nanih Waiya (4-1) — Beat Thomastown 55-6
6. Shaw (3-1) — Open
7. South Leake (3-2) — Lost to French Camp 20-0
8. Smithville (5-0) — Beat Wheeler 34-0
9. Sebastopol (3-2) — Beat Natchez Cathedral 26-13
10. Ray Brooks (2-3) — Lost to Charleston 28-0
11. St. Aloysius (3-2) — Lost to Bogue Chitto 12-7
12. Mount Olive (0-4) —Game with Salem suspended until Monday night
13. Biggersville (4-1) — Beat Thrasher 40-0
14. Greenville St. Joe (3-3) — Beat Montgomery County 61-14
15. McAdams (2-1) — Lost to Durant 32-0

MAIS

1. Jackson Prep (4-2) — Lost to Jackson Academy 10-7
2. Washington School (5-1) — Beat Lee 31-0
3. Lamar School (5-0) — Open
4. MRA (4-1) —Beat Magnolia Heights 42-9
5. Jackson Academy (5-1) — Beat Jackson Prep10-7
6. Pillow Academy (4-1) — Open
7. Magnolia Heights (3-9) — Lost to MRA 42-9
8. Centreville (4-2) — Lost to Bowling Green 21-0
9. Central Private (5-1) — Lost to Trinity Episcopal 40-19
10. Presbyterian Christian (5-1) — Beat Heritage 20-7
11. Parklane (3-2) — Beat Adams Christian 48-6
12. Leake Academy (5-0) — Beat Canton Academy 24-20
13. DeSoto School (5-0) — Beat Deer Creek 38-0
14. Simpson County (5-0) — Lost to Brookhaven Academy 37-14
15. Trinity Episcopal (6-0) — Beat Central Private 40-19

Press Conference Q & A Session

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Taylor Williams dove to make this catch in a loss against Shannon on Tuesday. (Brandon Speck)

AMORY – Shannon couldn’t have picked a better time to pick up its first Division 2-4A win. Amory couldn’t have picked a much worse time to lose its first.

Thanks to a three-run fifth inning, Shannon (9-7, 1-3) picked up a 5-3 win in Amory Tuesday night.

“I’m really proud of the girls. They worked hard and never gave up,” said Shannon coach Stephanie Phillips. “They fought until the end.”

Tied at 2, Shannon went ahead 5-2 with a three-run fifth. Danielle Potts doubled to open the inning and scored on  Monique Braham‘s RBI fielder’s choice. Catharine Cook‘s double plated Braham and >>> click here to read more from Brandon Speck of the Monroe Journal.

Region 2-4A current standings

Amory 3-1
Houston 2-1
Itawamba AHS 2-3
Shannon 1-3

More with Gore: Aberdeen gym name changed in Coach Hazzle’s honor