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MOOREVILLE – It may truly be difficult to beat a team multiple times in a season. For the third time this season, Nettleton defeated Mooreville, Wednesday evening in a 70-60 win to claim the Mooreville Tournament championship.

Nettleton won the girls championship as well with a 63-48 win against Mooreville.

It was less than simple this time for the Tigers. The first two wins came by a combined 68 points.

“Mooreville stayed right in there and >>> click here to read more from Brandon Speck.

PONTOTOC — Lana Goggins scored 19 points and Elizabeth Henson added 15 to help lead South Pontotoc to a 46-45 win over Hernando in the Battle of the Best VII on Monday.

After a sluggish start to the ballgame Hernando outscored South Pontotoc 15-9 in the second quarter to take a 19-17 halftime lead. Henson and Goggins took over in the third quarter scoring all 14 points in the quarter to help push the Lady Cougars out to take a 33-28 lead into the fourth quarter.

Hernando pulled even at 42-42 with 3:23 left in the final frame before Emily Henson broke away for an uncontested lay-up to give the Lady Cougars a 45-44 lead with 1:32 left in the game. The teams traded turnovers and missed shots until Aubree Ray connected on the front end of a two shots from the free throw line to tie the game 45-45 with nine seconds left on the clock.

Goggins grabbed the rebound on the second shot and was sent to the line for a pair of free throws after an over-the-back foul was whistled on the Lady Tigers. Goggins connected on one-of-two from the line giving Hernando a small window of opportunity for some late game heroics, but a solid defensive effort forced the Lady Tigers into a turnover with one tick left on the clock allowing the Lady Cougars to pick up the one-point victory.

Goggins finished with a game-high 19, Elizabeth Henson 15, Emily Henson and Cortney Collums added 4 points each while Lexie Wilson scored 2 points for the Lady Cougars.

Ray led Hernando with 18 while Maranda Cobb scored 11 points.

PONTOTOC — Rhandi Ball scored 18 points and hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the game to lift the Pontotoc Lady Warriors past the Potts Camp Lady Cardinals 60-57 in the opening day of the Battle of the Best VII.

Pontotoc jumped out to a quick 15-10 lead in the first quarter before Potts Camp rallied to outscore the Lady Warriors 20-13 in the second to take a 30-28 lead at the break on a Lamonica Ingram three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half.

The Lady Warriors defense turned things in their fair in the third quarter as the Lady Cardinals only managed nine points as Pontotoc reclaimed the lead 43-39 head into the fourth quarter.

Both teams battled back and forth in the final frame before the Lady Cardinals took a 57-56 lead when Ole Miss commitment Kenyotta Jenkins nailed a step-back three pointer from the corner with 1:17 left in the game. Ball answered with a midrange jumper to give Pontotoc a 58-57 advantage with 1:01 on the clock.

The Lady Cardinals missed a jumper but got a break when an ill-advised three point attempt by the Lady Warriors gave Potts Camp new life with 29.3 seconds left. Pontotoc forced a turnover but missed the front end of a one-plus-one free throw attempt, but Ball muscled away the rebound. Potts Camp quickly fouled and Ball nailed a pair of free throws to take a 60-57 edge with five seconds left in the game.

Potts Camps found Jenkins for a last-second shot attempt to force the game into overtime but it bounced off the back iron allowing Pontotoc to pick up the three-point victory.

“We made some crucial mistakes at the end of the game and were fortunate enough to be able to win it,” said Coach Bill Russell. “We’re young and it’s good to be able to win a game while and make those mistakes. Hopefully we can learn from them.”

Ebony Brinker led all-scorers with 25 points to go along with Ball’s 18-point performance. Katherine Downing scored 8 while Anna Rosenbaum added 5 with Frankie Turner and Amber Brinker chipping in 2 points each.

Jenkins led Potts Camp with 17 while Samantha Stinson added 10 points.

PONTOTOC — The Houston Lady Hilltoppers took on the Senatobia Lady Warriors and Hernando Lady Tigers in the seventh annual Battle of the Best hosted by Pontotoc High School last week.

Monday the Lady Toppers defeated Senatobia 50-38 before dropping a 50-44 decision to Hernando on Tuesday.

Houston 50 Senatobia 38

Senatobia jumped out to a 15-12 advantage in the first quarter before Houston’s defense took control of the game holding the Lady Warriors to only three points in the second quarter as the Lady Toppers took a 29-18 lead at the break.

The Lady Warriors fought their way back into the contest by outscoring Houston 15-9 in the third quarter, but another impressive defensive stand in the final frame stymied Senatobia’s offensive output to allow Houston to pull away for the 12-point win.

Tynita Baker scored a game-high 20 points, Jasmine Pierce 14, Raven Tucker 4, Chancedy Pulliam and Tori Nichols scored 3 points apiece while Tatiana Taylor and Sancriesha Morgan added 2 points each.

K’Neshia Davis led Senatobia with 19 points in the loss.

Hernando 50 Houston 44

The Lady Toppers fought their way out to a 23-22 halftime lead but a sluggish third quarter allowed Hernando to take a 36-31 lead into the fourth quarter. The two teams traded baskets throughout the final frame, but Houston could never build enough momentum to overcome the late-game deficit as the Lady Tigers were able to walk away with the six-point victory.

Audre Wallace led Hernando with 14 points.

Baker paced Houston with 14, Pulliam 12, Pierce 5, Shanae Fox 4, Nichols 4, Tucker 3, and Morgan added 2 for Houston.

PONTOTOC – Monday’s lineup in Pontotoc’s annual Battle of the Best all-girls basketball tournament featured a matchup between unbeatens.

New Albany, behind 24 points and 15 rebounds from its 5-foot-11 freshman post player Jazmine Spears, upped its record to 13-0 with a 66-46 victory against Lafayette.

The Lady Commodores, whose record dipped to 11-1, got a 21-point effort from junior guard Shaquilla Isom, but it wasn’t enough to counter the Lady Bulldogs’ powerful inside game.

Micha Washington, a 6-foot junior, rallied from a foul-plagued first half to score 14 points and finished with 18 for New Albany >>> click here to read more Gene Phelps of the NEMS Daily Journal.

Pontotoc defeated Potts Camp 60-57 in the final game on Monday. Pontotoc head coach Bill Russell spoke with GoreSports.net after the game.

He broke the Mississippi state record for career touchdown passes. By 40. He accounted for 81 touchdowns (63 throwing, 18 rushing) as a senior. In the Class 4A state title game earlier this month, he led his team to victory by passing for 369 yards and three touchdowns as a quarterback and recording 16 tackles and one interception as a safety. He even averaged 41.4 yards per punt this past season, though he always punted out of the shotgun and jokes that all he did was “kick line drives and let it roll for days.”

But for all the numbers Dylan Favre posted this season at St. Stanislaus High in Bay St. Louis, Miss., the only one college coaches seem to care about is 71. Favre is 71 inches tall. Five-foot-11.

Favre is living proof that when seeking quarterbacks, FBS coaches value their precious measurables more than production — aside from the aforementioned 81 touchdowns, Favre threw for 5,589 yards and rushed for 1,265 in 2009 — or bloodlines. It’s no coincidence this Favre lives in a small town in southwest Mississippi. He’s Brett Favre’s nephew.

So far, Southern Miss, Tulane and FCS school Northwestern State have been the only schools willing to offer Mississippi’s reigning Mr. Football a scholarship to play quarterback. Favre hopes that will change after Saturday, when he will join dozens of players holding multiple FBS offers at the Offense-Defense Bowl in Myrtle Beach, S.C. There, Favre will throw passes against the likes of >>> click here to read more from Andy Staples of SI.com

The Daily Journal’s staff and correspondents set out to determine which high school football players had the best seasons in the Daily Journal’s coverage area. In addition to watching and covering games, the Journal’s staff contacted area football coaches and other media types to seek their input on which players had standout seasons. The following is the list of area players the Journal deemed to have the most successful seasons in 2009. >>> click here to see the Daily Journal 2009 All-Area Football Team.

NEMS360: Coach of the Year, Anthony Hart — Lafayette County
NEMS360: Defensive Player of the Year, Curtis Virges — West Point
NEMS360: Offensive Player of the Year, Keon McGaughy — Shannon

PONTOTOC — Houston got 20 points from Tynita Baker but it was their defensive play that helped the Lady Hilltoppers pick up a 50-38 win over the Senatobia Lady Warriors in the first game of the Battle of the Best.

Senatobia first point of the second quarter came at the 2:31 mark when Tanika Micheals made 1-of-2 attempts from the free throw line. The scoring drought allowed Houston to pull away for a 29-18 halftime lead.

Kileshia Davis came out red hot connecting on three-straight three pointers to quickly cut the Lady Toppers to six early in the third before Houston’s Raven Tucker answered with four points to close out the quarter with a 38-33 advantage.

Senatobia had no answer for Tori Nichols and Chancedy Pulliam in the final frame as she duo combined for six points in the fourth quarter points as the Lady Toppers’ defense allowed Houston to cruise to the 50-38 victory.

Baker scored a game-high 20 points while Jasmine Pierce added 14 for Houston.

Davis led Senatobia with 19 points in the loss.

North Panola 46 West Union 27 (G)

Aubrey Taylor scored a game-high 17 while Brittany Patton and Jeneshla Jackson added 10 points each in North Panola’s 46-27 win over West Union.

April Rollins scored 11 to lead West Union in scoring.

The 2009 football season marks the return of the W07BN All-Area Football Team.

Nominations are now being taken from coaches, other members of the media, W07BN staff members, and one of the most unique aspects of the team — the fans also have an input of the who’s who of the team.

The team will consist of the Coaching Staff of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year along with first and second team offense and defense teams.

Nominate players from the following teams: Aberdeen, Amory, Baldwyn, Booneville, Bruce, Calhoun Academy, Calhoun City, Coffeeville, Hatley, Holly Springs, Houlka, Houston, Jumpertown, Lafayette County, Marshall Academy, Nettleton, New Albany, North Pontotoc, Oxford, Pontotoc, Saltillo, Shannon, Smithville, South Pontotoc, Thrasher, Tishomingo County, Tupelo Christian, Vardaman, Water Valley, and Wheeler.

Please leave your nominations in a comment below.

Trent Hammond introduced as Amory’s new head football coach

Trent Hammond was introduced as Amory’s new head football coach on Friday and approximately 125 people showed up at the high school’s media center to welcome him and his family of four.

Here’s what he had to say when talking with local media >>> click here to see a video interview with Hammond

JACKSON – Senior DE David Dale of Millsaps College was one of 10 players recognized at River Hills Country Club at the annual Jackson Touchdown Club Top Senior Banquet, a fitting end to a solid four-year career with the Purple and White.

Dale and one player from each of the state’s 10 four-year colleges and universities were recognized along with their head coach and presented a plaque to honor on the field accomplishments. On the same night, senior teammate and quarterback Chris Graves was one of 10 finalists for the >>> click here to read more at Monroe360.com

Millsaps College junior inside linebacker Will Hawkins capped a breakout junior campaign on Saturday, as he became the first defensive player in school history and second ever to be named to the D3football.com All-American First Team.

Overall, he’s the 21st player from Millsaps to be named to an All-American Team and sixth in the last four seasons combined, after Juan Joseph and John Shivers were each named to the D3football.com All-American Third Team in 2008.

The SCAC’s Defensive Player of the Year, Hawkins was one of four Majors named to the D3football.com All-South Region Team last week along with Kevin Peters, Michael Galatas and Shane Bowser, which made him eligible for All-America recognition.

Hawkins tied for the SCAC lead with a career-high >>> click here to read more on Hawkins at Monroe360