By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
JAN. 29, 2001
The girls' teams at Columbus and Meridian High School have plenty of things in common.
They're both chasing the Class 5A state championship. They're both coming off losses at Neshoba Central last week. And they tangle in an intriguing matchup here Tuesday night.
Meridian hosts Columbus in what should be a pair of barnburners Tuesday in a matchup that highlights this week's public school basketball action in The Meridian Star's coverage area.
Last week's action saw Choctaw Central's girls wrap up the Division 5-3A regular-season crown, while Northeast Lauderdale's girls are within one win of running the table in Division 5-4A.
There are still plenty of races to be decided, however, and this week the next to last in the regular season for MHSAA teams provides a solid mix of division and non-division matchups.
The Columbus boys have been ranked all season, and the Falcons and Lady Falcons are pushing the 20-win marks as they get ready to visit Meridian High.
Tuesday's lineup is dominated by good non-division matchups. Northeast Lauderdale visits Neshoba Central in a Class 4A clash, while West Lauderdale pays a visit to cross-county rival Clarkdale.
Forest is at Lake in a Scott County girls' barnburner, Choctaw Central hosts J.Z. George, Quitman hosts Newton and Wayne County entertains Heidelberg.
There are plenty of division matchups on hand, as well. Newton County goes to Southeast Lauderdale and Carthage visits Kemper County in Division 5-3A, while cross-county rivals Sebastopol and Scott Central and Noxapater and Nanih Waiya also battle.
Union hosts Edinburg, Louisville entertains Kos-ciusko in Division 2-4A and Philadelphia gets another shot at South Leake in Division 5-2A.
Union visits Durant in division action and Heidelberg goes to powerful Class 5A Hattiesburg in two great matchups Thursday, and on Friday, there's another full slate.
That's when Newton County goes to West Lauderdale and Southeast hosts Kemper County in two crucial Division 5-3A matchups. Taylorsville is at Bay Springs and Enterprise at Clarkdale in Division 7-2A.
Meridian hosts Northwest Rankin in 5-5A, Louisville hosts Aberdeen and West Point is at Neshoba Central in Division 2-4A, and Northeast Lauderdale is at Northeast Jones in 5-4A.
Friday's biggest non-division action has Wayne County at Moss Point, Williams-Sullivan at Choctaw Central, Newton at Philadelphia and Quitman at New Hope.
There are also a few big ones on tap for Saturday, as Forest is at Heidelberg for a pair of Division 7-3A showdowns. Noxubee County hosts Starkville Saturday, Noxapater visits Union and Choctaw County goes to Southern Choctaw in an Alabama showdown.
Rocky Higginbotham is the sports editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com.