By Staff
MAKING THE MOVE Meridian High School soccer player Leanna Baldner (12) makes a move against Pearl High School before scoring a goal in a game earlier this season. MHS plays host to Brandon High School at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
From Staff Reports
Nov. 21, 2001
A pair of Lamar School football players received top honors in their division this year.
Sophomore quarterback Drew Moffett was named Co-Offensive Most Valuable Offensive Player of Division 3-AAA along with Central Hinds' Justin Holley, while junior linebacker Monroe Mayfield shared Defensive MVP honors with Jacob Woodard of Manchester.
Three other Lamar players senior wide receiver Zach Moore, sophomore offensive lineman Vaughn Waters and senior linebacker Stanton Lauderdale joined Mayfield and Moffett on the All-Division team.
Moffett passes for 1,341 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 704 yards and 10 more scores as the Raiders went 3-9 and advanced to the playoffs.
Moore had 48 receptions for 766 yards and six touchdowns.
Austin Bishop
Eight of the 11 were a playoff team
With the playoffs heading into it's third week, here's a quick look at how tough the Meridian Wildcats' football schedule was in 2001.
The 11 opponents have a combined record of 75 wins and 51 losses making for a winning percentage of .595. The overall mark is weighted down because of two Region 2-5A foes in Natchez and Petal who went a combined 1-19. Meridian blew out both of these teams by a combined score of 76-7.
Drop those two and the overall mark goes to 74-32, a .698 percentage. Eight of the nine made the playoffs including all four of the Wildcats' non-region foes.
Three of the teams are still alive. They include top-ranked and unbeaten Brandon (12-0), second ranked Starkville (11-1), and Louisville (8-4). Louisville was the other team the Wildcats beat this year.
Jeff Byrd
You can't win them all
When Winston Academy dropped a 27-26 decision to Marshall Academy Friday night at Louisville, it marked the Patriots' first playoff loss in five years.
Winston had won four straight MPSA state championships.
Winston scored first in overtime, but a high snap on the extra point forced the Patriots to throw a desperation pass which fell incomplete.
Marshall then scored on its second play and kicked the game-winning PAT.
Winston trailed 20-7 going into the fourth quarter.
Marty Stamper
Go, Cats, Go
The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) County High School Wildcats are 11-0 after Friday's 44-36 win over Vestavia Hills in the Alabama Class 6A state football playoffs and that's just fine with the coaching staff at East Central Community College. ECCC has been able to sign 10 players from Tuscaloosa County as district players for several years.
Senior Titus Ryan had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, ran 56 yards for a second touchdown, and threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to lead the Cats. He had 17 carries for 161 yards.
Marty Stamper
Awesome Norwood rips Harrison Central
All-everything Brandon tailback Jerious Norwood had a game for the ages in the first round 5A game with Harrison Central. Try 810 yards in all-purpose yardage and seven touchdowns in a 41-34 win.
Norwood had 367 yards rushing and four touchdowns. He had another 249 yards and one touchdown on five kickoff returns. He caught six passes for 133 yards and two TDs. To top it off, he had 61 yards on six punt returns.
The Wildcats held Norwood to just 192 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a 16-14 loss earlier in the year.
Jeff Byrd
Hariston rolling for Lady Cats
Meridian's Valencia Hairston is off to a strong start for the Meridian Lady Wildcats. Hairston averaged 27 points a game in leading the Lady Wildcats to two wins in the Quitman Classic.
The 6-1 junior post scored 24 points in a 57-53 win over Quitman and then had a 30-point show in an 83-56 romp past 11-time state champion Harrison Central.
For the season, Hariston is averaging 22.7 points per game for Coach Don Shirley's team. She has reached in double figures in all six games. Meridian stands 4-2 on the season heading into Thanksgiving.