Many area athletes honored

By Staff
From Staff Reports
Jan. 6, 2002
Quite a few area athletes were chosen to the all-tournament basketball teams in the MPSA Central Mississippi Classic at East Central Community College last week.
Girls chosen were Greggina Tadlock and Kristin Caldwell of Leake Academy, Blair Johnson and Jessica Harpole of Kemper Academy, Leslie Hancock of Central Academy, Casey McMahan of Newton County Academy, Myleia Shirley of Lamar School, Kassie Buck of Indianola Academy, Mary Claire Cadenhead of Washington School, Ashley Johnson of Starkville Academy and tournament MVP Jessica Wall, also of Starkville Academy.
Making the boys' team were Drew Wolverton and Luke Culpepper of Leake Academy, Adam Davis of Kemper Academy, Blake Bass of Heidelberg Academy, Caleb Metts of Winston Academy, Wil Bean of Newton County Academy, Glenn Ulrich of University Christian, Will Dottley of Washington School, Joby Garner and Andrew Pylate of Starkville Academy and tournament MVP Ed Phillips, also of Starkville Academy.
– Marty Stamper
Former players now coaching
Among the former college basketball players who now coach high school teams that have played in the area recently are David Midlick, who coaches both the boys and girls at Washington School, and Al Perry, who coaches the Pearl Pirates.
Midlick played at Ole Miss in the 1990s, while Perry played at Mississippi State in the late 1970s.
State players must be popular in Rankin County as former Bulldog Greg Carter leads the Brandon Bulldogs.
– Marty Stamper
Jones has Lady Oilers pumping
Former Southern Mississippi Lady Eagle basketball player Nedra Hosey Jones has got her Heidelberg Lady Oilers pumping hard heading into the 2002 portion of its schedule.
The Lady Oilers knocked off both Newton and Laurel right before New Year's to move their record to 10-6. Both of the victims had just one loss before meeting Heidelberg.
Jones was the Gatorade Player of the Year in 1993 leading Bay Springs to two straight Class 3A Championships. In her junior season, she teamed up with current WNBA star and former Florida Lady Gator great Muriel Page.
Heidelberg will have to look forward to stepping back into the rugged Division 5-3A.
Jeff Byrd
Williams battle pneumonia
Heidelberg Boys Coach Ted Williams has been battling elements of pneumonia. The illness caused him to miss a handful of Oiler games which included a close win at Laurel and a tough 52-51 loss to Taylorsville in the Bay Springs Round Robin.
Williams was back on the bench the day after the Taylorsville loss.
Jeff Byrd
Coach wants team to rise up
Newton Coach Crandal Porter was disappointed his team didn't rise to the occasion when they took on Heidelberg in the Bay Springs Round Robin.
The Lady Tigers had entered the tourney with an impressive 10-1 record. They left with an 11-2 mark which included Friday's 83-74 loss to the Lady Oilers.
Porter says the Lady Tigers will have several challenges coming to 2002 in their division.
Jeff Byrd
Schedule helps Lady Rebels
The Scott Central Lady Rebels faced a rugged schedule in the first half of its prep basketball season.
The club was 10-5 heading into the Forest Invitational which features many of the area's top girls such as West Lauderdale and Forest.
In its first 15 games, the combined record of Scott Central's
opponents stands at 51-13, a winning percentage of 79.68 percent.
The Lady Rebels are 3-2 in the tough Division 5-2A league which features unbeaten and 15-0 Williams &Sullivan along with the 11-2 Newton Lady Tigers. Those two teams handed Scott its only division losses.
Scott has beaten division foes South Leake, Enterprise and Clarkdale.
Jeff Byrd
Southeast stays home
Having won the State 3A Girls Championship last year, one would have thought that the Southeast Lauderdale Lady Tigers would have a full holiday menu.
That was not the case. Other then beating up 4A Champ Raymond on Dec. 20 55-39, the Lady Tigers of Head Coach Joe Miller enjoyed their time off.
Miller, however, points out that all Mississippi teams will face hard decisions next year.
Jeff Byrd