Sports Briefs

By Staff
March 28, 2002
Bower not happy with practice
HATTIESBURG Southern Miss' Wednesday "fundamental" football practice did not draw rave reviews from head coach Jeff Bower, who said his Golden Eagles lost some enthusiasm late in the workout, and that the last half of the practice "went downhill."
While the quarterback situation continues to draw a lot of attention from Golden Eagle fans, Bower says no one has separated himself from the others. "They've all practiced well through the first two weeks, and we'll just continue working them." The annual Black and Gold game is set for April 13.
school reports
ECCC signs seven football players
DECATUR East Central Community College head football coach Terry Underwood has announced the signing of seven additional players for the 2002 season.
At the top of the list is Titus Ryan, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound running back/wide receiver from Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Ryan rushed for over 1,450 yards last season, averaging 10 yards per carry. He also had 500 yards receiving and returned three punts for touchdowns. The speedster has the fastest recorded time (10.5) in Alabama for the 100-meter race.
Other high school standouts joining the Warriors are running back Kentay Eiland (6-0, 200), fullback Horace Glenn (5-11, 215) and defensive back Ken Shields (6-2, 180), all of Louisville; defensive back/wide receiver Mario White (5-10, 180) and linebacker/running back Derek Carter (5-9, 190),
both of Noxapater; and kicker/punter Jacob Swayze (6-foot, 200) of Olive Branch. Swayze connected on two 47-yard field goals and one from 45 yards out.
school reports
Ole Miss men's tennis ranked No. 6
OXFORD The Ole Miss men's tennis team is ranked No. 6 in this week's Omni Hotels Collegiate National Rankings as it gets set for a showdown with the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Georgia on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center. Following that match, the Rebels will take on the 2001 NCAA Runner-up, Tennessee on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Ole Miss enters the Easter weekend showdown with a 12-3 overall record, 4-2 in the SEC, and on a current six-match win streak. The Rebels handled Tulane, who moved up to No. 22 in the current rankings, 7-0 Tuesday.
Georgia comes into the match with a 17-1 overall record, 6-0 in the SEC. On Sunday, Ole Miss will face Tennessee, ranked No. 13 in the nation. The Volunteers are 11-4 overall and 4-2 in the SEC.
school reports
MCC Lady Eagles sweep Pearl River
POPLARVILLE Freshman pitcher Ashlee Frazier limited host Pearl River to three hits in the opener as the Lady Eagles won 4-1. MCC then took the second game 8-2 to sweep the doubleheader and move to 20-17 on the season.
Stephanie Dixon ripped a two-run triple in MCC's three-run fifth in the opener. She finished the game with two triples and a single, while Robin Holland had a pair of singles.
MCC banged out 12 hits in the nightcap, as the Lady Wildcats made seven errors. MCC led 3-1 going into the sixth inning, where the Lady Eagles exploded for four runs.
Morgan Wright, Krystal Jenkins, Sonya booker, Kaylora Bingham and Holland led MCC with two singles each in the game. Pearl River falls to 7-12 on the year with the losses.
Austin Bishop
Raiders blank CHA 9-0 in tennis
The Lamar School tennis team didn't drop a set on the way to a convincing 9-0 win over Central Hinds Academy on Wednesday. It was the third match in three days for the Raiders.
Wade Covington won the No. 1 boys singles match 6-2, 6-1, while Jimmy Epps took a 6-3, 6-3 win in No. 2 boys singles.
Wilson Kahlmus and Lane Rush won the No. 1 boys doubles match 6-0, 6-1, while Stanton Lauderdale and Frank Marascalco won the No. 2 boys doubles match 6-0, 6-0. The mixed doubles team of Kate Archer and Pat Phillippi took a 6-0, 6-1 win.
In No. 1 girls singles Lisa Swartzfager won 6-0, 6-1, while Katie Pearson won her No. 2 girls singles match 6-2, 6-4. Kristina Makey and Ann Claire Marascalco were 6-0, 6-0 victors in No. 1 girls singles, while Kelsey Cobb and Amy Swartzfager won their No. 2 girls doubles match, 6-0, 6-0.
Austin Bishop
USM hosts C-USA foe Houston
HATTIESBURG The University of Southern Mississippi baseball team plays host to nationally ranked Houston in a Conference USA series Friday through Sunday at Pete Taylor Park.
The series is a meeting of two of the top teams in conference play, as both Southern Miss and Houston, along with Charlotte, share second place in C-USA with 5-1 league marks.
The Golden Eagles, 17-8 overall, are coming off a 6-5 extra-inning loss to South Alabama, but have reeled off five-straight conference victories. The Cougars, ranked No. 9 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll, No. 5 in the Baseball American Poll and No. 10 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll, are coming off four-straight wins, including a three-game sweep of Tulane. Game one of the series is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, with the Saturday game set for 2 p.m. and the Sunday game set to start at 1 p.m.
school reports
Lamar School splits pair with Oak Hill
The Lamar slow-pitch softball team beat Oak Hill Academy 12-8 in the second game of a doubleheader to salvage a split.
Oak Hill won the first game 14-8. Lamar is now 3-1 on the year and hosts Jackson Academy on April 4, before visiting Heidelberg Academy on April 5.
Celia Covington and Olivia Hill each went 3-for-3 to lead the Lady Raiders in the nightcap. Cheryl Luquire and Lizzie Williams each went 3-for-4 in the opener, while Myleia Shirley and Covington were each 2-for-4.
Austin Bishop