Nelson Wins State Championship With Houston

Katie Nelson of Houston All-Star Cody's Angels will participate in the 16 & under World Series in Southaven

Whether you call her Caitlin or Katie the one name you can call the standout to be junior is “Champ” after the Houston All-Stars defeated the Philadelphia All-Stars for the 2008 16 and under State Championship.

The road to the state championship ran through the Vardaman All-Stars, a team made up mainly of her high school teammates, which proved to be a bitter sweet experience for Nelson.

“It got me fired up to play them, but I also wanted my (high school) teammates to be able to play for a state championship because we have been working really hard over the summer to get ready for the season and they deserved a chance at the championship as much as we did,” Caitlin Nelson.

Caitlin developed into one of Northeast Mississippi top sophomore catchers last season and despite postseason honors eluding her she says the team success outweighs individuals honors at the end of the day.

Nelson at bat against Hickory Flat during the 1A North State Softball Semi-Finals

“I was disappointed that I didn’t get an award because for once I actually felt like I had earned something for all my hard work, but I just want to keep getting better to help make my team better,” Nelson. “I was more excited for how we were able to play and what we were able to do during the playoffs than any award I could have gotten.”

Nelson and the Houston All-Stars will play in the Softball World Series this week in Southaven.

“I am excited about playing in the World Series,” Nelson. “We are going to play against a lot of good teams and that will help me get better for when we play during school.”

Vardaman will lean on the experience of Nelson along with the nine returning starters from last season’s squad that made the historic run to the 1A North State Championship where they dropped two games to rival Smithville. East Webster defeated Smithville in two games to claim their third straight fast pitch state championship.

Sports Photos Links

I’ve notice a heavy search for some of my sports photos - have no fear they are all right here:

Pontotoc vs Amory - Sr Legion Baseball

All-Star Softball State Tournament in Houston:  Houston and Vardaman

7 On 7 Photos: Random players from the summer

7 On 7 Photos: Calhoun County teams

Calhoun City Tee-Ball

Summer softball and baseball in Vardaman

Summer League Basketball in Pontotoc

NEMBCA Basketball All-Star Games at ICC

South Pontotoc vs Nettleton - Dizzy Dean Baseball

Pontoto vs Hamilton, AL - Sr. Legion Baseball

Summer softball tee-ball and baseball in Bruce

Mascara vs Muscle in Vardaman

Calhoun City High School Athletic Banquet

Vardaman Football Jamboree (Vardaman, Nettleton, Coffeeville) and VHS Athletic Banquet

Vardaman vs Hickory Flat - 1A Softball Playoffs

Random Sports Pictures

Jack Swarbrick new AD at Notre Dame

Jack Swarbrick was introduced as the new athletic director at Notre Dame by school official this past Wednesday.

While Swarbrick has no experience as an athletic director, he is known to leaders in college athletics after helping draw numerous sporting events to Indianapolis, including the 2012 Super Bowl and was instrumental in getting the NCAA to move its headquarters to Indianapolis in 2000.

In 2002 he was a finalist for the NCAA president’s position that went to Myles Brand, he was a finalist for the athletic director’s position at Arizona State in 2005 and a finalist last year for commissioner of the Big 12. 

Swarbrick, a 1976 Notre Dame grad, succeeds Kevin White, who left the school May 31 to become the athletic director at Duke.

WTVA Reports: Thrasher Hires New Football Coach

Thrasher now has a head football coach. The Prentiss County school district met Wednesday night and according to Superintendent Matt Smith, it looks like Shannon McGregory is the new guy in charge.

McGregory comes to Thrasher from Sheffield high school where he’s been an assistant principal and assistant football coach for the school.

Before that he was the athletic director and head football coach at Colbert Heights high school.

He has also coached girls softball, golf and has served as a wrestling coach.

McGregory played for Northeast Community College and two years for North Alabama as well.

He’ll replace Jeff Boren who backed out of the position just four days after taking it.

Chapman makes his mark on The Hollow

Photos from Pontotoc vs Amory Sr Legion game this past Tuesday night.

 

Cade (left) and Colby (right) take time for a photo opt with Pontotoc's Phillip Chapman

Phillip Chapman (NECC) was surprised to see Cade and Colby Marlow, twin brothers from Winona, walk up with their mother Christy to see his game against the Cardinals.  Chapman met the twins while helping the with Ole Miss baseball camp this week, but doubted he would actually see them at the game.

“They told me they were going to come watch me play tonight, but I didn’t really believe them since they lived so far away,” Chapman.  “I knew when I saw them walk up in the fifth inning of the first game I wanted to do something special for them since they came all this way to see my play.”

In the bottom of the first inning with Cade and Colby cheering directly behind the plate Chapman etched his name into the legend and lore of “The Hollow” when he parked a two-run homer deep over the fence in left sending his two number one fans into a frenzy behind home plate.

“Honestly it was a relief,” Chapman. “I got a good piece of wood on it and I saw it go…  it was really special moment for me and them when I rounded third and heard them cheering for me.” 

Before exchanging the first high five with any of his teammates waiting at the plate Chapman found Cade and Colby in the crowd to give them a point and smile letting them know that home run was for them.

“They have a new hero,” Christy Marlow said with tears in her eyes as her kids threw the baseball around with Chapman after the game.

The Marlow twins spent the rest of the game cheering on the Red Sox and talking about Chapman’s homer, but that wasn’t the only home run they would see on the night.

Amory took a 6-5 lead in the top of the fifth after trailing 5-1 heading into the final frame, but Pontotoc rallied in dramatic fashion with back to back home runs from Zach Chavers and Daniel Tunnell to lead off the bottom half of the inning for a come-from-behind 7-6 victory that gave Cade and Colby a very enjoyable trip back to Winona.

Cody Brownlee (EMCC) is greeted at the plate by Malcolm Warren (ICC) and Jake Sloan (ICC) after bouncing a homer off the scoreboard in game one.

Amory got an 8-5 victory in game one when Jared McGonagill (Sr - Itawamba AHS) ripped a triple down the third baseline to score Rush Rather (Sr - IAHS), Hunter Leach (ICC), and Tyler Pounders in the top of the sixth.

Pontotoc put the tying run at the plate with runners in scoring position, but Jake Sloan (ICC) closed the door on any late game heroics with a strikeout to seal the victory for the Cardinals.

It was an evening for the long ball as the two teams combined for six home runs.  Chavers (P) and Brownlee (A) each homered twice in the twin billing while Chapman (P) and Tunnell (P) each added a home run to the mix.

Former Oxford High QB standout Malouf transfers to Samford

As per Samford Athletics website:

July 8, 2008

Matt Malouf has transferred from Memphis to Samford

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford football program has signed three transfers from Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools, head coach Pat Sullivan announced on Tuesday.

Samford has signed Matt Malouf, a quarterback from Memphis, Jeff Ogren, a wide receiver from Clemson and J.D. Lott, a tight end from LSU.

“We are very excited to have these young men transfer here to us,” Sullivan said. “Not only are they good football players, they are quality people and we welcome them to our family.”

Malouf (6-2, 212, QB, RS-So., Greenwood, Miss./Memphis) was redshirted in 2006 at Memphis. In 2007, he saw action in 12 games for the Tigers. He completed 7-of-12 passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed 38 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns last year for Memphis.

In high school, Malouf played two seasons at Oxford High School, after playing his first two seasons at Pillow Academy in Greenwood, Miss. He was the OHS team’s captain in 2005, and he led squad to a Region 2 4-A championship that season, going undefeated in the regular season for the first time ever. He passed for 2,234 yards and 21 touchdowns, completing 135-of-247 passes as a senior, and also rushed for 674 yards and nine scores.

Malouf was named Player of the Year by several publications, including the Tupelo Daily Journal and the Oxford Eagle. He participated in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game, and was ranked 52nd in the nation by Scout.com and 19th in the Rivals.com Mississippi preseason Top 30.

 

This will be Samford’s first year to play in the “SEC” of the FCS (formerly known as Division 1-AA), the Southern Conference, and will match up against FCS powers like Georgia Southern and Appalachian State. Malouf, who does have a year of collegiate football under his belt, could very well be the frontrunner for the starting job.

WTVA Reports: McCormick transfers to Blue Mountain

Jordan McCormick, a 5-9 perimeter player from Pontotoc High, has signed a basketball letter of intent with Blue Mountain College.

McCormick has transferred to BMC after two years at Delta State University, where she sat out the 2007-08 season with a medical redshirt.

“We are extremely fortunate that Jordan is coming to play for the Lady Toppers,” BMC coach Lavon Driskell said.

“Not only is she a really physical player who can score inside and out, but she’s an outstanding student as well.  Jordan will fit in well with our team and we’ll be a much better team with her.”

In her senior year for the Lady Warriors, McCormick averaged 14.2 points a game and 6 rebounds.

She was named to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal second team All Area Team.

She played in the Northeast Mississippi Basketball Coaches Association (NEMBCA) All-Star game, scored 19 points and was named the game’s outstanding defensive player.

McCormick, who compiled a 3.71 grade point average as a mathematics major at Delta State, will have three seasons of eligibility at BMC.

Additional note from Adam:

Great pick up by Blue Mountain!  I’ve known JoMac and her family since she was a freshman at Pontotoc High School - she is a class act both on and off the floor and will help BMC in a big way. 

In addition, she was selected to the W07BN All-Area Girls Basketball team as a junior and senior.

Congrats JoMac!

Sports Update

Pics from Houston vs Vardaman semi-final round of the Softball All-Star State Tournament

Houston won the state championship over Philadelphia on a rainy Friday evening and will advance to the World Series.

Katie Nelson (right) shined at various spots on defense against her high school teammates.

Senior Legion Baseball

The Pontotoc Red Sox picked up two of the easiest, but disappointing wins today when MS White did not show up for the game.  No word was given to Coach Nickey Browning about the no show from the opponents.

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my career of coaching baseball,” Browning.  “It’s not something I would do and not something I would expect anyone else to do no matter who is playing.  I just hate it for the kids and parents that made the trip to watch some baseball today.”

Booneville picked up a 9-2 win over Amory.

All-Star Basketball

The North swept the South in the MAC All-Star games at Mississippi College.  The North girls picked up a 96-76 victory while the boys got an exciting 103-97 victory over the South.

Oxford’s Keith Searcy (left) had a good showing for the North Squad and appears to be a favorite for next season’s Dandy Donzen.

Pontotoc walks Booneville to victory

Daniel Tunnell is greeted at home after a home run in Pontotoc's 10-0 game one victory over Booneville

Daniel Tunnell bounced a home run off the back of the football scoreboard in Pontotoc’s 10-0 game one victory over Booneville, but Will Hawkins returned the favor by bouncing a home run off the baseball scoreboard in the Braves 8-7 come-from-behind game two victory.

Pontotoc jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jordan Moore singled to left to score Lige Mitchell and eventually came home on a single to right by Jake Mills.

Will Hawkins solo home run sparked Booneville's 8-7 come-from-behind game two victory over Pontotoc

Hawkins cut the lead in half when he scored on a single to center by Neal Tice, but Pontotoc pushed their way out to a 6-1 edge when Adam Roye, David Bowen, Mitchell, and Tunnell scored in the bottom half of the inning. The two teams traded runs in the third when Hawkins smashed a homer off the scoreboard and Bowen scored on a two-out bases loaded error.

Booneville got things started in the fifth when John Paul Barber, Drew Cristo, and Ben Wallis loaded the bases off back to back to back walks before Drew Dodds singled to left to score Barber and Cristo. Hawkins grounded out to the shortstop, but still knocked in Dodds to cut the game to a 7-6 advantage in favor of Pontotoc.

The game tying run came when Barber drew his second walk of the inning to score Wheatley.

The Braves scored the game winning run in the top of the seventh when Wallis led off with a double to left and scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Wheatley while Matt Davis closed the door on the Red Sox with a three up three down bottom of the seventh.

Booneville: Hawkins finished two for three with a walk while scoring two runs and driving in two more. Gullick picked up the win for the Braves.

Pontotoc: Tunnell went three for five from the plate with a run and a RBI. Hunter Mize was the pitcher of record after coming in relief duty.

In the first game of the Tuesday night doubleheader the Red Sox got a 10-0 win when Zach Chavers punched a one-out bases loaded single to right field to score Phillip Chapman and Jake Mills to invoke the ten run rule in the bottom of the sixth.

17th Annual Sawmill Festival Golf Tournament

Warner Jones (Calhoun Academy) warms up before hitting the links at Yoda Creek

Yoda Creek will play host to the 17th Annual Sawmill Festival Golf Tournament on Friday, July 11th to kick off the Sawmill Festival Weekend in Bruce.

The two-man scramble format will be played over 18 holes with a shotgun start scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Cash prizes will be awarded according to flights as slots remain open for the 32 team tournament.

Cost of the tournament is $90.00 per team with one mulligan and pink lady available at the cost of $5.00 per player. Carts will be made avaiable to rent for the tournament.

For more information call 983-2222 or 983-9632 to sign up for the tournament.