SPORTS
THE RANGER ROCKET
D2
Basketball off to bumpy start after break By: Deissac House
To many students it was just the beginning of a new semester, but to the Northwest basketball teams it was a re-boot to their season. The first two games after the break were home games. On the Tuesday following the break in the match-up against Columbia State, the Lady Rangers were slow getting started. The offense shot a very low 30 percent, but the defense forced 26 Kenyatta Jones has a career high of 25 points as the turnovers and held them Rangers win over Arkansas-Baptist 86-75. (Photo by to a lowly 37 percent from Deissac House) the field. The Lady Rangers went Don Edwards said. With the game on the into halftime down by only line, the Rangers could Next was the North7. Coming out of halftime not hold off the attack west men’s team as both both teams were even, but teams came out on fire. of Columbia State in the Columbia State began to final seconds of the game. In the first five minutes of take control with a 53-38 With 8 seconds remaining, the contest there were six lead with 11:50 left in the lead changes, but Kendrick Columbia State got the go game. With 4:46 left, the ahead bucket to take the Moore sparked an 11-3 Lady Rangers cut the lead lead. The Rangers’ Bernard run for the Rangers. This down to eight. would lead to a 19-12 lead Jones took a desperation The effort of the Lady shot, but could not hit it as that didn’t last long. Rangers was not enough, The game turned into a they lost 75-73. as they could not hold off “They had the game battle leading into halfColumbia State as they lost time, as both teams were right there but just could 72-61. Freshman Monique tied 35-35 at the half. not turn the corner,” Coach Biggins had a double-douComing out of halftime, Jimmy Adams said. ble with 17 points and 13 Leading the Rangers, both teams remained neckrebounds. was sophomore Everick and-neck as they had six Also, contributing was Morris with 16 points and more lead changes, until freshman Brittany Patton 9 assists. Also contributing Columbia State too conwith 15 points and nine was freshman DeMarcus trol. The Rangers would rebounds. not take back the lead until McVay with 10 points, “Monique and Brittany 5:49 left in the game. 8 rebounds and 3 assists. are both great players, On Jan. 12, the Rangers The game stayed close unthey are giving their best til it was tied up in the final and Lady Rangers hosted effort every night,” Coach 18 seconds of the game. Arkansas Baptist. First up,
Khulfan named third team All-American By: Ranger Rocket Staff
Northwest sophomore defender Fakhry Khulfan was named an NJCAA Men’s Soccer Third Team All-American on Friday, the first Ranger since 2003 to earn the postseason award. Khulfan is just the second men’s soccer player in school history to earn All-American honors, with Tommy Robison a twotime second team selection in 2002 and 2003. Khulfan finished his two-year soccer career at Northwest with 17 goals and five assists for 39 total
points, having a breakout sophomore season with 12 goals. He finished with a .213 shot percentage and .587 shot-on-goal percentage in 24 games played, knocking in four game-winners and connecting on all three penalty kick attempts. In a league full of talented players, the Memphis native was the only men’s soccer player from the MACJC to be named an All-American.
Brittani Smith hustles for a loose ball as the Lady Rangers fall to Arkansas-Baptist 59-58. (Photo by Deissac House)
the Lady Rangers were looking to stop a three game skid. The Lady Rangers came out strong and never let up because they held on to the lead for the entire first half. They came out shooting 43 percent from the field, but caught a spark from behind the arc shooting a season high 50 percent. Following halftime, the game was very close down until the final shot. Arkansas Baptist took the game-winning shot with 1:20 left on the clock. Many thought the Lady Rangers were going to take the lead with ease, but their opponent played great defense. The Lady Rangers were forced into a situation where they controlled their
own fate with a game winning shot in their possession. In the final two seconds of the game, the ball was placed in the hands of sophomore Sherneal Thompson. With a great attempt for the final shot, it just was not meant to be as the shot rimmed out. The Lady Rangers fell 59-58 which dropped their record to 6-5. “Even though we lost, we played hard and we are improving,” Edwards said. Freshmen Monique Biggins and Shaquilla Isom lead the team with 12 points each. Sophomore Erica Turner was included in the mix with 9 points, 10 assists, and 3 blocks. Next, the Northwest men’s team was looking to help their record, but with
a career-high 25 points from freshman Kenyatta Jones, the game was in the bag. The Rangers came out smoking as they shot 43 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the arc. Coming out of the gate and for the entire game it was close, as the Rangers went into halftime with a 37-33 lead. After halftime, the Rangers were supercharged and went on a 13-3 run which helped secure the win. The Rangers dominated the second half to win with a final of 86-75. The Rangers ended the game shooting 47 percent from the field and 44 percent from the arc. A huge reason for such a great victory was due to freshman Kenyatta Jones who lead the team with a career-high 25 points, while knocking down six three-pointers. “When Kenyatta shot his first shot, his eyes got big and the basket got big. That is when he knew he was on fire,” Adams said. On the other hand, freshman DeMarcus McVay and sophomore Darius Woods had 15 points each.
Taylor, Smith tabbed Capital One Academic All-District VI By: Ranger Rocket Staff
Sophomore midfielder Morgan Taylor and sophomore forward Nathan Smith have been named to the 2011-12 Capital One Academic All-District VI Team as voted upon by more than 2,700 members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The selections for Northwest are the first in the school’s soccer history. Taylor, a native of Grenada, boasted a 3.74 GPA
in nursing while helping the women’s soccer team to its most conference wins since 2006. A 2011 MACJC AllState selection, Taylor led the Lady Rangers in all statistical categories, scoring seven goals and adding four assists for a team-best 18 points. She owned a .194 shot percentage and .611 SOG percentage, knocking in game-winners against East Central and Holmes.
Smith had his best season for the Rangers in 15 starts, scoring eight goals and adding five assists for 21 total points. He scored his first career hat-trick on Aug. 30 in a hard-fought, 6-5 loss to Jones County. The Hernando native had a 3.53 GPA in accounting. The Academic AllDistrict VI team is comprised of student-athletes from schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve (at least 50 percent of the team’s games) with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution.