2025 Sports Rewind

LADY LIONS grind towards second 1A championship

Story by MELISSA MEADOR

Crossroads Magazine

After a heartbreaking end to their 2024 season, Biggersville was on a mission to leave no doubt in 2025.

The Lady Lions faced plenty of adversity before and during the season, but when the dust settled, they finished off a strong playoff run with a 54-47 win over division rival Thrasher in the Class 1A state championship game. It’s the second girls’ title overall for Biggersville, following up their win in 2022.

Biggersville coach Cliff Little said he could see the motivation in his team, which returned everyone, after their one-point loss in the state semifinals in 2024.

“It was just so visible the bad taste they had in their mouths, and we all knew we had sold each other short, including me. I let them down in ways, and they let each other down, and we knew there were things we could have done differently that we didn’t capitalize on,” Little said. “It’s one thing to say that you want to win at a really high level, but it’s another thing to see them do the things it takes to get there. Knowing we had everyone back and seeing the way they reacted to the end of the year, they were all in the gym the very next day after we got back, dressed, on time and ready to practice. I have never had a team ready to work the next day after they got put out. They say that failure buy you a ticket to places you could never go without it, and that’s what they did. They were very hungry, very starving. A lot of people are hungry, but not everyone is starving for that success.”

Another thing that defined the 2025 championship team was chemistry.

Little called the group one of the closest knit teams he had ever coached.

“It was just the fact that they loved each other so much, that was the key,” he said. “In a lot of teams, you have groups of two or three that are friends, but this was the absolute definition of a team, and that’s rare. It was just the way they were more

LEFT: Biggersville’s Presleigh Rhodes provided plenty of leadership, in addition to clutch shooting, for the Lady Lions as their only senior.

Photo by Melissa Meador

Fighting through the adversity of a long season

Months before the season had even gotten off to a start, the Lady Lions faced their first bout of adversity when junior point guard Lainey Little tore her ACL just a couple of months after the end of the 2024 season. She was able to come back in December but spent the season still working up to full strength.

For Cliff Little, it was a double gut punch as both a coach and Lainey’s father.

“She had a fire about her that I had never seen and was working really hard, and then when that happen, it’s really devastating, but it also puts things in perspective,” Little said. “The Lord has been so good to us, and he’s able to keep us grounded and helps reel

you back in and shows you what’s important in life. Athletically speaking, it’s a huge obstacle and one we didn’t understand at the time, but we never doubted it. Lainey was resilient in her work ethic to try to get back, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Our team really banded together after that as well.”

Lainey Little’s injury thrust Sadiya Hill into the point guard role, and the sophomore blossomed throughout the season, culminating in a huge state championship game in which she was named the Most Valuable Player.

“She was able to do what we always knew she could do, and we believed in her. She didn’t know if she was ready but she had to be,” Little said. “She had to become a game manager like Lainey, and that took her to

players rush towards the gold ball trophy after sealing their second Class 1A girls’ basketball championship with a 54-47 win over division rival Thrasher.

places that I don’t know if she would have gone without it. All the girls grew through how they had to handle Lainey’s injury, but Sadiya grew the most for sure after basically taking over that position.”

Having a veteran group back, Little built the schedule up with plenty of tests. In their five losses, three of them came to state champions from the year before in Ingomar, Belmont and Tishomingo County.

That prepared them for challenges in the playoffs. The Lady Lions dominated through the first two rounds of the postseason, downing both West Union and Jumpertown by over 50 points, but their first big challenge came in the quarterfinals at Northeast against Okolona.

Biggersville

Photo by Randy J. Williams

Biggersville’s Jaylee Stafford controls the game inside in the championship game. Stafford averaged well over a double-double on the season, including in the championship game with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

the flow moved back in our direction. It was just a well-played game on both sides, and I know it had to be a really fun game to watch as a spectator.”

Lone senior Rhodes led the way

Bringing back everyone from the 2024 team, Presleigh Rhodes, their only senior, stepped up into a leadership role, along with their solid core of juniors.

Rhodes, along with Little, was their big three-point threat as well.

“Presleigh is just a winner, and I love to watch her compete. She and I are a lot alike, and we can almost make people mad because she’s so competitive,” Little said. “She worked so hard, and I was so proud she had a chance to show that, especially in the semifinals game against Taylorsville. She took millions of shots in the gym over the years to be able to do that. She’s going to be very missed because it’s hard to think of her not being here. I’ve never been a Lion without her as part of the program, and she’s like a daughter to me.”

Three of the big junior group fill up the starting five with K’yana Hill, Lainey Little and Jaylee Stafford with Sadiya Hill as the only sophomore in the starting lineup.

“K’yana can score in so many ways, and she can defend and rebound so well. What makes her dangerous is that she can rebound the ball, attack the other end and finish before anyone else can get past half court. She has a knack for finishing around the rim,” Little said. “Jaylee is just a walking double-double, and I feel like sometimes we take her for granted. A lot

Biggersville’s Lainey Little, who overcame coming back from an ACL tear, fires off a threepointer to start the championship game.

of times her double-doubles are closer to 20 and 20, instead of 10 and 10, and she’s an unbelievable rebounder. Lainey is just a calming presence on the floor because she understands the game so well and is able to manage it. Sadiya is just so special, and it was unbelievable to watch what she did in the championship game. She had a huge game when we played Ingomar earlier in the year, so it wasn’t her first big game against a really quality opponent.”

Biggersville’s bench was strong as well, including McKinsey Coleman, Hailye Gaines, Gigi Wicks, Zanny Neal, Kamdyn Taylor and Carlissia Patterson, among others.

“Hailye was able to dominate our game against Okolona before she got in foul trouble, and she’s one that everyone talks about when we come on the floor. They’re always like, ‘Who is this kid?’” Little said. “She looks like a college basketball player, and she can be one because the sky is the limit. Gigi played some big minutes against both Thrasher and Okolona, and she’s got a really bright future. You can’t teach 6-foot. McKinsey battled mono earlier in the year, and that’s such a tough thing to come back from, but she’s so valuable to us with her

competitive spirit and her intelligence. She’s the ultimate team player. CC (Patterson) and Kamdyn (Taylor) are both really young and didn’t get the minutes this year, but we believe they have a huge future in this program.”

Navigating through a tough classification next year

As the defending champions, Biggersville will certainly be one of the favorites, but it’s going to be a loaded Class 1A in the 20252026 season.

Ingomar, winners of three straight titles (two in Class 2A and another in 1A), drops back down to 1A.

State runner-up Thrasher also brings back four of its five starters, just like the Lady Lions do, and teams like Okolona and Wheeler, both quarterfinalists, return all or the majority of their lineups.

“I think we just have to focus on us and being the best we can be. We have to be improving and not having a championship hangover, which is a real thing,” Little said. “I don’t believe it’s something we have to worry about, but you have to be really careful. Next year we have a lot of pieces, but we have to make sure we work relentlessly to be the best we can be. There are several teams that will be there, and when you play only one game, anybody can beat you on any given night. Our work starts with working out right now, shooting, doing individual work, having a great summer and then coming back I the fall and bringing it all together.” •

Biggersville championship coach Cliff Little marked winning his seventh overall state title with his second one with the Lady Lions.

Callie Pounders left a lasting legacy on and off the field

Story by MELISSA MEADOR

Crossroads Magazine

Selfless. Competitive. Tough. Motherly. Dependable. Compassionate. Uplifting. Faithful. A leader by action. Fearless. Dominant in the

Those were just a few words and terms used to describe Callie Pounders.

While the loss of her leaves a hole that can’t be filled, both on and off the field, within the Corinth softball program, the Lady Warriors have dedicated their 2025 season to playing for Callie’s memory and honoring her legacy.

“I think our girls know this year that they are playing for something bigger than this season,” Corinth softball coach Maggi Vondenstein said. “We have a lot of kids who are trying to fill that leadership role and lead like she did. She was just one who could take the younger girls under her wing and not only show them how to do things, but how to do it the right way.”

Their motto this season has been “LLCP,” to live like Callie and love like her as well.

“When you think back on her, you think about how she showed her love for Christ,” said Kinley Pittman, a junior. “She was always doing something with her church or on a mission trip, and she was always leading that way. For me

personally, it’s not just me going out there and playing now, but it’s living my life and showing the Lord first in the way I play.”

Assistant coach Molly Brown, who came over from Wheeler in the offseason but also coached Callie in travel softball, said leading like her is personal for the veteran players on the team, and that it takes multiple girls to help fill that role.

“Callie was so much of a leader in all aspects of it. As the season goes along, we will find those leaders even though they may not be out in plain sight. She was the factor for us there,” she said. “They were used to taking the backseat and helping her as needed, so we will have to find the two or three that will work together cohesively to fill that one role, taking their strengths to build into that.”

For juniors and twins Addyson and McKinley Moore, both sisters had a special relationship with Callie.

Addyson served as her catcher, while McKinley was a part of the pitching staff with her. Those moments both in the bullpen and on the field gave them a chance to see her faith and her leadership firsthand in a closer individual setting.

“Callie and I were always praying together and sharing verses, especially before big games like North half and state,” Addyson said. “She knew how nervous I got and how sometimes I let it affect me, so she shared verses with me that were calming. She always put everyone else before herself and made sure everyone else was OK and they were good before

Callie Pounders pumps her fist after securing a strikeout to end Game 1 in the Lady Warriors’ Class 5A state championship series.

Photo by Randy J. Williams

“She was very encouraging. She would have the hard conversations and hold her teammates accountable when she needed to. She wasn’t afraid of it and didn’t back down from it, but she was always uplifting,” Vondenstein said. “The kids bought into what she was saying because they knew she cared. She always made sure you knew that she cared for you. Even when I was teaching at the high school, she would come and sit in my classroom in her free time, and she always asked how’s your day. You don’t get a whole lot of kids who wonder about you.”

Callie’s impact on the game has been felt not just in Corinth softball but throughout other teams as the Lady Warriors see other programs paying tribute to her.

Several teams have worn her favorite color purple both in ribbons and other ways, including Kossuth wearing purple jerseys when coming to play against Corinth.

“That to me all over, top to bottom of the state, you can see the impact that she has made, even on kids who didn’t even know her,” Vondenstein said.

Briggs said she sees it as other teams representing her impact on the game just as much as her own team is doing throughout the season.

“It’s really neat. We go to away games, and we see other teams decked out in purple and they show respect to us,” she said. “They knew who she was, and it’s like while we are trying our best to represent her, they are too.”

Being a multi-sport athlete also playing volleyball and a state championship powerlifter, Callie supported athletic programs that she wasn’t a part of as well.

“That was the thing about

her. She would play softball on a Tuesday night, and if golf was in Jackson, she would load up and go to Jackson. She was everywhere, supporting everybody,” Hunter Brown said.

“When our boys’ golf won it, they came back and had the little celebration, and she had got there about the same time I did and was so excited,” Vondenstein said. “She got to telling me how fun it was, and how it had her excited to go win another one. She did all the student section stuff at football. How she did it all and maintained her grades to the level she did, I don’t know how she managed it all. She was a one of a kind for sure.”

Playing with the strength of two

Both McKinley Moore and Kinley Pittman have been working to help fill Callie’s role in the pitching circle this season, both with the mindset of “playing with the strength of two” – themselves and Callie.

The whole team takes a 33-second pause before each game too, in honor of Callie’s number 33.

“There’s just a different motive this year, and I’m not doing it for

ABOVE: Corinth softball retired Callie’s No. 33 jersey

Pictured, from left, Corinth head softball coach Maggi Vondenstein; Callie’s parents Mary Elizabeth Pounders and Garett Pounders; assistant coaches Billy Nunley (also Callie’s powerlifting coach), Molly Brown and Hunter Brown.

myself,” Pittman said. “During our 33 second pause before every game, I sit there and talk to the Lord, and say, ‘Help me know that I’m not playing with the strength of one, but the strength of two. I’m honoring Garett, Mary Elizabeth and Callie, and Lynn and Tony and Edi and Alysa and everyone else who is watching.’ That’s probably the biggest thing I have taken this year. It’s for other people, and I have to be a light for Callie and it’s bigger than me. Winning another state championship is our ultimate goal, and Callie led us to something we never had before and deserved to have us lead her to that again. For us to be able to win another championship, it would show everybody that it wasn’t because of us. It was because of Callie. That would be the biggest honor I have ever received and the ultimate tribute.”

Both McKinley and Addyson Moore said they felt another championship could be possible if they continued to band together as a team.

“One of our biggest things last year was that the Lord got us to it, and He’s going to get us through it, and it’s a big thing for this year too,” McKinley said. “He put us in this position and knew we were strong enough and that we were close enough that we can rely on each other and get through it.”

“We are really close, and I feel like we can do it again. This time it’s a lot different, and honoring her through the whole thing would just be awesome,” Addyson said. “This made everyone closer, and it made us realize that your time on Earth isn’t promised and you have to live life to the fullest, and that means being together and close to everyone that you love.” •

LEFT: Callie Pounders was dominant as Corinth’s ace, breaking the single season strikeout record during her junior year and leading them to their first fast-pitch title in school history. Photo by Jesse Johnson

Photo by Larry Glidewell

during the 2025 season.

LEFT: Callie, second from left, is greeted by her teammates Addyson Moore, Lainey Briggs, Kinley Pittman and McKinley Moore after the final out in Game 2 of the state championship game against East Central.

Photo by Jesse Johnson

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ABOVE: Corinth’s Addyson Moore is met at home plate during a Game 1 homer. Moore homered three times in the championship series and was voted the Most Valuable Player. Photo by Randy J. Williams

scoring seven or more runs in every game leading up to the state championship series, something Vondenstein said gave her team confidence leading into those final two games.

“Both of those last two series before state, you were facing good pitching, and for us to hit the way that we did against both of those teams, that gave us a lot of confidence to score runs,” she said. “Earlier in the season, we would have a lot of games where Callie (Pounders) pitched really well, but we were losing 1-0 or 2-0 on one hit and we couldn’t score enough runs. That’s the first time in a long time for me where our bats got hot at the end of the season rather than the beginning, and that made the difference.”

Putting it all together at state

With ace Callie Pounders continuing to be dominant in the circle through the state

championship series, all the Lady Warriors needed was for their bats to stay hot as well.

“We didn’t really know a whole lot about them except that they had a bunch of big hitters,” Vondenstein said of East Central. “We knew that Callie had done a good job all season of keeping hitters off balance, so we knew if she could pitch well and keep them off balance and we could hit like we had been hitting, I liked our chances.”

Pounders tossed a two-hitter in Game 1 and carried a no-no into the sixth as the Lady Warriors jumped out to an early lead in that 5-1 win.

“Game 1 was a tough game, but we came out on top and got all the nerves out. I was really proud of the kids because they never let the moment get too big for them,”

Vondenstein said. “They looked confident and relaxed, and they looked like they knew they were supposed to be there. The group that East Central had had played there three times before, so they had experience of being there and we didn’t. But we just played our game, and we never got away from that.”

In Game 2, East Central was able to tie the game up in the third inning after Corinth had taken another early lead, but junior catcher Addyson Moore blasted a pair of homers in that game, and Pounders held them from there as they finished off the sweep with the 7-3 win.

RIGHT: Corinth seniors Kaylea Grace, Maddie Mills, Lainey Briggs and Lylah Cox cradle the state championship trophy, surrounded by their teammates. Photo by Jesse Johnson

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

“That last game we knew they would make adjustments and hit Callie some, but we just knew that we were going to have to score more runs than them,” Vondenstein said. “They came out and scored some runs, and I was glad Addyson had a hot bat that game. She really had it going that series.”

Balance carries Lady Warriors’ lineup

Callie Pounders had a dominant year in the circle as she racked up 229 strikeouts and a 20-4 record in her junior season. After the loss of their leader in November both on and off the field, it’s a void that the Lady Warriors can’t fill.

“She’s just one of a kind, and she was just the ultimate competitor and the ultimate teammate,” Vondenstein said. “To have that many strikeouts against those kind

Lainey Briggs and Lylah Cox anchored the middle infield at shortstop and second base, while Kaylea Grace started in left field. Maddie Mills was a key part of the lineup as their extra hitter.

of hitters, that showed you what kind of pitcher she is. She had a breakout season as a sophomore, and she had battled injuries the seasons leading up to that but she stayed healthy that year. A big part of it was her starting powerlifting, and that helped her and gave her some confidence. She had a good year as a sophomore, and this year, she really exceeded it. I know it was tough and hard for her to pitch as much as she did, but she never complained. If the ball was in her hand, we knew we had a chance.”

The Lady Warriors had four seniors who filled various roles.

“Maddie (Mills) was the biggest one who stepped up, and she had limited time the year before but was in every lineup this year. She kept working, and when she got her opportunity she made the most of it where there were numerous games where her big hit got us going,” Vondenstein said. “Lainey (Briggs) does great offensively, and defensively is her strong suit. She’s been solid at short for us for the last few years. Lylah is a quiet one, and she’s great defensively, always in the right position for the ball and then offensively, she batted almost .400 as our nine-hole hitter. She’s done that consistently for us. Kaylea (Grace) worked extremely hard, and she was another one who got a lot better. She was big right

Corinth senior second baseman Lylah Cox cheers on her teammates.

Corinth’s McKinley Moore smashes a hit against East Central.

Photos by Randy J. Williams

there at the end of the lineup with Lylah, and I loved having the versatility of her being a lefty there.”

Juniors Kinley Pittman and twins Addyson and McKinley Moore all provided pop in the lineup. Pittman was the starter at third base, while Addyson Moore was the anchor behind the plate at catcher. McKinley Moore was able to back Pounders in the circle, but was their primary first baseman.

“Kinley led us offensively in batting average and home runs, and you want the bat in her hands in big situations. There were a lot of times that’s what happened. In the North half championship, there we are down by four going into the seventh, and she hit a two-run homer and that was just the spark from there,” Vondenstein said. ““Addyson and McKinley, they are competitive and push each other, and they are also each other’s biggest fans. That does

a lot for both of them and their confidence. They are always working, and they are the type that they don’t care if they get credit or not. You have to run them out of the weight room, the batting cages and the bullpen. Addyson was a wall for us behind the plate, and when you have a good catcher behind the plate, as a pitcher, you have all the confidence in the world to throw any of your pitches, and that helps you be more successful.”

Juniors Maggie Parchman in right field and Alyssa Settlemires in center rounded out the starting lineup.

“Maggie is probably our most athletic kid we have out here. She can run down some balls, and she’s another one of our versatile players offensively. She can bunt, and she can also hit for power if you want her to,” Vondenstein said. “She gets on base, is quick and is going to steal some because she reads the ball so well. (Alyssa) Settlemires stepped

was the biggest obstacle for Corinth to go through from both the pitching side and the leadership aspect and impact she had on her entire team. Both McKinley Moore and Kinley Pittman have worked in the circle this season with both having had pitching experience in big games before.

“A lot of kids are trying to fill that leadership role and trying to lead like she did. I think they just know they are playing for something bigger too,” Vondenstein said.

After graduating those four seniors, it puts several new faces in the lineup as well with three new infielders.

“We have some positions to fill, especially there in the middle infield, but obviously our goal again will be be to win a state championship,” Vondenstein said. “We are going to try to do what it takes to fill those positions, and offensively we have to get some kids to step up hitting wise when you’re losing four bats in your lineup. Those are big shoes to fill in that aspect, but our kids want to work, and as long as they do that and are focused on that one goal, I feel like we can achieve whatever we set our minds to.” •

Corinth’s Kinley Pittman (left) celebrates with teammate Addyson Moore (above) as she comes into home plate to score a run.

Striking ’em down

Kossuth bowling adds another title sweep

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

The train isn’t stopping any time soon for Kossuth bowling.

Kossuth snagged its fourth straight sweep of the Class I bowling state titles in January, marking seven in a row for the Lady Aggies and four in a row for the Aggies.

The two more championships also makes 15 overall for the bowling program.

“It’s very impressive, and it’s just that Kossuth is blessed with raw talent but also kids that really want to learn,” Kossuth bowling coach Michael Lee said.

“The program has been building every year since Creighton Nelms had it. We will

lose some seniors, and then we gain some underclassmen that just want to keep the tradition going.”

It was a tale of two different teams – on the girls’ side, the Lady Aggies were replacing nearly their entire starting roster and came alive for a strong championship series, while a senior-laden, veteran Aggies’ group fulfilled expectations in running away with their title.

“We lost five of the best girl bowlers I have ever had the pleasure of coaching on one team from last year, but this year’s team was fun. They were all energetic and wanting to learn, wanting to be coached,” Lee said. “Lauren Trantham, our captain, went found her some friends that wanted to bowl, and they just had a blast. We had nine senior boys, and most of them have been with me since their freshman year. They were just dominant and hadn’t missed a beat since last season. They made it even better, and they were really fun to watch.”

Lady Aggies go from wild card to champs

Used to going into the state championships as the regional champions, Kossuth’s girls finished third at regionals and had to wait around to see if they would get one of the two wild card spots for the North.

They found out just a couple of days before the state championship that they had earned one of those spots.

“We definitely had all kinds of things to go through with the girls. We lost matches this year, which was the first time in a while for the girls, and we even had a forfeit due to lack of personnel during the state dance and cheer championships,” Lee said. “We waited around to see if the girls would make it, which was the first time they have ever had to worry about that so it was a new thing in itself. We started planning for it though, and I was really impressed with their first night of practice in Jackson at Fannin Lanes.

Kossuth’s girls secured their seventh-straight Class I bowling title, just a year after losing all but one starter. Photos by Randy J. Williams

Kossuth’s senior-laden boys’ team won its fourth-straight Class I bowling title. Everyone was doing so well, and they just wanted to be successful. You could feel it.”

Despite coming in as a wild card team, Kossuth never trailed on the day on the girls’ side either.

In the first game, they bowled a 715 total and followed that with a strong 710 for the second game. The third game was their lowest total at 679, but they came back with a 718 total for the fourth and final game for their best game.

“Lauren (Trantham) came to me after the first game, and said, ‘We’ve got this. We’re going to make it happen,’” Lee said. “I don’t think anybody expected them to win it, but they got into the competition and just never looked back.”

The Lady Aggies sealed their championship in the final few frames of the fourth game, bowling three strikes in the seventh, three spares in the eighth and four strikes and two spares in the ninth.

“I didn’t really know the girls were going to win until the fourth bowler in that ninth frame,” Lee said. “I think we had some fatigue set in on that third game because some of our girls had never bowled four straight games until we got to the county tournament and regionals. Olivia Spencer came in and helped us

close out that third game, and Callie Crum was big with her personal best game in that one. Lauren bowled her second highest game of the day, and Zoie Willis had one of her highest as well. Lauren got up in the tenth frame of that last game, and that’s when all the math started to add up, and we knew all she had to do was to hit eight pins. Once she did it, that put us one pin over, and everyone just erupted.”

Trantham finished this year’s tournament with a first place finish overall, bowling a 700 series on the day. Her score helped push Kossuth to a 2822 score as a team, 23 pins better than Tishomingo County, who had won at regionals.

Following Trantham, Callie Crum was third place overall with a 621 series. Both girls earned all state honors as part of the top five in the tournament. Anna Greenlee bowled a 577 series, and Zoie Willis bowled a 497 series. Paden Talley and Olivia Spencer shared the final spot on the roster with a combined 477 series.

Along with Trantham, Greenlee and Spencer were the other two seniors on the team, both first-time bowlers.

Kossuth bowling captains Lauren Trantham and Hayden Miles share a hug after both helped the Aggies secure two more championships.

PhotoCreditstoRandyJ.Williams,LarryGlidewell,MelissaMeador,ASDStaff

Photo Credits to Randy J. Williams, Larry Glidewell, Melissa Meador, ASD Staff

PhotoCreditstoRandyJ.Williams,LarryGlidewell,MelissaMeador,ASDStaff

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

“Lauren has been one of my best bowler for several seasons. She’s just consistent and a great teammate,” Lee said. “Both Anna and Olivia really stepped up big in the state championship, and both of them were just phenomenal.”

It will be up to Crum, Talley and Willis to help lead the charge for an eighth-straight championship.

“All three will return, and Callie will be my leader next year. She bowled her best series all season on the day of the championship, and she was in that fourth spot, which is a vital position to be in,” Lee said. “She handled it with poise and grace, but I know she will tell you that she never expected to bowl that good but she went in and shot a 163 average. Lauren was my anchor, but her and Callie together were what made the team successful. Anna was a newcomer who came in and shocked everyone and did great all day. She was 25-28 pins over her average and picked the right time to do it. Between those three right there, that set the stage for them winning.”

Aggies run away with fourth straight championship

On the boys’ side, there was never a doubt, and it wasn’t even close.

Kossuth won its fourth straight title with a team score of 3791 pins, 268 better than second place Mantachie and 269 better than county rival Biggersville.

“With the boys, nobody ever got close to them. They didn’t go in cocky or overconfident,” Lee said. “We even had three seniors sitting over there on the side. JT Martin didn’t bowl in regionals, and Eli (Hinton) was bowling great but his mark went away a little in the third game. We put JT in there, and he bowled lights out. Every score had to count, and everyone had to compete. At the end of the third game, nobody was close. The guys went in with a mission that they were going to win one more, and they definitely put in the work.”

The Aggies were led by a large group of seniors but three of them – Ben Hopper, Hayden Miles and Anderson Spencer – all signed to bowl at Blue Mountain.

Miles, the team’s captain, finished second place overall at state, bowling an 810 series.

“He’s my captain and he never checked up. He supported everything we needed to do,” Lee said. “He got everyone to practices, and he was playing basketball as well.

Kossuth bowling coach Michael Lee and the Lady Aggies celebrate and share a hug after securing their championship in the final frames of their last game. Photos by Randy J. Williams

Kossuth’s Lauren Trantham was the first place bowler overall in the girls’ Class I tournament with her 700 series.

He was a great team captain, just like what we needed.”

Brady Crabb placed fourth with an 802 series, including a high game of 251 to also earn all-state honors.

Anderson Spencer bowled 746 series, while Ben Hopper had a 734 series. Eli Hinton and JT Martin shared the final spot, combining for a 720 series.

“All the guys did phenomenal. Ben, Anderson and Hayden have all signed to bowl in college, and they bowled great at state and all year,” Lee said. “Brady has so much fun being there, and he just bowls loose and free. JT came in the clutch and backed Eli up, and it was one of those situations where they had to be ready at all times and they were. Anderson had the ‘Team Tara’ thing going for his mom, who had cancer. They were all trying to dedicate it to her because she’s a big part of our success.”

Looking for another repeat

After getting plenty of girls to fill the holes left by the 2024 seniors, Lee will have to find some new faces on both sides if he wants to get two more titles and keep Kossuth’s run going.

“We will have only three starters returning, and that’s all on the girls,” he said. “Cutler Rickman and Easton Nash will be coming back on the guys, and hopefully they have been out recruiting. I think on the girls, if we can find two or three more, that will push us over and we will be fine. We just won’t have the experience with the boys. Cutler and Easton are good bowlers, and they just don’t have the tournament experience yet. Callie has been recruiting and sees No. 8 could be in the future. As good as these teams have been, I know we will get some kids out. Last year, we had so many new girls come out that never had bowled before because before that, we had that veteran group and they knew they wouldn’t have a good chance to start.” •

Kossuth’s Hayden Miles finished second overall in the boys’ tournament, bowling an 810 series.

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Sweeping the greens

Corinth boys’ golf goes back-to-back, and girls win first state title

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

For Corinth golf coach Rob Scarbrough, it was two weeks of tense, close state championship matches.

All the anxiety paid off, however, as both Corinth golf teams brought home Class 5A state titles.

The girls won their first championship in school history, while the boys made it back-toback titles.

“It’s a huge accomplishment, and there were all kinds of historical things attached to it,” Scarbrough said. “It was the 12th one for the boys but the very first for the girls, so the first time both had won at the same time. It was an exciting couple of weeks there to say the least. We knew going in that we had that shot because throughout the season, you can get on an app and see what everyone shoots and how they are playing. You can kind of gauge how you might do against a team.”

Both teams had challenges and didn’t seal their championships until the second of the two days, including in the final few holes for the girls.

On the girls’ side, they won with a score of 321 to host East Central’s 324. The Lady Warriors were playing at Whispering Pines in Moss Point. The boys won by 10 strokes, 637 to second place East Central’s 647, playing at the Ole Miss Golf Course in Oxford.

“That was a big obstacle playing the defending state

champions on their home course. They play it every day and we had played it only on that Sunday for the practice round. For them to overcome being behind and negative thoughts here and there to win in the last three holes, it was very dramatic,” Scarbrough said. “The boys had to prove themselves as well, and they were sitting third after the first day. They had to rally, and of course they did. It was a really good two weeks for Corinth golf.”

Lewis, Davis lead Lady Warriors to first title

On the girls’ side, just the top two scores count towards the team’s total, leaving very little room for error for Corinth’s top two of Camden Lewis and Ella Davis.

Both girls finished in the top five. Lewis was in second place,

shooting a 154 for the two-day total, and Davis was in fifth, shooting a 167.

“Camden shot really well against a girl who was going to play college golf, and she was stride for stride with that girl. Ella chose to play the best two rounds of her career in the state championship, and that was really the kicker for us,” Scarbrough said. “She’s a smart girl, and she went into each event knowing that Camden was going to do what she was going to do. She knew the pressure was really going to be on her to compete and do the best she could do. It’s just a testament to her playing her best in crunch time.”

Davis also played against a strong, highly emotional opponent, something said Scarbrough said he thought was some motivation for a good finish.

“She was a bigger girl, really strong and really charismatic,” he said. “She was hollering, screaming and high fiving her coach the whole time, and in the

past that would bother Ella and get under her skin a little bit. During the state championship, it gave her some energy, and it was like she was motivated to beat this girl, and she outplayed her on the last day.”

The final three holes of the tournament were the real turning point. Over the final four holes, Lewis had two birdies and two pars, while Davis parred on Hole 16, while her competition from East Central bogeyed on the hole.

“That one hole gave us about a five-stroke swing and put us ahead. Hole 17 was an island green with water all around and literally a real alligator watching us,” Scarbrough said. “Ella stepped up on that intimidating hole and stuck one about six feet from the pin, and their No. 2 girl hit hers in the water. That put us going into the final hole up about five.”

After a par from Davis on the final hole, Lewis had to just par or bogey on her final hole to seal the win.

ABOVE: Corinth’s girls golf brought home its first state championship in school history. Pictured from left, assistant coach Gale Greening, Camden Lewis, Zela Dalton, Ella Davis, Madeline Brooks and head coach Rob Scarbrough. LEFT: Corinth senior Camden Lewis, center, placed second overall on the girls, shooting a 154. Courtesy photos

“He’s just never satisfied, and wherever he finished, he was discouraged because he’s a perfectionist who works hard on his game,” Scarbrough said. “Even though he was one of our better guys all year, he wasn’t satisfied, and he pushes himself. With that kind of mentality and those kind of players on the course, we were hard to beat.”

Corinth junior Occoee Piña was the overall first place medalist for the boys, shooting a 150 for his two-day score.

Looking to win in Class 4A next year

With reclassification coming into play, if Corinth wants to win two more, they will have to do that in Class 4A, which will bring several more local opponents into play. Lewis and Madeline Brooks were the two seniors on the girls’ team, which means Davis will be an incoming senior and lead the way with Zela Dalton also being able to hopefully step into the No. 2 spot.

“For Zela to have just started, she’s got some skill and some handeye coordination, and she has the potential to be really good,” Scarbrough said. “We have some interest and some kids coming up with the younger girls, so I think we will hopefully be competitive.”

After losing a host of seniors, Corinth will be looking for several younger golfers to step up on the boys’ side.

“It’s going to be hard to replace those senior guys, not just golf wise, but they are just great kids. With that being said, they have been a good example for younger guys like Nyles Smith, Jack Davis, Will Matthews, Jacob Hines and Swayzee Hartnell,” Scarbrough said. “We will have Occoee back after him medaling at state, and then Brody has the skills to play college golf. He’s really going to be a mainstay for us. There are lots of boys with just the ones who were on the team last year, and you never know since they moved it to the fall. You could always have a baseball player who can really play golf that says, ‘Hey, I’m going to try out for the team.’ Hopefully we will find some diamonds in the rough during the tryout portion, but we’re definitely losing a good group that led us to two championships and showed the younger ones how it’s done in a classy way.” •

Occoee is such a team guy … he was locked in. He was encouraging the whole team to come on and finish strong, and he was really leading that day not just on the scoreboard, but as a team leader.

Courtesy photo

— ROB SCARBROUGH, Corinth golf coach

All ten lifters made the podium for the Lady Warriors with seven of them bringing home first in their individual weight classes.

Five of those were juniors. Jenna Jones lifted a total of 500 pounds to win the 97 weight class, making her a back-toback individual state champ, while Jenniyah Harris was first in the 181 weight class with a total of 700 pounds lifted.

Charlie Biggs won the 198 weight class with a total of 795, while Victoria Aguilar won the 242 weight class lifting a total of 840 pounds. Alexis Pech rounded out the winners, taking home first in the 242-plus weight class.

“Jenna overcame a little incident earlier in the year where she hurt her foot, and then she owned her weight class at North half. She’s a big staple for us, and we went into every meet knowing that if she did what she was asked, she was going to win,” Nunley said. “Jenniyah did a really great job winning her first title, and Charlie dropped down to a new weight class because she knew she had a good shot of winning. That meant she had to drop 20 pounds throughout the year, and she just owned it from the time we started the season. Victoria finished second last year and just worked really hard to win this year. Alexis has been on the team three years but wasn’t competitive enough last year to lift. She came in this year and worked really hard to get her place. She just got better and better every meet.”

praised all three leaders on the team.

deadlift, but she still had one of her best days ever, and that was on top of being

her best friend, Callie, powerlifting. She told me that she struggled with her last deadlift,

she was thinking about was Callie cheering for her last year, and that’s what drove said. “Chloe foundation. She doesn’t say a whole lot, but you never have to question where her heart and work ethic are. She was nervous going into the state meet but came out and had her best day too. Gabby has been doing this for a while and playing travel soccer on top of competing in powerlifting. She had a really good day too. It didn’t work out for her to win, but she did what she needed to do for the team.”

While Corinth brings back the majority of its team, moving back down to Class 4A will bring its own challenges.

CWarriors snag back-to-back titles

oming into the state meet, boys’ coach Justin Dye said he knew his team had a good shot to repeat, based on dominating performances at both the North half and regional meets.

“Powerlifting and track and some other sports are a little different because when you get numbers involved, you have a better idea of what you can do versus everyone else,” Dye said. “When you get there, it just comes down to hitting your numbers and performing on the spot. Our guys had a great season with every meet, and we continued that at state. They did everything they needed to do, and everybody that made it to state got us points.”

It was still a fairly young boys’ team with Trey Williams and DJ Woods as their only two seniors. Three of their four state champions were a freshman, a sophomore and a junior.

Dye praised the leadership of both, who are key parts of several athletic programs.

The other two winners were also underclassmen in two freshmen. Brianna Holloway won the 105 weight class with her total of 565, while Kate Walker Williams won the 165 weight class, lifting a total of 700 pounds.

“Brianna really worked her butt off. She didn’t win at North half, but she came into state and had her best meet yet,” Nunley said. “Kate Walker is in a weight class that’s really tough year in and year out. It’s the one Abigail Patterson won last year, and she’s a 400-pound squatter. Kate Walker squatted 300 pounds, which is a lot to say for a freshman.”

Senior An Zhen Cornelius was second in the 123 weight class, while senior Chloe Sanders was third in the 220 and junior Gabby Gee was third in the 114 weight

“They are going to have a really hard task ahead because there are some really good teams in 4A. The North has teams like Ripley and New Albany, and then once you get down to state, South Pike has been a dynasty in powerlifting,” Nunley said. “I think the girls are ready for it. Losing two seniors is always going to hurt any program, but we lost one lifter at North half in Molly Holbert, who I thought was going to win state, and then we had another girl, Jessy Mitchell, whose schedule just didn’t line up for her to do it this year. Then of course, we lost Callie, who would have won another championship. The girls were missing two or three potential state champions and still went and did what they did. I think Coach (Justin) Dye set a good foundation, and I just came in and took over the girls and assisted with the boys. We work well together, and it helps when you have two people who are really into the sport and have been doing it for a while. It’s bringing different philosophies but equal minds together, so it’s a good equation.”

“Like we are in a lot of things, we are real heavy with underclassmen, but the guys we have that are older, they are stalwarts in everything they do. Trey and DJ are both a big force in powerlifting and football, and DJ is going to be big for us in track too,” Dye said. “Those guys are rocks for the rest. Our young guys keep getting older, and we also just have two juniors on the team. We got a lot of good production out of our younger guys, and the way they work is predicated by the way the seniors do and everyone else falls in line with that. Our guys just like competing, and when you can turn the weight room into a competition, it’s good for everybody, not just football but all the other sports.”

Woods in the 181 class and Pat Crump in the 220 weight class were both back-toback champions. Woods lifted a total of 1260 pounds, while Crump totaled 1480.

“Both of them have been really good all season long. DJ had a groin injury coming out of football, and we spent a lot of time working him and Coach Nunley helping him rehab and grow,” Dye said. “It kind of affected his squat at the beginning of the season, but he got better on bench and his deadlift was good all along. Then squat ended up being one of his best events at state. Pat has been extremely good the entire season, and that didn’t change. Everybody was playing behind, and nobody was going to catch up to him.”

CJ Roby and Qwuantiver Young were two first-time powerlifters who won state titles. Roby took home first in the 114 weight class with a total of 775, while Young won

the 198 weight class with a total of 1245 lifted.

“Q (Young) had a lot of experience with high school football, starting as a freshman and then doing everything he did last year. He continued to grow, develop and mature and did everything we asked, and that culminated in what happened at state,” Dye said. “CJ weighed less than 90 pounds the spring of his eighth grade year, and now he’s 118, which isn’t very much weight but still 30 pounds heavier. He got faster and stronger, and he won by over 100 pounds. Nobody was really close to hitting his numbers.”

The Warriors got second place finishes from Williams in the 242 weight class, who lifted a team-best 1505 pounds and also from sophomore Zavian Greer in the 132 weight class, with a total of 1025. Sophomore Payton Burns was third in the 308 weight class with a total of 1370.

“Trey and Zavian have both been a force for us the last two years. Trey set a personal record in the squat and the deadlift, then he benched 275. He just went against another guy who’s also really strong,” Dye said. “You’re talking about two guys who pulled over 1500 pounds in a powerlifting meet, and it

came down to a five-pound difference. Trey made that guy pull one last time to win, and that’s the position you want to put them in. He had a great year and a great meet at state. Zavian also had a huge year. He’s a 132-pound kid, but he had a personal record with 455 on the squat and pulled 405 on deadlift. We knew he was safely going to get first or second.”

To get three in a row, Corinth will have to do it in a different classification as they drop back down to Class 4A. Their first state title came in 4A, and next year, they will contend with the 3A champion South Pike, who will move up.

“Class 4A has always been really tough in powerlifting. There are a lot of good teams in the North, and you knock each other out before state. It makes it hard when you get to state because you’ve beat each other up leading to there,” Dye said. “There are a lot of teams who will have four or five kids there, and then there will be South Pike, which usually has about 10 kids competing. That makes it to where you have to score really heavy in first or second place to even have a chance. Our first one came in 4A, and we beat South Pike to do it, so we have done it before.”

KKossuth finishes runner-up in 3A

ossuth, the 2024 champion on both sides, came up just short in their bid to repeat.

On the girls’ side, the Lady Aggies came just 10 points short of four straight titles. They had five state champions – senior Micah Haire in the 97 weight class, eighth-grader Livy Hinton in the 123 weight class, senior Sarah Green in the 181 weight class, senior Maryn Latch in the 220 weight class and sophomore Kameelah Colbert in the 242 weight class.

Green made the Elite 12 for her weight class for the most weight lifted regardless of classification with her total of 900 pounds.

Biggersville junior Anna McNair also won the 165 weight class in 1A girls, giving the Lady Lions’ powerlifting team their first state champion.

On the boys’ side, the Aggies fell by just four points. They had a pair of state champions –senior Ty Stephenson won the 242 weight class, and junior Gunnar Goodwin won the 308 weight class.

Alcorn Central brought home three individual state champions. Juniors Riley Dunn and Stephen Rickman won their third straight each with Dunn in the 123 weight class and Rickman in the 132. Senior Austin Johnson won the 181 weight class. •

Corinth’s boys made it back-to-back 5A titles, winning by 28 points. Photo by Brandon Jackson

fourth with a time of 21:39.40 with senior Meredith Gillmore in fifth with a time of 21:50.40. Sophomore Abbigail McGee was sixth with a time of 21:51.60. Senior Chloe Bollig rounded out the all-state runners, finishing in 12th with a time of 23:21.10.

“Alana and Abbigail are going to be two to watch next year for sure because they are super competitive and very talented. Abbigail is going to focus more on cross country, and she’s set some really high goals,” Hill said. “Alana is coming off major surgery on her hand, but how she started running was when she hurt herself at volleyball and was missing that competitiveness. I said to her then, hey come try this because there’s no more competition than running. She’s always a huge competitor.”

Bollig and Gillmore helped Childs in the leadership aspect.

“Meredith fought with her hip injury last year but she came back really strong this year, and I know she was tickled to get on the podium and end her career on a good note. Chloe didn’t have her fastest time, but she was really determined to get it done,” Hill said. “She kept a full-time job on top of running, so I was really proud of her. We definitely couldn’t asked for better leaders because they all went above and beyond. Meredith is a born leader, like everyone’s mom and really takes care of everyone. Sarah came in just dialed in and focused and was a great example for the rest of them. She put in the extra work and did everything she could to make sure she was ready to go, even coming in and running with me one Saturday.”

Hill said the moment she knew her team had it won was looking up and seeing Childs, Lewis, Gillmore and McGee all running close together in those third through sixth spots.

“They were all within 20 seconds of each other, which is pretty cool,” she said. “There’s a hill in Jackson where you can watch them come down, and first you see one, then the next one and the next. I knew we had it sealed when I saw them all coming together there.”

Winning a third straight championship will bring new competition with another reclassification, in addition to finding more runners to help fill the shoes of Childs, Gillmore and Bollig.

“It usually all works itself out. Sarah didn’t come out until her junior year, so you never know who will come out next year,” Hill said. “We have some good potential with the girls we have coming back, and they have already started working on their own. In 2023, we had three in the top five that we didn’t have before, so someone always seems to emerge. It will definitely be tough. We will have St. Patrick again and then we will throw St. Andrews back in there as well, so that’s another private school that we will be adding in.” •

Kossuth senior Sarah Kate Childs led the charge at state with a third place finish.

between and then Nate (Wilbanks), and I thought, ‘Oh, they have this.’ It really was that easy for them. It’s a testament to them and their hard work because they probably knew they had it in the bag, but they weren’t complacent on how they ran. They knew they were going to win, but they didn’t perform that way. Sometimes you can go in being cocky, and then you never know what can happen at the state meet, but our guys went in confident and determined to win, no matter what.”

With the Warriors sweeping the top three, freshman Silvestre Lopez was first overall with a time of 17:09.42 with Braxton Stevens, a junior, in second with a time of 17:26.15. Senior John Thomas Draper was third with a time of 17:27.97.

“Silvi just has a natural talent to run, and I think his growth is going to be on how much effort he puts into it. If he digs in, he’s so gifted, and he can be a really good runner one day,” Kirk said. “Braxton is so constant and solid, and he doesn’t get wavered or overthink. He knows himself and how he runs, and his goal this season was to get in the 16’s on his time. He finally got there in our Huntsville race. JT just lives and breathes Corinth cross country. He got injured right after our first race and didn’t run for a few, so it was huge for him to get third his senior year. He’s a good leader, and it’s going to be hard for some of these boys not to have his leadership role.”

Also with all state honors were junior Nate Wilbanks in sixth with a time of 17:46.68 and senior Ricardo Venegas in seventh with a time of 18:02.44.

Freshman Jose Arguello and senior Sam Evans were 21st and 22nd respectively.

“Nate is like his sister, Elsie, in that he’s going to work hard. He is continuing to grow, and he and Braxton will step into those leadership roles next year,” Kirk said. “Ricky tried to quit on me at the beginning of the year, and I just kept bugging and persuading him. He’s a leader more than he thinks he is. Sam is just an athlete an a great kid, and when I took over, there was not one day where I felt like he questioned anything I did.

He’s not as outspoken as JT, but just his actions and how he carries himself makes a lot of the younger boys look up to him. Jose is one of those younger runners like Silvi that will stick around for a while.”

One thing that prepared both of her teams to compete at a high level at the state meet is taking them to challenging races throughout the regular season.

Many of those races are in Alabama, and Kirk believes running there pushes her teams.

“When I first got here, and we were going there, I wondered why, but now I think it mentally prepares our kids,” she said. “Not many other Mississippi teams go there, and the point is to see teams that won’t be at our region or state meet. It’s not like we are getting comfortable seeing our competition

It’s a good indicator of where we are.”

The Warriors will shoot for four straight with several key pieces still returning, losing just two seniors off their state team.

“It will be different, but I think if these upcoming seniors and even the guys who will be sophomores can step up and be leaders, we will have a good chance next year and beyond,” Kirk said.

Lady Warriors come up just short

Corinth’s girls were gunning for a seventhstraight state title but fell just one point short to Brookhaven.

Originally, the Lady Warriors had thought they won in a tiebreaker with Brookhaven.

“The girls were disappointed, and I was disappointed for our seniors, but not disappointed in how they ran by any means. I thought we ran the best we could,” Kirk said. “I look back at it and think that there’s not one girl who didn’t give it their all, and things just didn’t fall the way we wanted it to. It stinks to only lose by one point, especially when we thought they won. All of our girls had ran the year before, so it wasn’t like any of them were unsure what to do. That day was just not our best running day.”

For the second year in a row, however, seniors Elsie Wilbanks and Andi Kate Holley were first and second overall.

“They started in seventh grade and quickly moved up to varsity together that year, and they were freshmen when I came in,” Kirk said. “For those two to start their career together and then end it in first and second, I know it’s special for them and special for me as a coach to watch them finish it together.”

Senior Sheridan Shipp in 10th, junior Abby Summers in 11th, senior Madison Gates in 12th, and freshman Hadley Rutledge in 14th all were named to the all-state team as well for the

Corinth’s Elsie Wilbanks and Andi Kate Holley were first and second overall in the Class 5A girls’ race, despite the Lady Warriors coming just short of what would have been a seventh-straight title.

Alcorn Central pair

win tennis doubles

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

Alcorn Central’s Jacob Cornelius and Davis Hardin were the winning pair on the tennis courts in 2024.

The duo brought home the Class 3A boys’ doubles, marking the first time Alcorn Central had even been in the finals since 2018.

Cornelius and Hardin topped East Webster’s Levi Elkins and Barrett Gregg in the championship match with a 7-5, 6-3 win.

“It was really exciting. The past couple of years, I have been trying to work really hard to get there,” said Cornelius, then a junior who had made it to state previously in mixed doubles. “Last year, me and my partner made it to the semis, but it was really exciting to be able to make it and win. It’s just great.”

John Mask, who served as their coach in 2024, pointed out that the pair never trailed at state and never lost a match together during the entire season.

“They only had one match where they gave up a set, and that was in the division tournament, and I think that was just nerves and feelings and emotions being raised really high. I think that it helps you maintain the mental focus to know it’s within reach and momentum stays in your favor,” Mask said. “These two have worked extremely hard, and there’s nothing I could have done physically to prepare them more than what they were already doing on their own. The level of determination and practice they had individually and the focus for them to want to succeed far exceeds anything else. That separates winners from champions because a champion is one that’s going to take it upon himself to feel stress and pressure, and then use that to make themselves better.”

To get to that finals match, Cornelius and Hardin had to get through the defending champions from St. Stanislaus.

While that ended up being just as much pressure as the championship match, they made it through it with the 6-4, 7-5 win over defending champs Robert Hebert and Evan Noel.

“We had never played somebody like St. Stanislaus, which was the main game we were really worried about. In the semis, he played St. Patrick last year, which is another

private school,” Hardin said. “Once we got over that barrier, we felt like nothing was going to stop us. That was what really kept us going.”

Cornelius said it was one of the more nerve-wracking matches of his tennis career.

“Going into it I was confident, then as it started going, I started getting more nervous,” he said. “At one point, I thought I was going to throw up because I was thinking about all the possibilities and outcomes. I tried having a strong mindset thinking we were going to come out on top, and we were able to.”

Getting through that semifinals match brought them against Elkins and Gregg, who they had already beaten earlier in the season.

The pair from East Webster made it a close match, however, and Cornelius and Hardin had to fight just as hard as they did in the semifinals against St. Stanislaus.

“We just didn’t play up to how we played the day before, and our mindset had to change in that second set against them. Then it wasn’t as close,” Hardin said. “That was my first time ever at state, so that was the main fun part about winning. Jacob and I had this thing going, and I’m very affectionate, I guess, and will say I love him all the time. He made it as a joke where if we ever won state, he would say it back. The first thing I said to him was I love you, and he said it back, so it was like we made it.”

right, in boys’ doubles

Cornelius said finishing off the championship match was a huge weight off his shoulders.

“I was just so happy that it was over and that we won,” he said. “I was relieved all the stress and nervousness because that was the first time during all the matches we played that I finally yelled and showed emotion on the court. I was just so excited, and I was glad it was over.”

Mask said even watching during the last two matches was tense.

“At the end of the first set, although that second one was close and went 7-5, despite some funny conclusions when we won it, we knew it was possible then,” he said. “There were some times we would get up 4-1 and then fall two games and get tied four-all and fight that battle, but there were never a point in any of these three matches in the championship series where we lost the lead. I think overall most people didn’t have them to win it. They knew they were a competitive team and going to fight, but I think everyone was kind of doubting the level they were at until those first few games of the first set when they started to break away and show that this is a championship team.”

Both Cornelius and Hardin credited plenty of hours of hard work and individual

WhereChampionsGo!

practice with helping them be able to come away with the championship.

“I worked hard and spent a lot of hours by myself working and with the team. I have been trying to just focus on things to help us improve and trying to just get better,” Cornelius said.

Hardin, who played several different sports in his junior year, said he made tennis a bigger priority as a senior.

“Last year, tennis wasn’t that big on my mind. I played five sports. I quit everything this year besides football and tennis so I could focus more on it because I liked it more than everything else,” he said. “I ended up just playing every day during the summer and the fall and then back when season started. I think lessons with Brendan Jobe and practices with Coach Mask really helped.”

Mask credited others with helping him train his team.

“There are all kinds of people that they play with outside of team practices and that we try to orchestrate and fit in, players that are USTA section champions and national champions like Brendan Jobe, Wendy and Randy Talley, Tyler Freeman and people like that, he said. “It’s people who are part of our tennis community that also pour into the program. Every little bit of support makes a difference there.”

He called his pair “diamonds in the rough.”

“High pressure is what makes diamonds, and there are very few diamonds in the rough,” Mask said. “In the pressure situations, they found a way to make it work, and it wasn’t without creating stress and emotional rollercoasters for us as we were watching. I think now they knew it was possible, and obviously we knew it was possible. If I didn’t think it was, from the beginning of the season watching them play and seeing the success throughout and placing that, them executing that faith within themselves and putting it out there for the time really brought it forth.”

Alcorn Central senior Davis Hardin gets amped up during the state championship match.

Alcorn Central’s Jacob Cornelius slams the ball back towards his opponents in the state championship. Photos by Randy J. Williams

“I really like having that gap between regionals and state because we have all of the month of November to work,” Connell said. “We didn’t place where we wanted to at regionals, but you get that material and feedback, and it gives you something to work on and goals to set. It keeps us on track in November, and we’re always pushing towards December. We had won three regionals in a row before that, so it was something to overcome. They did a good job of taking that feedback and pushing towards the goal. It didn’t set us back, and it just pushed us further.”

Kossuth’s cheer squad was led by senior captains Meredith Gillmore, Alyson Wilson, Lanie Moore and Ella Trimble.

The rest of the squad included Sarah Kate Childs, Adasan Bradley, Makenzie Hastings, Aniston Joyner, Katie Beth Shelton, Katie Avant, Mady Tucker, Kyleigh Mitchell, Jacey Meeks, Alana Lewis, Miley Taylor, Abbigail McGee, Mary Ellis Johnson, Libby Hammock, Rochelle Dodds and Oakli Rickman.

“It was different with four less girls this year, and everyone else knows they have to step up. It was also hard going from 10 captains to four, but I have had these girls for such a long time,” Connell said. “It’s crazy how you can see them grow up from elementary school age to be seniors and

experience their love for the sport and the accomplishments it brings. I can always tell how their love for cheer has pushed them.”

Kossuth will look to keep its streak going, aiming for a fifth straight state championship in December.

“It’s going to be a lot of hard work, and it comes with big expectations for our program. They hold each other to that standard, and it’s a big group effort. We will get all the newcomers on that same goal, and I think we will have good leadership coming in as well. The girls are eager to get back out there, and they talk about it almost every day. It’s a good feeling when they are excited to get back out there and eager to work and learn.”

Dance makes it two in a row

With their second straight Class 3A/4A Gameday championship, it marks the first time in school history for the dance team to win back-to-back titles.

“It’s a big deal, but it’s our motivation ever year,” Kossuth dance coach Wendy Kelly said. “Our saying each year is that you have to level up. Every year, you have to take it a step further and push yourself more. Your best last year can’t be your best this year, and I know our girls would say that too. They are always striving to be bettter than they were the day before. Every day, they came in and were committed to do what they needed to make themselves better.”

While the championship is in December, Kelly pointed out that it’s a year long commitment for her dance team. They have tryouts in April and immediately get to work after that with the fall being especially hectic leading up to state.

Their season, like the cheerleaders, also includes dancing at all home football and basketball games and plenty of away contests as well.

“We get started early working on skills, techniques and routines. They know I set a really high bar,” Kelly said. “The first year we won, nobody knew who we were because we had never competed in game day before, and we were the underdog being the only 3A team. Now that you have established yourself, people are expecting certain things out of you, and you’re on teams’ radars. You just have to come in and be as flawless and perfect as you possibly can for that one performance. I know how many hours of practice we go through, and it’s such a dedication and a commitment. It’s a high level of dedication because of how long you’re having to be committed to it and what you have to sacrifice.”

This year’s team had 21 dancers, including six seniors. Three seniors who served as captains were Addy Burse, Anna Greenlee and Olivia Spencer, who all danced all four years of high school. Micah Haire and Kensley Wilbanks were also seniors, along with mascot Maryn Latch.

Kossuth dancers won back-to-back titles in Class 3A/4A Game Day. Photo by Blake Harrell

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

all the way to North half finals

Coming into the 2024 baseball season, there were plenty of expectations for Biggersville.

Just two years off an experience in the state championship series and trying to be the first school to win a championship in all three major sports after titles in football and boys’ basketball, the Lions were just one game away from making it to state again, but had a strong season that came to an end in the Class 1A North half finals in three games against Pine Grove.

“Obviously when they won in football and basketball, that was the buzz that we could be the first to do it,” said Biggersville coach Daniel Rowsey, who stepped down after the 2024 season to focus on watching his sons’ college athletic careers but still serves as the school’s athletic director. “I know the guys felt pressure, and we just tried to talk about how winning a state championship is our goal every year no matter what the other sports do. I knew we had a lot coming back, but we graduated three seniors from the year before who had really big shoes to fill. We had some younger guys who could do that, and our seniors who had been with us for so long really led the way. Our younger guys stepped in, matured and really got better as the season went on.”

Biggersville had just three losses on the year, and two of those came in that tense North Half finals series. They dropped the first game before winning a big one

on the road at Pine Grove to keep their season alive, but Pine Grove returned the favor in Game 3.

“We knew coming in that they were really good. We had played them in the regular season and beaten them pretty good, but we knew they were a better team than that, just by scouting and talking to other coaches,” Rowsey said. “I hate that our guys couldn’t pull Game 3 out, but we gave it everything we had. We were dealing with some injuries that affected us, and I would like to think that it would have been a different outcome if not for that but you have to play with what you have. Our guys played hard, and we just didn’t come up with the big hits.”

Rowsey credited both a tough division and a non-division schedule with preparing them for the playoffs.

“We lost our first game without our basketball guys, so it’s really special to not get beat again until the playoffs. We beat some really good teams, and we lost some good games due to the weather or basketball playoffs,” Rowsey said. “Our division was as good as any in 1A, and we beat some solid teams in non-division games like Itawamba AHS and McNairy Central. It really helped when we got in the second and third rounds against scrappy teams like Falkner and Hickory Flat. Those were hard-fought games.”

The Lions were led by a strong core of four seniors that signed to play college baseball in Drew Rowsey and Tre Gunn (Itawamba signees), Luke Overstreet (Northeast signee) and

Biggersville baseball clinched its third-straight Division 1-1A title and made it all the way to the Class 1A North finals. Photo by Melissa Meador

Biggersville baseball coach Daniel Rowsey talks with senior Tre Gunn during their North half finals win at Pine Grove. Photo by Larry Glidewell

LADY AGGIES REACH

NORTH HALF

Kossuth stayed one of the teams to beat in Class 3A, reaching their fourthstraight North half finals series.

The Lady Aggies lost to eventual state champion Mantachie in two games but still capped off a strong run for their group of five seniors from the 2024 class.

“These girls have won a lot of ballgames, and it’s just a great core group. We just lost a great senior group, and that was in all sports, just some big time winners,” Kossuth softball coach Brandon Bobo said. “That’s what this team was for me, just winners. They wanted it, and I can’t brag on them enough really. They fell short of just the one goal in their careers.”

Kossuth faced Mantachie four times throughout the season –twice in regular season division play and then in the North half finals.

All four games ended up being decided by one run.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight, and we knew it would be one of us three, either us, Mantachie or Booneville,”

Bobo said. “We went cold at the plate, and we had some unlucky breaks, some 50/50 calls we didn’t get, and they could have called those either way and it would have been the right call. We had chances to go up and it didn’t happen, but we left everything we had on the field both games with them. They came out the better team and made one more play that we did.”

Despite a tough regular season schedule, the Lady Aggies came out on fire, once winning 18 games in a row before Mantachie handed them their only division loss.

It was a challenging division slate Kossuth had to go through as well, facing off with pitchers like Mantachie’s Ramsey Montgomery and Booneville’s Olivia Garrett.

“We started off hot, and I think we peaked too early. The last three games, we didn’t hit the ball as well,” Bobo said. “You have that, but you look at the pitching we faced all year. When you’re hitting .400 with our schedule, you’re a pretty good player. This is one of the hardest divisions in softball. You have great teams in this division,

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

TOP: Kossuth won the Division 1-3A title and made it to the Class 3A North half finals for the fourth year in a row. ABOVE: Kossuth’s Annabelle Marlar smashes an extra-base hit. Photos by Larry Glidewell

but really great pitchers. That’s where it’s been the last few years.”

All five seniors for the Lady Aggies were key contributors with four signing to play college softball.

Cailyn Johnson and Maddie Mask are both playing at Northeast Mississippi Community College, while Annabelle Marlar is playing at Itawamba Community College.

“It says a lot about their work ethic and the kids, and then we have two more committed for the next year as well,” Bobo said.

Mask along with Sally Kate Gardner fill roles in the hitting lineup but were the two starting pitchers with Mask in her second season as the Lady Aggies’ ace.

“We knew when we had Ava (Meeks) that Maddie was special too. She worked her butt off and battled a few nagging injuries this year, but she has the heart of a champion,” Bobo said. “She’s not coming out. She wanted the ball every game, and that’s what you want from your leader. Sally Kate came in and was a really good pitcher for us as well. I knew that last year but she got hurt and tore her ACL. I knew that hurt us, but then Chloe (Clement) stepped up. That’s just the mentality of our girls. Sally stepped up and played really well, and I knew her swing was pretty, that she made contact and that she could also pitch.”

On the offensive and defensive sides, Marlar, the first baseman; Johnson, the third baseman and Hadley James, the leadoff hitter and centerfielder all played big roles.

“We know what Annabelle is going to give you as a great first baseman and a great power hitter, but she’s not just a power hitter. People think that but she had lots of singles, doubles and RBIs, and she was what you want in a fourhole hitter,” Bobo said. “When you walk her, then (Cailyn) Johnson makes you pay. She did that in the playoffs against East Webster for us. She fought through injuries with her knee for the last few years, and it put us having to have Caliann (Mitchell) catch every game, but it made our defense strong too with her at third. Hadley set the tone for the game for us and always had, and she’s just a great player, especially at the plate. She’s hitting a moving target as a slapper, and she’s really good at it. She led us batting every year.”

Juniors Victoria Fields in left field and Macie Starling at shortstop also committed to play college softball, both at Itawamba Community College.

“They are both great players, and they have to be the leaders

now. I have seen it in our summer softball games with them talking to the young players,” Bobo said. “They are going to be really good leaders and set the tone for us. Victoria will lead off to take Hadley’s place, so we will let her set the tone. Macie will be a five-year starter at shortstop and that says a lot about her. She’s got a lot of power too.”

Sophomores Caliann Mitchell behind the plate and Chloe Clement at second base rounded out the Lady Aggies’ starting lineup.

“Both of those girls had great seasons. Chloe is probably the most improved player in our division,” Bobo said. “I had told (assistant coach) Carleigh (Mitchell) back in January that Chloe had to play somewhere on the field. She busted her butt in the weight room and on the field. Caliann is a player you can put anywhere on the field and

she’ll be the best at that position, but she’s our quarterback behind the plate. She’s a special player, and she’s a leader for us. When a sophomore gets out there and leads, that lets you know what kind of person she is because when she talks, everyone listens.”

Despite losing a strong group of seniors, the expectations will stay the same for Kossuth, and along with their division rivals, they will be one of the teams to watch in Class 3A again.

“The way these girls work, I think we will battle for it again. That’s our mentality again, and the girls want it,” Bobo said. “We know Booneville and Mantachie will be right back there, and Alcorn Central and Belmont won’t be any pushovers. You have to bring it every night, especially in our division play. That’s what we play the hard schedule to get to division, and hopefully it will pay off again.” •

FAR RIGHT: Kossuth third baseman Cailyn Johnson fires to first for an out. RIGHT: Kossuth’s Maddie Mask controlled the circle for the Lady Aggies as their ace.

make run to 3A North finals

Story by MELISSA MEADOR Crossroads Magazine

Kossuth won its second straight volleyball division championship in 2024, but even better, the Lady Aggies flexed their might as one of the top teams in Class 3A.

Kossuth made it all the way to the Class 3A North half finals, falling in five sets to state runner-up Belmont.

“Coming in I knew we had a good shot to make a run with how the girls were putting in the work and coming in and competing every day in practice,” Kossuth coach Carleigh Mitchell said. “Our

seniors stepped up big and helped me and my assistant, and we all came together with one goal in mind. We had a lot of younger players, but they came to work from the first day and wanted it just as bad as everyone else. After losing a player like Aven (Mathis), someone we had relied on over the years for big moments, I thought our younger players came in and did an awesome job.”

Kossuth’s playoff run began with a sweep of Humphreys County, but the highlight was topping their county rival Alcorn Central with a sweep in the second round. It was the first time in program history for the

Lady Aggies to sweep Alcorn Central and came after the Lady Bears had posted two sweeps of Kossuth in the regular season.

“We knew what to expect from them, that they were going to be gamers that weren’t going to give us anything,” Mitchell said. “I knew we couldn’t worry about what they were going to do, but we had to prepare ourselves for our game, stay within ourselves and compete from the first whistle to the last whistle. I think it was our energy from our bench, from all the players on the court that carried us. We set that goal in our heads and just ran with it.”

The Kossuth Lady Aggies won back-to-back division championships, but also got all the way to the North half finals. Courtesy photo

Kossuth senior libero Kate McCormack passes the ball out of the back row.

Photo by Larry Glidewell

From there, the Lady Aggies went to Booneville for the third round and won a 3-1 match before dropping the 3-2 North half finals match to Belmont.

“Kelly (Wright) did such a great job with that Booneville program, and you always heard really good things about her. We played them a few years ago in division, and from then to this year, it’s just been a huge leap,” Mitchell said. “They came in and really competed, and I think it was our energy and mindset once again that pushed us over the top. With Belmont, we knew it was going to be a packed house because our fans always show up, and we knew they would bring a crowd. We had played them in the championship game of their tournament and brought home a win then, and I think that gave us a little more confidence that we knew we could do it. I think we competed really well against them, and it’s just some nights aren’t your night. They had a little more experience in those championship games that helped push them past us, but I’m not taking anything away from our girls. They competed hard all five sets.”

The Lady Aggies were led by their three seniors – right side hitter Elle Clayton, libero Kate McCormack and middle hitter Macie Starling.

“Elle is committed to play college ball at Mississippi Gulf Coast, and she’s our jokester, but she comes and puts in the work every single day and stays after practice. She had a great year, and a little more confidence just really helped her in her game,” Mitchell said. “Macie reads the ball so well in the middle, and that’s why we kept her there. We had some good height with her and Elle both, and she gave us good leadership in the middle. Kate was like Elle in that she had more confidence this year. She was battling a hip issue, and as a libero, you have to move well, but she maintained it enough to really be there for us. She’s one who puts in the work too, and if she doesn’t feel like she did as well as she needs to, she’ll come to us and say hit me a few more

balls, help me out.”

Two of the standout underclassmen included junior setter Brenyn Wilbanks, the Daily Corinthian’s Co-Player of the Year, and outside hitter Dallyn Haupt, the Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Wilbanks had over 900 assists, while Haupt had over 400 kills.

“We were trying to get Brenyn to be a little louder, and she can be because as a setter, you have to communicate with your hitters and let them know what you want them to do. She does a really good job with that and reads the court very well.

Kossuth seniors Elle Clayton and Macie Starling go up for a block in a regular season match against Corinth.

freshman Willow Hatcher helped on the hitting side of things while juniors Chloe Clement and Hallie Kate Smith, sophomores Chloe Caldwell and Carlie Shaw all helped fill roles as defensive specialists.

“I had four or five defensive specialists sitting over there and just went off who I thought would go better in those different scenarios,” Mitchell said. “They were all ready to perform. Adrian stepped up big for us as well, and with Willow, I saw the potential she had last year when I pulled her up to play junior varsity.”

She’s a great setter, but overall as a player, she can do it all,” Mitchell said. “Dallyn stepped up big on the outside, and we knew she had it in her and would be a hard hitter. She did anything I asked her to do, and she just really knows the game. She would tell me things, and I would feel confident enough that if she could see it, we would go with it. She reads the court well and sees things that sometimes it takes me a minute to. She’s a great athlete and a great kid, and she stepped up big helping us fill Aven’s shoes.”

Junior Adrian McKee and

With bringing back so many key players, Kossuth will be right back in the mix when they start this next season in the fall.

“I’m excited to be back in our normal division with Belmont, Alcorn Central and Booneville,” Mitchell said. “Our division the last two years wasn’t the best so I tried to get games that would work towards who we might see in the playoffs so we would be ready. I think we have to go work in the offseason and prepare like we have been and maybe even a little harder. We have the potential to be in those top two or three teams, and we just have to put our heads down and go to work.” •

Photos by Larry Glidewell

Kossuth players celebrate after the final point of their second-round win over county rival Alcorn Central.