Area athletes highlight 5-3A teams

By Staff
From staff reports
March 7, 2002
Twenty-eight area athletes have been selected to the All-Division 5-3A basketball teams.
Selected to the All-Division 5-3A girls' team are J.J. Huggins, JaWanda Huggins, Kristina Gardner, and Patty Monroe of West Lauderdale; Lesley Ruffin and Kenitta Cooley of Southeast Lauderdale, Erica Clemons of Philadelphia, Yolanda Johnson and Kristin Chaney of Newton County, Princess Bender and Catina Fowler of Heidelberg, and Deaundrea Johnson, Chantay Frazier, and Trish Phillips of Choctaw Central.
Girls' Coach of the Year is Jody Hurst of West Lauderdale.
Named to the boys' team are Jessie Jones, Marvin McDonald, Fred Stephens, and Derrick Turner of Heidelberg; Boo Ramsey and Calvin Moore of West Lauderdale, Tyler Williamson and Andrew McMillian of Choctaw Central, Tony Smith and Al Willis of Newton County, LaPatrick Carlisle of Southeast, and Tellas Burnside, Mandrako Jackson, and Bobby Goodin of Philadelphia.
Boys' Coach of the Year is Ted Williams of Heidelberg.
Honorable mention girls are Samantha Smith of Southeast, Shekara Young of Philadelphia, Shawana Stevens of Heidelberg, Phyllis Cole of Newton County, Cierra Jennings of West Lauderdale, and Willamae Thomas of Choctaw Central.
Honorable mention boys are Nehemiah Nwankpah of Southeast, Billy Wright and Cedric Pierce of Heidelberg, Del Murrell of Newton County, Karlos Lewis of West Lauderdale, and Braden Sam of Choctaw Central.
Marty Stamper
All 6-1A hoopsters
Area basketball players named to the girls' All-Division 6-1A team are Kimyatta Viverette, Kim Cox, Roxana Rogers, and Latoyia Hunt of regular season and tournament champion Lake; LaSaundra Harrison and Marley Smith of Union; and Ashley Johnson and Brittany Gordon of Sebastopol.
Viverette was named Most Valuable Player. Amber Ladner of Edinburg was the Sportsmanship Award winner, while Lake's Bill Ingersoll was Girls' Coach of the Year.
Making the 6-1A girls' all-tournament team were Cox, Rogers, Shariece Towner, and tournament MVP Viverette of Lake; Harrison and Madison Brantley of Union; and Laquita Triplett and Tuesdie Gordon of Sebastopol.
Making the boys' All-Division 6-1A team are Douglas Wansley, Prentiss Evans, and Derrick Harris of Union; Willie Hickman of Lake; and Sylvester Snow and Albert Nicks of Sebastopol.
Union's Ricky Casey was boys' Coach of the Year. Hickman received the Sportsmanship Award with Garrick Nichols of Thomastown named MVP.
On the 6-1A all-tournament team were Harris, Evans, and Wansley of Union; Snow and Curtis Price of Sebastopol; and Danny Towner of Lake. Nichols was again selected as tournament MVP.
Marty Stamper
All-4-5A soccer picks
Meridian had four girls and two boys selected to the All-Division 4-5A soccer first team.
Lady Wildcats picked were Kelly Brown, Sarah Denham, Kirsten Gambrell, and Kortney Harris. The two Wildcats named were Andrew Gambrell and Leslie Rush.
Named honorable mention from Meridian are Chris Kitchens, Leanna Baldner, and Lindsey Key.
Marty Stamper
Boyd tops All-Division 5
Meridian Community College committee Kenny Boyd was named the Division 5-2A Player of the Year. Boyd led Kemper County to the divisional tournament and a spot in the State 2A Tournament at the Mississippi Coliseum last week.
Boyd, a 6-foot-8 center, averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a game for Coach Charles Jackson's Wildcats. Jackson was named the Boys Coach of the Year.
Two other Wildcats making the All-Division team were James Moore and Chris Davis.
Newton High School had two on the team in guard Bobby Lindsey and Laddarian Blaylock.
Clarkdale was represented by standout guard Bryant Gaddis. Scott Central's pick was Anthony Pitts.
On the girls side, Williams &Sullivan's Angela Howard was named the Player of the Year.
Making the All-Division team from the area were Newton's Lenora Gray and Tonya Jordan.
They helped lead Coach Crandle Porter's team to the State 2A Tournament.
Clarkdale was represented by Tamara Brown. Kemper County's pick was Candra McCoy.
Honored from Scott Central were Brittany Burks and Katie Nickson.
Honorable mentions were Monique Mosley of Kemper County; Katrice Bender of Newton and Misti Alexander of Clarkdale; Elyse Clay of Scott Central.
Jeff Byrd
North, South State champs have a rough go at Big House
North State and or South State champions have had a tough time this week in the state tournament.
Heading into Wednesday play, seven No. 1 seeds have bit the dust.
The fallen include in the girls ranks: fifth ranked Wayne County (35-2), top-ranked Tupelo, who had not lost to a Mississippi team in two years; and North State 2A champ Broad Street (34-3).
West Lauderdale (33-4) avoided that fate when Kristina Gardner hit a layup with eight seconds left to help beat Ripley 55-54.
Top seeds who have made it to the title games include both 1A seeds in Myrtle and Durant and East Marion (34-1) in 2A girls.
On the boys side, Durant in 1A boys; Taylorsville in 2A boys; Natchez in 5A boys and Jefferson County in 3A boys, all went down.
Top seeds who got through to the finals include Harrison Central who beat Meridian 57-55 on Monday night. Ashland who outran Coldwater 95-91 and Ingomar who beat Union last Saturday.
Jeff Byrd