Strong field on tap for tournament
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
December 29, 2003
PHILADELPHIA Eight area schools will be participating in the Neshoba Invitational Tournament this week at Neshoba Central High School.
The teams will play for first through eighth place in the basketball tournament. Play begins on Tuesday. After taking off Wednesday and Thursday to ring out 2003 and ring in 2004, the tournament resumes on Friday. The final round is slated for Saturday.
In Tuesday's first-round action, play begins at 10 a.m. with the 10-2 Lady Tornadoes of Philadelphia taking on the 6-4 Lady Cougars of Newton County. At 11:30 a.m., the 9-3 Philadelphia boys face the 8-3 Newton County Cougars.
Leading the Philadelphia girls are Dominetrix Hunter, Shanese Hunter, Ashley Lowery, Shenique Brass, and Natonya McWilliams. Leading the Newton County Lady Cougars are Andrea Dubose, Dominique Mapp, and Nesha Ramsey.
Leading the Philadelphia Tornadoes are Trey Beamon, Bobby Goodin, and Eric Lyons. Leading Newton County are Ricardo Alcanter, Shammond Jones, Craig Pruitt, and James Broach.
At 1 p.m., the 5-3 Lady War Eagles of Wayne County square off with the Lady Bearcats of Forest. At 2:30 p.m., the 2-3 Wayne County boys take on the Forest Bearcats.
Wayne County girls' head coach Gina Skelton squares off against her old school when the Lady War Eagles take on a struggling Forest squad. Leading the Wayne County girls is Ole Miss signee Ratassia Worsham.
Leading the Forest boys are Roderick Dixon, Alex Reed, Jonathan Bennett, Jacquas Jones, and Vanario Youngblood. Leading Wayne County are J.J. Taylor and David Howard.
At 4 p.m., the 2-12 Lady Rockets of Neshoba Central play the 9-5 Lady Tigers of Carthage. At 5:30 p.m., the 5-9 Neshoba Central boys host the 5-8 Tigers of Carthage.
Leading the Lady Rockets are Nichole Jones, Ana Rushing, Jessica Pisarik, and Kelli Thompson. Leading the Neshoba Central boys are Anthony Jones, Eric Smith, and Ken Robinson.
At 7 p.m., the 9-5 Lady Knights of West Lauderdale take on the 9-2 Lady Rebels of Scott Central. Opening-day action wraps up at 8:30 p.m. with the 12-3 West Lauderdale Knights meeting the 11-2 Rebels of Scott Central.
Leading the Lady Knights are seniors Shannon Lloyd, Vankeila Wilson, Cierra Jennings, and Kaihia Fitch. Elyse Clay and Latasha Johnson lead Scott Central.
Leading the Knights are seniors Kolin Boyd, Lee Nelson, Chris Seaphus, and Rayshun Hopson. Pierre Barlow and Dakari Murray lead the Rebels of Scott Central.
