Knights are top 3A program
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
June 16, 2004
Three state titles pushed West Lauderdale High School's athletic program to the top of the list in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger's All-Sports Class 3A top 20.
The Knights picked up state championships in golf, slow-pitch softball and tennis and tallied 272.5 points in the 2003-04 school year, edging out Corinth which won state titles in boys and girls cross country for the top spot in 3A sports. Corinth finished with 267.5 points.
The Clarion-Ledger's all-sports points were awarded based on finishes in the 18 Mississippi High Schools Activity Association state playoffs. Champions receive 25 points plus an additional five for winning a title second place finishers receive 24 points, third place 23, etc.
Tupelo High School game in first in the overall standings. The Class 5A program tallied 399 total points.
Madison Central, another 5A program, was second overall with 343.5, and Oxford, a Class 4A program, finished third with 280 points.
West Lauderdale placed fourth overall with its point total, and Pearl, a Class 4A school, rounded out the top five with 270.5 points.
West Lauderdale accumulated points in 12 sports, and the Knights had two second place finishes in girls and boys soccer to go along with the athletic program's three state titles.
West Lauderdale's girls cross country squad picked up 23 points for a third place finish, and the baseball and fast-pitch softball teams tallied 22.5 points for the squads' postseason appearances.
The boys basketball team scored 20.5 points for its showing in the state playoffs, and the boys cross country squad tallied 19 points. The girls basketball and football teams each earned 13.5 points for West Lauderdale.
Meridian High School finished 18th in the Class 5A top 20 with 131.5 points. The Wildcats athletic program scored points in nine sports.
Northeast Lauderdale High School finished seventh in the Class 4A top 20 with 157 points. The Trojans athletic program earned points in nine sports. Wayne County High School came in 20th in Class 4A, scoring points in six sports.
Newton County High School placed 18th in the Class 3A top 20 with 76.5 points. Newton County earned points in four sports, including a third-place finish in boys cross country.
In the Class 2A top 20, Philadelphia High School finished fourth with 165 points. Clarkdale, which earned 30 points for winning the fast-pitch softball state title, came in ninth with 95 points. Heidelberg came in 14th with 82 points, and Enterprise, which won the baseball state title, came in 18th with 72 points.
Union finished eighth in the Class 1A top 20 with 110 points, scoring in six sports. Union won the slow-pitch softball state title and finished third in the golf state playoffs.
