Established 1879 | Columbus, Mississippi

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Friday | February 8, 2019

Three men sought, one considered ‘armed and dangerous’

Suspects involved
in pair of unrelated
incidents, including
armed robbery,
aggravated assault
By Alex Holloway
aholloway@cdispatch.com
Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s
Office deputies are searching
for three suspects in a pair of
unrelated incidents.
Clay J. Norman
OCSO Lt. Jon Davis re-
sponded to a reported burglary
and armed robbery at a resi-
dence on County Lake Road
at 1 a.m. Wednesday. Deputies
arrested 26-year-old Court-
Fleming Tharp
ney Clay on suspicion of those
counts.
Davis said the department
is still looking for Joshua Nor-
man, 25, who is considered to
be armed and dangerous. Nor-
man is described as a five-foot,
eight-inch tall black male with
a slender build.
On Thursday, at about 1:30
a.m., deputies responded to an
aggravated assault call at J.Y.
Turner Road. Davis said two
victims who were attacked with
weapons were sent to OCH Re-
gional Medical Center after the
incident and have since been
released. He declined to spec-
ify the type of weapons used in
the reported assault but said
they were not firearms.
OSCO is looking for two
suspects, Jonathan Fleming
and Chad Tharp, both 46.
Both suspects are white
men, and Fleming has gray
hair and a beard and Tharp has
brown hair and a beard.
Davis said the public is ad-
vised not to confront the men,
who OSCO considers danger-
ous.
Anyone with information on
the suspects’ whereabouts or
the incidents is encouraged to
contact OSCO at 662-323-2421
or Golden Triangle Crime Stop-
pers at 800-530-7150.

Two sentenced
Up and away for Camelot
Starkville Academy students learn about, Apartments
participate in weather balloon launch
By Alex Holloway
armed robbery
aholloway@cdispatch.com
Suspects will each
M
ary Holland Nicholas
thought the weather spend 10 years in MDOC
balloon might carry her
away. By Alex Holloway
aholloway@cdispatch.com
Nicholas, along with fellow
fifth-grader Blake Casano, held
Two Starkville
a weather balloon against buffet-
men received 15-year
ing late-morning winds as their
sentences to the Mis-
peers — led by Mississippi State
sissippi Department
University meteorology professor
of Corrections after
and State Climatologist Mike
pleading guilty in an
Brown — loudly counted down
armed robbery case
from five.
in Oktibbeha County
The balloon, which was about Hill
Circuit Court.
as large as each of the fifth grad-
ers, zipped off to the skies after Fajion Hill, 21, and
the countdown reached “one.” Rodriquez Norman,
“I thought it was going to blow 23, were indicted
me over,” Nicholas said. “And if for two counts each
she (Casano) had it, it might have of armed robbery in
blown her completely away.” January 2018 for a
Casano said she was surprised May 2017 incident at
to see how large the balloon got the Camelot Apart-
R. Norman
as the launch team inflated it with ments on North
helium. Montgomery Street.
“Whenever it was blowing up, They were charged for threatening
I thought it would be a little bal- two victims with handguns to steal
loon,” she said. “But when it was money and cell phones during the
blowing up, I was like ‘Is it going incident.
to stop? How big is it going to get? Hill pleaded guilty on Tuesday
It was really big.’” — the same day his case was sched-
Starkville Academy fifth grade uled to go to trial. Mississippi 16th
students gathered in front of the Circuit Judge Lee Coleman sen-
school on Thursday to watch — tenced Hill to 15 years in MDOC,
and in Nicholas’ and Casano’s with five suspended and 10 to serve
case, participate in — a weather for the lesser included charge of
balloon launch. Brown, with three robbery on one of the counts. Hill
of his students, used the launch to also received a $1,200 fine.
Alex Holloway/Dispatch Staff
help teach the kids how weather Coleman dismissed Hill’s sec-
Starkville Academy fifth-grade student Blake Casano, left, holds equip-
scientists collect data. ment attached to a weather balloon while Mary Holland Nicholas holds
ond armed robbery count based on
Thursday’s launch came ahead the balloon. The students released the balloon during a demonstration at his guilty plea.
See Weather Balloon, 8A Starkville Academy. Norman also pleaded guilty on
Tuesday. Like Hill, his charge was
reduced to robbery and the second
See Sentencing, 8A

Starkville-Oktibbeha hires two principals

Elizabeth Mosley retiring at Sudduth; Cynthia Milons the 2019-20 school year
begins.
present to you today the
principals for those two
has interim tag removed at Overstreet “Over the past two
weeks, we have done in-
schools.”
According to the dis-
BY MARY POLLITZ School District Board of is retiring after almost terviews for two princi- trict personnel list, Mi-
mpollitz@cdispatch.com Trustees. two decades at the helm. pal-ships in our district,” lons will have a starting
Morgan Abraham of Trustees also appoint- Superintendent Eddie salary of $75,000 and
Two principal hires Tupelo will become prin- ed Cynthia Milons as Peasant told trustees. Abraham will have start-
became official Thursday Abraham Milons
cipal at Sudduth Elemen- principal at Overstreet El- “I’m proud to say we had ing salary $82,000, when
during a special-call meet- tary (the K-1 campus) ementary, the fifth-grade as interim principal there. over 45 people to apply they assume their posi-
ing of the Starkville-Ok- next school year, replac- campus. She has been Both will assume their for those positions. From tions July 1.
tibbeha Consolidated ing Elizabeth Mosley who serving this school year new roles in July, when those, I’m very proud to See Principals, 8A

Weather Five Questions Calendar Local Folks Public

Anthony Morris
First grade, Caledonia
1 What city boasts the shrine said to Today meetings
mark the spot from which the prophet Feb. 12: Planning
■ Jembe Den: Bob Damm and
Muhammad ascended to heaven? and Zoning Commis-
2 Who was Madonna’s first husband? this percussion student ensemble,
sion, 5:30 p.m.,
3 What pop artist made a guest ap- along with guest artist Wsir Johnson,
share dance rhythms of Africa at the City Hall
pearance on “The Love Boat”?
4 What is the brand name for polytet- Columbus Arts Council’s Rosenz- Feb. 12:
rafluoroethylene, invented by Roy weig Arts Center, 501 Main St. Starkville-Oktibbe-
Plunkett for DuPont in 1938? at 7:30 p.m. CAC members: $15 ha Consolidated
5 What was the first official name of advance/$17 door. Nonmembers: School District

44 Low 32
Major League Soccer’s New York Red
$20/$22. Youth 18 & under, $10. Board of Trustees,
High Bulls?
662-328-2787. 6 p.m., Greensboro
Partly sunny and breezy Answers, 8B Center
Full forecast on
page 2A. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Feb. 15: Board
of Aldermen work
■ CMSD Parent Fair: Columbus
Municipal School District invites all session, 5:30 p.m.,
Inside CMSD parents to this event from City Hall
6-7:30 p.m. at Brandon Central Feb. 18: Board of
Classifieds 8B Obituaries 4A
Comics 6B Opinions 6A Services Center at 2630 McArthur Jenelle Bekowitz is a Supervisors, 5:30
Crossword 7B Religion 7B Drive. The event will be hosted by the consultant at One B Beauty p.m., Oktibbeha
Dear Abby 6B Department of Federal Programs. Supply in Columbus. County Courthouse

DISPATCH CUSTOMER SERVICE 328-2424 | NEWSROOM 328-2471

2A Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Friday
Say What?
Did you hear? “My job each day is to make sure my contributions help
this team win. We have a lot of potential and we want to
Bezos says Enquirer threatened make this a special season.”
to publish revealing pics MSU sophomore softball player Mia Davidson. Story, 1B.

Amazon CEO: He known tabloid, a strong

was the target

backer of President Donald
Trump. Bezos’ investiga-
tors have suggested the
Trump-GOP meeting boosts optimism
of ‘extortion
and blackmail’
Enquirer’s coverage of his
affair — which included the
release of risque texts —
about reaching border deal
By MICHAEL BALSAMO
was driven by dirty politics.
“Of course I don’t want
Negotiators face a Feb. 15 deadline to enact Publicly on Thursday Trump
took a wait-and-see approach.
and ZEKE MILLER
The Associated Press
personal photos published,
but I also won’t participate
the measure or a stopgap spending bill to avert “I certainly hear that they are
working on something and both
LOS ANGELES — Am-
in their well-known prac- another partial government shutdown sides are moving along,” Trump
said. “We’ll see what happens. We
tice of blackmail, political
azon CEO Jeff Bezos said By ALAN FRAM tiators was distinctly upbeat, with need border security. We have to
favors, political attacks, and
Thursday he was the target and ANDREW TAYLOR participants in the talks between have it, it’s not an option. Let’s see
corruption,” Bezos wrote of
of “extortion and black- AMI, in explaining his deci- The Associated Press the Democratic-controlled House what happens.”
mail” by the publisher of sion to go public. “I prefer and GOP-held Senate predicting The White House is committed
the National Enquirer, to stand up, roll this log WASHINGTON — President a deal could come as early as this to letting the negotiations play out,
which he said threatened to over, and see what crawls Donald Trump appears to be taking weekend. with some saying they are “cau-
publish revealing personal out.” a more positive view of Capitol Hill There’s a Feb. 15 deadline to en- tiously optimistic” about getting
photos of him unless he A spokesman and an at- talks on border security, according act the measure or a stopgap spend- a deal they could live with, said a
stopped investigating how torney for AMI did not im- to negotiators who struck a dis- ing bill to avert another partial gov- senior administration official who
the tabloid obtained his mediately respond to mes- tinctly optimistic tone after a White ernment shutdown, which neither lacked authorization to publicly
private exchanges with his sages seeking comment. House meeting with a top Repub- side wants to reprise. Republicans discuss internal deliberations and
mistress. But the company has lican on the broad parameters of a are especially eager to avoid anoth- spoke on condition of anonymity.
Bezos, who is also own- admitted in the past that it potential bipartisan agreement. er shutdown after they got scalded The new openness comes after
er of The Washington Post, engaged in what’s known Appropriations Committee by the last one. Trump delivered a well-received
detailed his interactions as “catch-and-kill” practic- Chairman Richard Shelby of Ala- Trump had previously called State of the Union speech in which
with American Media Inc., es to help Trump become bama said Thursday’s session in the talks a “waste of time,” and he’s he preached the value of bipartisan-
or AMI, in an extraordinary president. Trump has been the Oval Office was “the most posi- threatened to declare a national ship.
blog post Thursday on Me- highly critical of Bezos and tive meeting I’ve had in a long time” emergency to bypass Congress and Despite the newfound optimism,
dium.com. The billionaire the Post’s coverage of the and that the president was “very build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico bor- Trump continues to threaten to
did not say the tabloid was White House. reasonable.” der. But Shelby said Trump during declare a national emergency to
seeking money — instead, The Bezos affair be- Down Pennsylvania Avenue at their meeting “urged me to get to circumvent Congress if lawmakers
he said, the Enquirer want- came public when the En- the Capitol, the mood among nego- yes” on an agreement. fail to reach a deal he can stomach.
ed him to make a public quirer published a Jan. 9
statement that the tabloid’s story about his relationship
coverage was not politically with Lauren Sanchez, a for-
motivated. mer TV anchor who is also
Bezos’ accusations add married. Bezos then hired
another twist to a high-pro-
file clash between the
world’s richest man and the
a team of private investi-
gators to find out how the
tabloid got the texts and
Democrats and GOP square off over Trump’s tax returns
leader of America’s best- photos the two exchanged. ‘... This is all about weaponizing our foe,” Rep. Jackie Walor-
ski of Indiana said at the
Thursday’s hearing ap-
peared to set the table for
tax laws to attack a political foe’ hearing by the Ways and
Means oversight subcom-
the move by examining
the legal foundations.
CONTACTING THE DISPATCH Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana
mittee. “A strong case is be-
Office hours: Main line: By MARCY GORDON of the House Ways and Getting Trump’s re- ing built,” William Trang-
n 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri n 662-328-2424 AP Business Writer Means Committee — now turns has been high on the hese, an aide to Neal, told
Democratic Rep. Richard Democrats’ list of priorities The Associated Press this
HOW DO I ... Email a letter to the editor? WASHINGTON — since they won control of week. He said Neal is con-
n voice@cdispatch.com Neal — to make a written
Report a missing paper? With Democrats now request for any tax returns the House in November’s sulting with lawyers for
n 662-328-2424 ext. 100 Report a sports score? controlling the House and to the Treasury secretary. midterm elections, but the House “to determine
n Toll-free 877-328-2430 n 662-241-5000 holding the legal key to The law says the Trea- asking for them will proba- the appropriate legal steps
n Operators are on duty until seeking President Donald sury chief “shall furnish” bly set off a huge legal bat- to go forward with this un-
Submit a calendar item? Trump’s tax returns, Re- tle with his administration. precedented request.”
5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. the requested information
n Go to www.cdispatch.com/ publican lawmakers are to members of the com- The Democrats tried Rep. John Lewis,
Buy an ad? community invoking privacy in defend- mittee for them to examine and failed several times D-Ga., chairman of the
n 662-328-2424 Submit a birth, wedding ing Trump’s flank. behind closed doors. to obtain Trump’s returns oversight subcommittee,
Report a news tip? or anniversary announce- At an oversight hear- Republicans accused as the minority party in said the American public
n 662-328-2471 ment? ing Thursday, lawmakers the Democrats of using Congress, seeking to shed is intensely interested in
n news@cdispatch.com n Download forms at www. examined proposals to powers in the tax law to light on his complex finan- the subject. “We ask the
cdispatch.com.lifestyles compel presidents and mount a political witch cial dealings and potential question: Does the public
presidential candidates to hunt for Trump’s tax re- conflicts of interest. Their have a need to know that
Physical address: 516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39701 make years of their tax re- turns. newly energized leftward a person seeking or hold-
turns public. And they dis- “In reality, this is all wing is pushing Neal to set ing the highest office in
Mailing address: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703-0511 cussed the authority under about weaponizing our tax the quest in motion, and our country obeys the tax
Starkville Office: 101 S. Lafayette St. #16, Starkville, MS 39759 current law for the head laws to attack a political fast. laws?”

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Virginia Dems brace for 2020 fallout from scandal
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1 month daily home delivery................................................... $12 Democratic back into a wearing blackface as for Trump while making said, “Voters could take
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Mail Subscription Rates....................................................$20/mo. ment that could compli- Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, states like Georgia and less as an ideological shift
* EZ Pay rate requires automatic processing of credit or debit card. cate the party’s effort to meanwhile, has been ac- Arizona. but more as an issue of re-
defeat President Donald cused of sexually assault- “This doesn’t change percussions for genuine
Trump next year. ing a woman in 2004, an the blue direction of the political scandal.”
The Commercial Dispatch (USPS 142-320) Three of the state’s top allegation he denies. state long-term, but this The president himself
Published daily except Saturday. Entered at the post office at Columbus, Mississippi.
Periodicals postage paid at Columbus, MS Democrats are engulfed The men are resisting certainly complicates gleefully agreed, predict-
POSTMASTER, Send address changes to: in a scandal that has shak- calls for their resignation. things for Democrats in ing in a tweet Thursday
The Commercial Dispatch, P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703 Virginia’s increasingly the immediate future,” that he will reclaim a state
Published by Commercial Dispatch Publishing Company Inc., en the state government.
516 Main St., Columbus, MS 39703 Gov. Ralph Northam and diverse and urban popula- said Virginia native Car- he lost by 5 percentage
tion has fueled Democrat- olyn Fiddler, a top op- points to Hillary Clinton
FIVE-DAY FORECAST FOR THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE ic victories at the state erative at the DailyKos in 2016. “Democrats at
and presidential level website, a force in lib- the top are killing the
for a decade. But Demo- eral politics nationally. Great State of Virginia,”
crats are anxious that the “Everyone, presidential he tweeted Thursday. “If
dizzying developments candidates, Democratic the three failing pols were
TONIGHT SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY could suddenly halt their candidates here and ev- Republicans, far stronger
Mostly cloudy and cold Intervals of clouds and A shower in the Cloudy Periods of rain and a
sunshine morning; cloudy thunderstorm progress. The prospect of erywhere, are going to action would be taken.
30° 50° 39° 56° 48° 65° 57° 66° 39° losing Virginia’s 13 elec- have to wrestle with this.” Virginia will come back
toral votes would spread Josh Schwerin, who HOME Republican) in
ALMANAC DATA Democrats thin as they worked for Northam’s 2020!”
Columbus Thursday
TEMPERATURE HIGH LOW
Thursday 81° 46°
Normal 58° 35°
Record 81° (2019) 18° (1977)
PRECIPITATION (in inches)
Thursday Trace
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
0.12
1.36
6.59
AAA: Cold weather can cut electric car range over 40 percent
Normal year to date 6.72 By TOM KRISHER Many owners discov- less likely to be caught off
AP Auto Writer ered the range limitations guard by an unexpected
TOMBIGBEE RIVER STAGES
In feet as of Flood 24-hr. last week when much of drop in driving range,”
7 a.m. Thu. Stage Stage Chng. DETROIT — Cold tem- the country was in the Greg Brannon, AAA’s di-
Amory 20 12.75 +0.76
Bigbee 14 5.95 +1.44 Shown are tomorrow’s noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day.
peratures can sap electric grips of a polar vortex. rector of automotive en-
Columbus 15 6.27 +0.01 Showers T-Storms Rain Flurries Snow Ice Cold Warm Stationary Jetstream
car batteries, temporar- Owners of vehicles made gineering, said in a state-
Fulton 20 10.84 +1.39 -10s -0s 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s ily reducing their range by manufacturers includ- ment.
Tupelo 21 2.37 +0.39 SAT SUN SAT SUN by more than 40 percent ing Tesla, the top-selling AAA tested the BMW
LAKE LEVELS City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W
when interior heaters are
In feet as of 24-hr. Atlanta 55/36/pc 44/40/c Nashville 44/32/pc 47/44/r electric vehicle company i3s, Chevrolet Bolt and
7 a.m. Thu. Capacity Level Chng. Boston 35/21/s 37/26/pc Orlando 73/64/c 77/62/c used, a new study found. in the U.S., complained Nissan Leaf from the 2018
Chicago 24/18/pc 29/25/sn Philadelphia 36/21/s 39/30/pc
Aberdeen Dam 188 164.36 +0.63 Dallas 43/37/c 47/45/sh Phoenix 64/41/c 66/42/s The study of five elec- on social media about re- model year, and the 2017
Stennis Dam 166 136.93 +0.63
Bevill Dam 136 136.42 -0.06
Honolulu
Jacksonville
75/63/pc
60/53/s
76/67/sh
68/58/c
Raleigh
Salt Lake City
47/25/pc
36/29/sf
49/39/pc
41/22/c
tric vehicles by AAA also duced range and frozen Tesla Model S 75D and
Memphis 43/35/pc 47/45/r Seattle 35/20/sn 34/23/c found that high tempera- door handles during the Volkswagen e-Golf. All
SOLUNAR TABLE
The solunar period indicates peak feeding times for
Weather(W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. tures can cut into battery cold snap. have a range of at least 100
fish and game.
Major Minor Major Minor SUN AND MOON MOON PHASES range, but not nearly as “As long as drivers un- miles per charge. They
Fri. 3:07a 9:18a 3:28p 9:38p FRI SAT FIRST FULL LAST NEW much as the cold. The derstand that there are were tested on a dyna-
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. 6:44 a.m.
Sat. 3:54a 10:05a 4:15p 10:26p
Sunset 5:31 p.m. 5:32 p.m. range returns to normal limitations when operating mometer, which is like a
Forecasts and graphics provided by Moonrise 9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. in more comfortable tem- electric vehicles in more treadmill, in a climate-con-
AccuWeather, Inc. ©2019 Moonset 9:03 p.m. 9:58 p.m. Feb 12 Feb 19 Feb 26 March 6 peratures. extreme climates, they are trolled cell.

Visit The Dispatch MSU Sports Blog for breaking
Bulldog news: www.cdispatch.com/msusports
Columbus Crime Lab looks to expand by next year
Lab director gives overview, tour
to CPD citizens overview committee
By ISABELLE ALTMAN
ialtman@cdispatch.com
There are plans under-
way to expand the Colum-
bus Crime Lab within the
next two years, director
Austin Shepherd told the
Columbus Police Depart-
ment citizen overview
committee Thursday.
Shepherd, who helped
start the crime lab in
2008, led a tour of the
lab for the committee at
its meeting at the Munic-
ipal Complex Thursday,
touching on everything
from the lab’s budget and
equipment to future plans
— plans which encapsu-
lated the expansion.
“We’re going to be
able to address safety
and health issues, secu-
rity and privacy issues,
evidence storage issues,”
Shepherd said.
Currently the lab —
one of only three munici-
pal crime labs in the state,
Shepherd said — is locat-
ed in an office building
near the Municipal Com-
plex next to Columbus
Fire and Rescue offices.
However, CFR personnel
in those offices are due to
move after the completion
of a new fire station on
Airline Road. Once that
happens, Shepherd said,
the crime lab will expand
into those offices.
The expansion will al-
low for space for safety
SOCSD to host second job fair
District hopes to
meet candidates
for all positions
BY MARY POLLITZ
mpollitz@cdispatch.com
Starkville- Oktibbeha
Consolidated School Dis-
trict is looking for candi-
dates to fill 20 classroom
teacher openings ex-
pected for the upcoming
school year.
Superintendent Eddie
Peasant will host the dis-
trict’s sec-
ond job fair
at Sudduth
Elementary
gymnasium
from 4:30-
6:30 p.m.
Monday
a f ter noon. Peasant
In general,
Peasant said, he is primar-
ily looking to introduce
the public to SOCSD, but
he hopes to create rela-
tionships with subject-ar-
ea teacher candidates.
“There’s always a de-
mand for math and sci-
ence teachers,” Peasant
said. “There’s a short-
age there. We’re always
looking for good science
teachers. There will be
some other elementary
teachers we are looking
to fill but those math and
science ones are always
the ones that are the hard-
est to find. We’ll be on the
look out for those candi-
dates.”
Last year, SOCSD
started the job fair in an
Lowndes deputies investigate Thursday shooting
DISPATCH STAFF REPORT
Deputies with Lowndes
County Sheriff’s Office
are investigating a Thurs-
day afternoon shooting
into a Columbus home.
MSU SPORTS BLOG
showers and restruc-
turing of the front lob-
by to add more security
features and privacy
for office workers — a
change Shepherd called
“tremendously helpful.”
Right now, he said, the
front lobby acts not only
as an entrance to the lab,
but as office space for the
lab’s four employees and a
place for law enforcement
to hand over evidence.
Shepherd said he
hopes to begin the expan-
sion before the fiscal year
ends Sept. 30. It will cost
up to $13,000, the bulk of
which will be taken from
the crime lab’s $23,000
budget.
‘A boon’ to area law
enforcement
In his presentation,
Shepherd also went over
the lab’s five units: fin-
gerprint analysis, drug
analysis, digital foren-
sics, crime scene investi-
gation and property and
evidence. Fifteen regular
law enforcement agencies
— including police and
sheriff’s departments in
Lowndes, Oktibbeha and
Clay counties, as well as
Mississippi State Univer-
sity and Mississippi Uni-
versity for Women police
departments — use the
crime lab for cases, Shep-
herd said. All of those
agencies but CPD pay for
the lab’s services, Shep-
Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District assis-
tant superintendent Christy Maulding talks to potential
teacher candidates during last year’s SOCSD job fair.
SOCSD will hosts the second district-wide job fair for
all positions within the district Monday from 4:30-6:30
p.m. at Sudduth Elementary School Monday night.
effort to recruit employ-
ees to the district during
a statewide teacher short-
age.
“We had a really great
turnout last year,” Peas-
ant said. “We were really
excited about the interest
that was shown by all the
potential candidates and
even hired several to our
district.”
SOCSD had 57 teach-
er openings in July 2018,
with at least 15 of those
positions being filled by
applicants at last year’s
job fair — held in Febru-
ary. District Public In-
formation Officer Nicole
Thomas said she antici-
pates most of last year’s
hires to remain with the
district, but it’s too early
to tell.
Peasant called last
Authorities received re-
ports of shots fired at 508
Lehmberg Road at 4:30
p.m. Thursday, according
to a LCSO press release
issued Friday morning.
When deputies arrived at
@
Columbus crime lab director Austin Shepherd and lab trainee Shanna Cunningham
examine a mock piece of evidence for fingerprints in the Columbus Forensic Lab in
this 2018 Dispatch file photo. Shepherd hopes to expand crime lab operations over
the next year.
herd said, bringing in
anywhere from $50,000
to $60,000 per year.
The crime lab also
saves time and money for
CPD, which otherwise
would have to send evi-
dence from routine drug
and burglary cases to the
state crime lab that is cur-
rently backed up due to
under-staffing and under-
funding.
“Our fingerprint anal-
ysis time, we went from
waiting about a year and
a half to get results (when
using the state crime lab)
to two weeks,” Shepherd
said.
“We’re able to keep
a lot of (our cases) in-
house,” he added. “And
quite frankly, when it’s
free in-house, you do a lot
more of it. That has equat-
Courtesy photo
year’s crowd of 125 teach-
er candidates a success.
This year, SOCSD hopes
to have nearly 200 can-
didates filtering through
the come-and-go event.
The job fair not only
includes teaching posi-
tions, but every position
SOCSD has, including
assistant teachers, cafete-
ria workers, athletic staff,
bus drivers and janitorial
staff. In all, SOCSD has
nearly 850 employees.
“We’ve expanded this
year to include all of our
support staff,” Peasant
said. “We feel like every
role in our district is im-
portant to our students.
We look at all of it the
same. A bus driver needs
to see that they’re just
as important and sought
after (as a teacher). This
the scene, they found the
home had been shot mul-
tiple times.
No one was injured, but
the homeowner was in-
side the residence during
the shooting, according to
Friday, February 8, 2019 3A
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Shepherd went over
other improvements he
hopes the lab can imple-
ment in the future, most
notably the introduction
of a career scale to help
with employee reten-
tion. He also said the lab
needs to address aging
equipment — right now
the lab’s gas chromato-
graph-mass spectrometer
(GCMS, which analyzes
drugs) is about 20 years
old. It still works, he said,
but he would like to see
that and other equipment
replaced in the next few
years.
Dispatch file photo He added the lab
wouldn’t be as successful
as it is without the sup-
port of city officials.
“You want to talk about
out-of-the-box thinking
ed to a lot more cases on how backlogged they
to fight crime, right?”
solved. ... We’re knocking were,” he said. “Now if
he said. “Opening up a
it out of the park on fin- I submit fingerprints to
gerprint identifications. Austin, he can have it municipal crime lab —
We’re making dents on back within a few days at there’s only two other of
burglaries weekly.” most, most of the time. these in the state, and
In eight years, the lab They’re also available to they’re in Gulfport and
has received more than testify. If the defense at- Jackson — legitimately
42,000 evidence items torney wants (to call the bigger cities. So we’re do-
and run more than 60,000 lab’s employees), they’re ing something folks said
tests. right there. They can couldn’t be done, and we
CPD Lt. Anthony Nel- come up to the court, they couldn’t do it without the
son, who attended the can testify, we can get mayor and we couldn’t do
meeting, said the crime this done. it without the council and
lab had been “a boon.” He “The money’s well the support of (other city
used to be an investigator spent,” he added. officials).”
for the county before the
crime lab opened, and he
said any evidence would
take years to be pro-
cessed at the state crime
lab.
“Something as simple
as fingerprints, it would
take three months to
three years, depending
is an opportunity to see
that. It’s an educator job
fair and I consider every
person who works in our
district an educator.”
Other than key-area
teachers, Peasant said he
hopes to see strong can-
didates for full-time and
part-time bus drivers.
With a district as large
as SOCSD, Peasant said,
they are always looking to
hire qualified drivers.
During last year’s
job fair, Peasant said
the crowd was diverse,
ranging from soon-to-
be college graduates to
seasoned teachers from
surrounding counties in-
terested in making a job
change. Anyone interest-
ed in working for SOCSD,
in any capacity, is wel-
come to come to the fair
and meet with administra-
tors, teachers and depart-
ment heads from each
school in the district.
“This is the opportu-
nity to sell our district
to people,” Peasant said.
“On our side, it gives us
an opportunity to look at
potential candidates in
the face and talk to them.
There are some who are
super enthusiastic and it’s
always exciting to meet
them. That’s the differ-
ence from just going to
our website and looking at
our vacancies online. We
are just looking forward
to meeting people who
are interested in learning
about the Starkville Spark
and people interested in
the excellence we are put-
ting forth in our district.”
the release. Send in your News About Town event.
Anyone with informa-
tion on the shooting is email: community@cdispatch.com
asked to call LCSO at 62- Subject: NATS
328-1136 or Golden Tri-
angle Crime Stoppers at
800-530-7151.
4A Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

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Jerome Easley
COLUMBUS — Je-
rome Easley, 54, died
Feb. 6, 2019, at Baptist
Memorial Hospi-
tal-Golden Triangle.
Arrangements are
incomplete and will be
announced by New Ha-
ven Memorial Funeral
Home of DeKalb.
Dianne Spann
NOXUBEE — Di-
anne Spann, 62, died
Feb. 3, 2019, at North
Mississippi Medical
Center in Tupelo.
Services will be at
1 p.m. Saturday at St.
Paul U.M. Church in
Macon with the Rev.
Demetric Darben offici-
ating. Burial will follow
at Oddfellow Ceme-
tery. Visitation is from
noon-6 p.m. Friday at
Carter’s Funeral Ser-
vices. Carter’s Funeral
Services is in charge of
arrangements.
Mrs. Spann was
born Oct. 24, 1956, in
Noxubee County, to the
late Walter Graham and
Eva Mae Stewart. She
was formerly employed
as a cook with Country
Kitchen.
In addition to her
Area obituaries
M. Sims of Adamsville; Willie Hugh Nash. Hughdolph Guin Jr. and two sisters. in charge of arrange-
brother, Richard Mixon She is survived by He is survived by ments.
COLUMBUS —
of Sulligent; sisters, her children, Van Lewis Hughdolph Guin Jr., his children, Lavonda Mr. Pernell was
Mary Sue Haney of Whitfield of Chicago, 69, died Feb. 7, 2019, at Jones of Columbus born June 4, 1942, in
Hamilton and Allyne Illinois, Barbara Ann Baptist Memorial Hos- and Craig Mickens West Point, to the late
“Jenny” Roberts of Giles, Margaret Ruth pital-Golden Triangle. of Savannah, Geor- Charlie Pernell and
Hayden; four grand- Jones, Adam Charles Arrangements are gia; sisters, Annie L. Ethel Moore. He was
children; and seven Whitfield, Henrietta incomplete and will be Anthony of Crawford, formerly employed as a
great-grandchildren. Jones and Derrick announced by Lowndes Willie D. Wilcher of commercial driver with
Lamont Nash, all of Funeral Home. Chicago, Illinois and the City of West Point.
James Staples Sr. Columbus, Willie Carl Helen Sharp of Brooks- He is survived his
COLUMBUS — Bradford of Caledonia ville; brothers, William sons, Brad Moore and
James Staples Sr., 88, and Cheryl Laverne David Sykes Sykes Jr. and Henry Marvin Pernell; daugh-
Clark of Tupelo; 34 BROOKSVILLE — Sykes of Chicago; and ters, Ernestine Young,
passed away.
grandchildren; 36 David L. Sykes, 65, four grandchildren. Rhonda Cooper-Dix-
Services
great-grandchildren; died Jan. 31, 2019, at Pallbearers will be son, Beverly Pool, Fre-
will be at
and two great-grand- his resi-
11 a.m. his family and friends. da Germany and Erika
children. dence.
Saturday Pernell Beam; brother,
Ser-
at Greater
vices Henry Pernell Sr. Willie Pernell; 21
Mt. Olive Freddie Perkins will be at WEST POINT — grandchildren; and six
Baptist STARKVILLE — Henry Pernell Sr., 76, great-grandchildren.
11 a.m.
Church. Freddie Martin Per- Saturday died Feb. 3, 2019, at
Staples Sr.
Burial will kins, 85, died Jan. 26, at Harri- North Mississippi Med- Wayne Faggert
follow at 2019, in Starkville. son Grove Sykes ical Center in Tupelo. COLUMBUS —
the church cemetery. A memorial service M.B. Services will be at Wayne Faggert, 68,
Visitation is from noon- will be held at 11 a.m. Church with the Rev. 11 a.m. Saturday at died Feb. 7, 2019, at
6 p.m. Friday at Lee-
Saturday at West Me- Billy Goodwin officiat- Pilgrim Grove M.B. Trinity Personal Care.
Sykes Funeral Home. morial Funeral Home. ing. Burial will follow at Church with the Rev. Services will be at 2
Lee-Sykes Funeral West Memorial Funeral the church cemetery. Robert Shamblin-Taylor p.m. Sunday at Lown-
Home is in charge of Home is in charge of Visitation is from 1-5 officiating. Burial will des Funeral Home.
arrangements. arrangements. p.m. Friday at Lee- follow at Greenwood Visitation will be two
Mr. Staples was Sykes Funeral Home. Cemetery. Visitation is hours prior to services
born Sept. 17, 1930, in Gene Brooks Lee-Sykes Funeral from 3-6 p.m. Friday at at the funeral home.
Lowndes County, to MACON — Gene Home is in charge of Carter’s Mortuary Ser- Lowndes Funeral
the late Perry Staples Brooks, 74, died Feb. 7, arrangements. vices Chapel. Carter’s Home is in charge of
Sr. and Annie Smith 2019. Mr. Sykes was born Mortuary Services is arrangements.
Staples. He was for- Arrangements are April 15, 1953, in Noxu-
merly employed with
Houston Hardy and as a
incomplete and will be
announced by Lee-
bee County, to the late
William and Willie B.
Exceptional Service
barber. He was a mem-
ber of Mt. Olive Baptist
Sykes Funeral Home. Sykes. No Exceptions
In addition to his
Church. parents, he was preced- Our commitment to
In addition to his Tinisha Thomas-Clay ed in death by his son excellent service allows When Caring Counts...
parents, he was pre- COLUMBUS — Ti-
nisha Nicole “Nikki” us to say that no matter
ceded in death by his
Thomas-Clay, 40, died what kind of services
wife, Nettie Mae Willis
Staples; children, Irene, Feb. 2, you have in mind, we’ll FUNERAL HOME
& CREMATORY
Jimmy Lee, James Jr., 2019, at provide you with the best 1131 N. Lehmberg Rd.
Baptist service available. Columbus, MS 39702
Jessie Lee and Johnny (662) 328-1808
Will; brothers, John Adult Crit-
ical Care
Staples, Perry Staples
Jr., Willie Staples, Unit in
Jackson.
Hugh Bob Harris and
Joe Lee Richardson; Services
will be Thomas-Clay
and sisters, Willie Mae
Staples Ross and Hattie at 2 p.m.
Stevenson. Saturday at Lee-Sykes Frances McDaniel
Graveside Services:
He is survived by his Funeral Home Chapel. Friday, Feb. 8 • 10 AM
children, Willie Ann Burial will follow at Friendship Cemetery
Memorial Gunter Peel
Staples James, Mary Sandfield Cemetery.
Funeral Home
Staples and Tommy Lee Visitation is from noon- 2nd Ave. North Location
Staples, all of Colum- 6 p.m. at the funeral
bus; sister, Alberta home. Lee-Sykes Fu- Mildred Lollar
neral Home is in charge Graveside Services:
Toliver of Columbus; 13 Friday, Feb. 8 • 1 PM
grandchildren; and 16 of arrangements. Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery
great-grandchildren. Mrs. Clay was born Memorial Gunter Peel
Funeral Home
July 2, 1978, in Pauld-
2nd Ave. North Location
Elijah Cannon Jr. ing, Ohio, to Barbara
WEST POINT — Thomas and Leon Dorothy Woods
Elijah Cannon Jr. 82, Wilder. Visitation:
died Jan. 29, 2019, at She was preceded Friday, Feb. 8 • 6-8 PM
Memorial Gunter Peel
his residence. in death by her sister, Funeral Home
Services are at 11 Shari Thomas. 2nd Ave. North Location
In addition to her Graveside Services:
a.m. Friday at Pilgrim Saturday, Feb. 9 • 1 PM
Grove M.B. Church parents, she is survived Forest Cemetery

parents, she was with the Rev. George by her husband, Timo- Ethelsville, Alabama

preceded in death by Cannon officiating. thy Clay of Columbus;

daughters, Jo-Hanna James Zuniga
her brothers, Julius Burial will follow at Memorial Service:
Lee Spann and Earvin Greenwood Cemetery. Carter and Terrica Fox, At A Later Date

Stewart Jr.
She is survived by
her son, Casey Spann
Visitation was from both of Columbus; son,
Rodrick Clay of Colum-
3-6 p.m. Thursday at
Carter’s Mortuary Ser- bus; sisters, Latonia
Thomas of Columbus
Memorial Gunter Peel
Funeral Home
College St. Location

of Macon; and siblings,
Viola Horne of East St.
Louis, Illinois, Daisy
Stewart, Deborah
Stewart and James Earl
Stewart, all of Macon.
Jack Mixon
BEAVERTON, Ala.
— Jack D. Mixon, 84,
died Feb. 5, 2019, at his
residence.
Services will be at 2
p.m. Saturday at Otts
Funeral Home Chapel
with Byron Pickering
officiating. Burial will
follow at Mt. Hebron
Cemetery. Visitation
will be one hour prior
to services at the funer-
al home. Otts Funeral
Home is in charge of
arrangements.
Mr. Mixon was
born April 26, 1934, in
Beaverton, to the late
Richard Lee Mixon and
Ola Weeks. He was a
graduate of Sulligent
High School and was
formerly employed with
Liberty National Life
Insurance in Birming-
ham, Alabama, and
Hyster Co. in Sulligent,
Alabama.
In addition to his
parents, he was preced-
ed in death by his wife,
Hattie Mae Mixon;
son, Randy Mixon; and
brothers, James Rich-
ard Mixon and Herman
Lee Mixon.
He is survived by
his daughter, Renita
vices Chapel. Carter’s
Mortuary Services is and Deanna Armstrong
in charge of arrange- of Baytown, Texas;
ments. and brother, Jermaine
Thomas of Denver,
Mr. Cannon was
born Dec. 29, 1936, in Colorado.
West Point, to the late
Elijah Cannon Sr. and
Fannie Roby Cannon.
Minnie Whitfield
COLUMBUS — Min-
nie Lee Whitfield, 88,
died Feb. 3, 2019, at her
residence.
Ser-
vices will
be at 11
a.m. Sat-
urday at
the Upper
Level of
the James Whitfield
M. Trotter
Convention Center.
Burial will follow at Me-
morial Gardens Ceme-
tery. Carter’s Funeral
Services is in charge of
arrangements.
Mrs. Whitfield was
born March 19, 1930, in
Columbus, to the late
Jesse and Henrietta
Nash. She was formerly
employed as a crossing
guard with the Co-
lumbus Public School
System.
In addition to her
parents, she was pre-
ceded in death by her
children, Diane Whit-
field and Jesse Barry;
and siblings, Agusta
Clay, Viedella Hairston,
Louella Williams and
memorialgunterpeel.com
Dorothy Woods
Dorothy Kibe Woods, age 89, died Wednes-
day, February 06, 2019, at Garden Hill Nursing
Home in Columbus.
Graveside services will be held Saturday, Feb-
ruary 09, 2019 at 1:00 PM at Forest Cemetery
with Rev. Sandra Brown officiating. Visitation
will be held Friday, February 08, 2019 from 6:00
PM until 8:00 PM at Memorial Gunter Peel Fu-
neral Home, 2nd Ave. North location.
Mrs. Woods was born on Friday, March 01,
1929, in Steens, MS, to the late Leslie Frank and
Matilda Reed Glenn. She was a Baptist and a re-
tired employee of United Technologies.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded
in death by her first husband, Harry Kibe; her
second husband, Jerry Woods; her daughter, Bet-
ty Peeks; her son, Roger Kibe; 3 brothers; and 2
sisters.
Survivors include her daughter, Rhonda
Hicks (Richard), Columbus, MS; sons, Jim Kibe
(JoAnn), Columbus, MS, Bill Kibe (Kathy), Fire-
stone, CO, Terry Kibe, Columbus, MS and Glenn
Kibe (Ginny), Columbus, MS; 12 grandchildren;
25 great-grandchildren; and 6 great-great-grand-
children.
The Pallbearers will be Dylan Hicks, T. J. Up-
ton, Hunter Hicks, Tim Kibe, Richard Hicks and
Darwin Holliman.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:
Sanctuary Hospice House, P.O. Box 2177, Tupelo
MS 38803.
Sign the online guest book at
www.memorialgunterpeel.com
716 Second Avenue North • Columbus, MS
Robert Tkach
Mr. Robert Paul Tkach, age 87, passed
away peacefully on February 1, 2019, at home,
surrounded by loving family.
He was born on March 28, 1931, in Lorain,
Ohio, to Joseph and Mary Tkach, who had
immigrated from Czechoslovakia.
After graduating from Lorain High School,
Bob entered Ohio State University. He left college
to join the United States Air Force during the
Korean War, where he proudly served his country
as a First Lieutenant. While serving, he met and
married the love of his life, Mary Emma Seitz,
on February 16, 1955. He then returned to Ohio
State University and graduated in 1956. While at
Ohio State, Bob played on their tennis team, and
he continued his love of the sport, both playing
and as a spectator throughout his lifetime. After
graduation, Bob worked for Esso (Standard Oil
Company) and then Humble Oil as an Executive
in charge of Land Acquisition. In 1968, he moved
his family to West Point to become a partner in
the family businesses, Seitz Lumber Company
and Building Service Center. Bob retired early,
and he and Emma traveled extensively, both in
the US and abroad. He was a long time member
of the Presbyterian Church EPC.
Bob is survived by his four children, Barbara
Morris (J) of Ashland, VA, Mary (Matt Phelps)
of Orlando, FL, Joe (Mary) of Starkville and Paul
of Starkville; his seven grandchildren; one great
grandson; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents;
his wife, Mary Emma Seitz Tkach; his brother,
Joseph John Tkach; and granddaughter, Julia
Tkach.
Visitation will be held Saturday, March 2, 2019,
from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Calvert Funeral Home
with a memorial service to follow at 6:00 PM with
Brandon Bates officiating. A private family burial
will follow at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to
consider a donation to Sally Kate Winters Family
Services, P.O. Box 1233, West Point, MS 39773.
Paid Obituary - Calvert Funeral Home
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com Friday, February 8, 2019 5A

Parkland attack fueled big

shift in America’s gun politics
The new Democratic majority in the House held its
first hearing on gun control in a decade this week
By LISA MARIE PANE
The Associated Press
Last year’s shooting at a Florida
high school sparked a movement
among a younger generation an-
gered by gun violence and set the
stage for a significant shift in Amer-
ica’s gun politics.
Thousands of student protest-
ers took to the streets and inspired
hashtags such as #NeverAgain and
#Enough. They also mobilized to
register a new generation of voters.
Candidates were emboldened
too. Many of them confronted the
issue in the midterm elections and
were rewarded with victory over in-
cumbents supported by the Nation-
al Rifle Association. That helped
Democrats take back control of the
House.
As the one-year anniversary of
the shooting approaches, the lega-
cy of the massacre remains an ev-
er-present force in the nation’s poli-
tics and gun laws.
“What we’ve seen here is a tec-
tonic shift in our politics on the
guns issue,” said Peter Ambler, ex-
ecutive director of Giffords, the gun
violence prevention group founded
by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
These people “didn’t get elected
despite their advocacy for safer gun
laws. They got elected because of
their advocacy for safer gun laws.
They made that a core part of their
message to the American people.”
The political landscape began
to change just days after a former
student shot and killed 17 students
and adults at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School in Parkland,
Florida.
At the state level, a surge of
gun-control measures were enact-
ed, including increasing the mini-
mum age for purchasing a firearm
and requiring waiting periods. The
number of states with so-called “red
flag” laws — which allow temporary
confiscation of weapons from peo-
ple deemed a safety risk — doubled.
At the federal level, for the first
time in modern history, gun-control
groups outspent the powerful NRA
on the 2018 midterm elections. The
new Democratic majority in the
House this week held its first hear-
ing on gun control in a decade.
Even under GOP-control of both
chambers during President Donald
Trump’s first two years in office,
some of the gun industry’s top pri-
orities — easing restrictions on
firearm suppressors and making it
easier to carry concealed firearms
over state borders — stalled.
Still, with one of the most
gun-friendly presidents in the
White House, the U.S. Supreme
Court now has a majority of justices
who are viewed as ardent support-
ers of the Second Amendment, a
shift that is likely to have a lasting
effect on gun rights.
The most prominent shift oc-
curred in Florida, a state that has
long welcomed guns and has a
strong NRA presence. Lawmakers
raised the gun-purchasing age and
imposed a three-day waiting peri-
od.

Former Rep. Dingell, US’s longest-serving lawmaker, dies at 92

Michigan Democrat served in the U.S.
House for 59 years before retiring
The Associated Press
DETROIT — Former
U.S. Rep. John Dingell, the
longest-serving member
of Congress in American
history and a master of leg-
islative deal-making who
was fiercely protective of
Detroit’s auto industry, has
died. The Michigan Demo-
crat was 92.
Dingell, who served in
the U.S. House for 59 years
before retiring in 2014,
died Thursday at his home
in Dearborn, said his wife,
Congresswoman Debbie
Dingell.
“He was a lion of the
United States Congress
and a loving son, father,
husband, grandfather and
friend,” her office said in a
statement. “He will be re-
membered for his decades
of public service to the
people of Southeast Mich-
igan, his razor sharp wit
and a lifetime of dedication
to improving the lives of all
who walk this earth.”
Dubbed “Big John”
for his imposing 6-foot-3
frame and sometimes in-
timidating manner, a rep-
utation bolstered by the
wild game heads decorat-
ing his Washington office,
Dingell served with every
president from Dwight
D. Eisenhower to Barack
Obama.
He was a longtime sup-
porter of universal health
care, a cause he adopted
from his late father, whom
he replaced in Congress in
1955. He also was known
as a dogged pursuer of gov-
ernment waste and fraud,
and even helped take down
two top presidential aides
while leading the investi-
gative arm of the powerful
House Energy and Com-
merce Committee, which
he chaired for 14 years.
“I’ve gotten more death
threats around here than
I can remember,” Dingell
told The Associated Press
in a 1995 interview. “It
used to bother my wife, but
oversight was something
we did uniquely well.”
Dingell had a front-
row seat for the passage
of landmark legislation
he supported, including
Medicare, the Endangered
Species Act and the Clean
Water Act, but also for the
Clean Air Act, which he
was accused of stalling to
help auto interests.
Opinion
6A Friday, February 8, 2019
BIRNEY IMES SR. Editor/Publisher 1922-1947
BIRNEY IMES JR. Editor/Publisher 1947-2003
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Dispatch
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ZACK PLAIR, Managing Editor

BETH PROFFITT Advertising Director
MICHAEL FLOYD Circulation/Production Manager
MARY ANN HARDY Controller

Our View

Boys and Girls Club deserves more community support

If you are among those
who believe the Boys & Girls
Club is basically a day-care
program, a visit to one of the
Golden Triangle Boys & Girls
Clubs will quickly alter that
notion.
It’s true that for many, per-
haps most, of the hundreds
of kids who are members, the
clubs in Columbus, Starkville
and West Point are a place
where children can go after
school while their parents are
still at work.
It is also true that at times
the clubs almost brim over
with the collective energy of
so large a collection of kids.
But those factors are
merely the veneer. Spend an
afternoon at the club and you
will leave knowing that these
clubs serve some of our area’s
most vulnerable students in
ways that build character,
advance learning and foster
good habits and relation-
ships. It’s a safe and healthy
environment for children who
might otherwise be left to
their own devices were it not
for the club.
When the students arrive
each day, the first thing they
do is get a snack then tackle
their homework, with staff of-
fering help if needed. No stu-
dent leaves the club without
having finished that chore.
For some, the club represents
the only exposure to learning
they will have outside the
classroom itself.
All three clubs offer
snacks, while in Columbus,
the students are provided an
evening meal prepared in the
club’s kitchen.
Their day is filled with play
time, programs and opportu-
nities to grow in a variety of
ways.
The club has proven so
successful, that there are
almost as many kids on the
club’s waiting list as there are
in their membership.
To address that demand,
the Boys & Girls Club of the
Golden Triangle has launched
a fund-raising campaign,
hoping to raise more than $1
million to build new facilities
in Starkville and West Point,
which will include a kitchen
so members there can have
meals as they do in Colum-
bus.
More than a year into the
effort, the clubs have man-
aged to raise just $85,000,
which is why club director
Nadia Colom is seeking help
from local governments.
On Monday, Colom asked
the Oktibbeha County Board
of Supervisors to help the
club by applying for a Com-
munity Development Block
Grant, a request the supervi-
sors approved unanimously
and with obvious enthusiasm.
We urge every citizen in
the Golden Triangle to join
in the club’s fund-raising
efforts.
One visit would be enough
to assure anyone that this is a
cause worthy of our support.

Letter to the editor

Voice of the people
PETA takes issue with event
The monkeys used in the cruel traveling show
should be frolicking with their friends and families not
hanging onto a dog’s back for dear life. In the jungles
and forests where they belong, capuchins raise fami-
lies, defend their homes, and have complex communi-
cation systems. They race through tree canopies with
astonishing speed and accuracy.
Tim Lepard, who performs under the name “Team
Ghost Riders,” has been cited numerous times by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of
the Animal Welfare Act, including failure to provide
adequate shelter for animals, for keeping animals in
unsanitary conditions, for failure to provide adequate
crowd management and safety barriers, improper food
storage, failure to dispose of expired medications, and
repeatedly being unavailable for inspections. In 2000,
all of Lepard’s monkeys, dogs and sheep died after
being poisoned by carbon monoxide in his trailer.
It’s sad that anyone can find this cruel spectacle
entertaining.
Yours truly,
Jennifer O’Connor
Senior Writer for the PETA Foundation
Norfolk, Va.

Other editors State of the nation

Mental health courts needed
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of bills have been filed
at the state Legislature. The majority of those will die,
Has Trump found the formula for 2020?
If the pollsters at a year would be al- the governor of Virginia where he
never making to the floor of either chamber for a vote. CNN and CBS are lowed to keep less than stated he would execute a baby
Even fewer will make it past both the House and Senate correct, Donald Trump a dime of every added after birth. To defend the dignity
and onto the governor’s desk. may have found the dollar they earn. of every person, I am asking the
One we hope does is authored by Brookhaven Rep. formula for winning a Sanders would Congress to pass legislation to
Becky Currie. Currie has again filed a bill that would second term in 2020. impose a 45 percent prohibit the late-term abortion
create a mental health court system in the state. ... His State of the tax on all estates over of children who can feel pain in
Currie’s bill would create a court system similar to Union address, say $3.5 million, rising to the mother’s womb. Let us work
drug court, but for those with mental health problems. the two networks, met 77 percent on estates together to build a culture that
The idea is simple: Some caught in the court system with the approval of 76 worth $1 billion. cherishes innocent life.
need treatment, not jail time. percent of all viewers Sen. Elizabeth “And let us reaffirm a funda-
The system would be set up through regional mental — 97 percent of Repub- Warren has proposed mental truth: All children — born
health centers and would have requirements like ensur- licans, 82 percent of Patrick Buchanan a wealth tax to scoop and unborn — are made in the
ing offenders are taking their medicine and following independents and 30 off 2 percent of all the holy image of God.”
up with all appointments and treatments. percent of Democrats. wealth of folks whose Has any president, in any State
“If they don’t meet those requirements then a judge Seventy-two percent agreed with net worth reaches $50 million, and of the Union, made a stronger
would determine whether they go to a state hospital the president’s plans for securing 3 percent of all the wealth of every statement in defense of life?
or if they need to go to jail,” Currie said previously. the border with Mexico. billionaire, every year. Are Democrats losing their
“Our prisons are loaded with people who are mentally Trump was not only unapol- To ex-Mayor Mike Bloomberg, minds? Only 13 percent of Amer-
ill — some who maybe if they had the right treatment ogetic in defense of his wall. He a potential rival in the presidential icans believe in letting babies be
the taxpayers wouldn’t have to pay for them being seemed to relish savaging the race, whose New York is witness- aborted up to and through the
in prisons. It’s the next step in Mississippi in mental rising radicalism of Democrats ing an exodus of its wealthy to Sun ninth month of pregnancy. In what
health reform. I think this would save us money in the on two critical issues many Belt states, Warren’s ideas repre- states are infanticide and social-
long run and be better for Mississippians. And, it’s the Democrats have, since their 2018 sent a gospel-of-greed stupidity. ism winning issues?
humane thing to do.” triumph, seized upon: abortion Says Bloomberg: “If you want In this writer’s home state,
There is limited data out there on whether these pro- on demand, right up to the day of to look at a system that is not Virginia, the resignation of Dem-
grams reduce recidivism, but there is data that shows birth, and soak-the-rich socialism. capitalistic, just take a look at ocratic Governor Ralph Northam,
these programs produce better outcomes for mentally “Here, in the United States, we what was perhaps the wealthiest for “racism,” is being demanded
ill offenders. are alarmed by new calls to adopt country in the world and today by state and national Democrats,
A mental health court system won’t be cheap, but socialism in our country,” Trump people are starving to death. It’s because he put on blackface for
Currie has argued that it is cheaper than keeping thundered. “America was founded called Venezuela.” a Michael Jackson imitation at a
suspects who need treatment locked up in jails and on liberty and independence — Democrats have also embraced dance 35 years ago.
prisons. not government coercion, domi- the cause of “Medicare-for-all.” Democratic Lieutenant Gov-
“I’ve done a lot of work with the mentally ill and nation, and control. We are born Asked how private health com- ernor Justin Fairfax, whose
making sure they don’t stay in our jails and instead are free, and we will stay free.” panies that now insure 177 million ancestors were slaves on the
going straight to the crisis centers. It has worked well “America will never be a social- people would fare under her Revolutionary War plantation of
in Brookhaven so far and other states doing this save ist country,” Trump roared, as the health care system, Sen. Kamala Lord Fairfax, has been accused
millions. Just like our drug court, we would set up a camera focused in on the scowling Harris was dismissive: “Let’s elim- of raping a young woman at the
mental health court,” she said. face of Sen. Bernie Sanders. inate all of that. Let’s move on.” Democratic convention in 2004.
... The GOP ovation was thun- Trump also delivered in-your- The next in line to succeed the
As a state, we can do better when it comes to derous, the Democratic silence face defiance to feminists who governor, the attorney general,
addressing mental health needs. Currie’s bill is a good revealing. Understandable. For, seek to guarantee unrestricted also a Democrat, has just admitted
step in that direction. as in the 1972 Nixon landslide, access to abortion on demand. to wearing blackface when he was
(Brookhaven) Daily Leader Democrats appear to be coming Recalling the celebration, as in school.
down with “McGovernism.” Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s guaran- And Sen. Warren, says The
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, tee of abortion rights up to the Washington Post, listed “Ameri-
the rookie sensation in Nancy moment before birth became law, can Indian” as her race on a State
Voice of the People Pelosi’s House, has called for a Trump declared: Bar of Texas registration card in
We encourage you to share your opinion with readers of U.S. income tax rate of 70 percent. “Lawmakers in New York 1986.
The Dispatch. As California and New York City cheered with delight upon the Yet, according to her DNA and
Submit your letter to The Dispatch by: have state and local tax rates of 12 passage of legislation that would the Cherokee chief, she ain’t one.
E-mail: voice@cdispatch.com percent that are no longer deduct- allow a baby to be ripped from the Somebody up there likes Don-
Mail: P.O. Box 511, Columbus, MS 39703 ible on federal taxes, their most mother’s womb moments before ald Trump.
In person: 516 Main St., Columbus, or 101 S. Lafayette successful residents could be birth. Patrick J. Buchanan, a nation-
St., No. 16, Starkville.
forced to fork over four-fifths of all “These are living, feeling, beau- ally syndicated columnist, was a
All letters must be signed by the author and must include
town of residence and a telephone number for verification income every year in taxes. tiful babies who will never get the senior advisor to presidents Richard
purposes. Letters should be no more than 500 words, Some Democrats have called chance to share their love and Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald
and guest columns should be 500-700 words. We reserve for an 80 percent federal tax rate. dreams with the world. Reagan. His website is http://bu-
the right to edit submitted material. New Yorkers who earn $1 million “And then, we had the case of chanan.org/blog.

Bankruptcy judge gives Sears another chance, OKs $5.2B plan
Approval means roughly 425 stores
and 45,000 jobs will be preserved
By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer
NEW YORK — A bank-
ruptcy judge on Thursday
blessed a $5.2 billion plan
by Sears chairman and
biggest shareholder to
keep the iconic business
going.
The approval means
roughly 425 stores and
45,000 jobs will be pre-
served.
Eddie Lampert’s bid
through an affiliate of
his ESL hedge fund over-
came opposition from a
group of unsecured cred-
itors, including mall own-
ers and suppliers, that
tried to block the sale and
pushed hard for the com-
pany’s liquidation.
In delivering his de-
Trump predicts all IS territory will be cleared next week
President: U.S. will not relent in
fighting remnants of the militants
By MAT THEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer
WASHINGTON — they claimed as their “ca-
President Donald Trump
predicted Wednesday
that the Islamic State
group will have lost by
next week all the terri-
tory it once controlled in
Iraq and Syria. He said
the U.S. will not relent
in fighting remnants of
the extremist organiza-
tion despite his decision
to withdraw U.S. troops
from Syria over the objec-
tions of some of his most
senior national security
advisers.
The president told rep-
resentatives of a 79-mem-
ber, U.S.-led coalition
Still no verdict at US drug-
trafficking trial of El Chapo
By TOM HAYS
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Jurors
at the U.S. trial of Mexi-
can drug kingpin Joaquin
“El Chapo” Guzman end-
ed their first week of de-
liberations on Thursday
without reaching a ver-
dict, making the day more
noteworthy for Guzman’s
buoyant demeanor and
the antics of a courtroom
spectator.
After the jurors in fed-
eral court in Brooklyn
were sent home, an ani-
mated Guzman beamed
as he hugged and shook
hands with his lawyers, as
if celebrating as a moral
victory that he’ll see an-
other day in court Mon-
day.
The anonymous jury
had told the judge it want-
ed Friday off after delib-
erating over four days at
a trial where there was
some expectation of a
swift verdict. But the fact
that its work will extend
into a second week isn’t
necessarily unusual given
that trial testimony lasted
nearly three months and
that it’s expected to reach
verdicts on 10 separate
counts.
Earlier in the day with
the jury behind closed
doors, a man showed up
in the courtroom falsely
claiming to be a Guzman
relative and trying to
use seating reserved for
family members. He was
removed to an overflow
courtroom before deputy
U.S. marshals took him
away in handcuffs past
Cheap thrills.
Go for a walk.
cision, U.S. Bankruptcy
Judge Robert Drain for
the Southern District of
New York rejected the
group’s claims that the
sale process was unfair
and flawed, that it shut
out any others who could
have been interested in
buying the business and
that Sears had more value
to its creditors if it died
than if it lived.
But the ghost of Toys
R Us loomed large in the
Sears bankruptcy case.
The toy retailer was
forced into liquidation last
year just months after it
tried to reorganize under
bankruptcy court, wiping
out 30,000 jobs.
During the hearing,
which started on Mon-
fighting IS that the mili-
tants held a tiny percent-
age of the vast territory
liphate.”
“It should be formal-
ly announced sometime,
probably next week, that
we will have 100 percent
of the caliphate,” Trump
said.
U.S. officials have said
in recent weeks that IS
has lost 99.5 percent of its
territory and is holding
on to fewer than 5 square
kilometers in Syria, or
less than 2 square miles,
in the villages of the Mid-
dle Euphrates River Val-
ley, where the bulk of the
fighters are concentrated.
startled onlookers. Au-
thorities later revealed he
had outstanding warrants
for misdemeanor harass-
ment charges unrelated to
the Guzman.
The scene occurred
amid a trial that has pro-
vided plenty of riveting
details of its own. The
evidence included testi-
mony from 14 coopera-
tors, including many who
described Guzman’s will-
ingness to use violence
against enemies of a car-
tel that prosecutors say
smuggled at least 200 tons
of cocaine into the U.S.
over two decades.
The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com
day, Drain focused on the
specter of jobs and put
the lawyers representing
the creditors’ group on
the defense. Lawyers for
Sears and ESL argued
that the sale offered the
best alternative and also
played up the need to save
jobs.
Drain is expected to
enter his order on Friday,
making it official.
Even with this latest
reprieve, Sears’ long-term
survival remains an open
question. Kunal Kamlani,
president of ESL, shared
his vision this week of
building a network of
smaller stores that high-
lights mattresses and
major appliances, but the
details are still lacking.
In fact, William Transi-
er, an independent board
member of Sears since
October, acknowledged
during the hearing that
But there are fears the
impending U.S. pullout
will imperil those gains.
Trump told coalition
members meeting at the
State Department that
while “remnants” of the
group were still danger-
ous, he was determined to
bring U.S. troops home.
He called on coalition
members to step up and
do their “fair share” in the
fight against terrorism.
Even as Trump and
Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo defended the
withdrawal decision,
which shocked U.S. allies
and led to the resigna-
tions of Defense Secre-
tary Jim Mattis and the
U.S. envoy to the anti-IS
Friday, February 8, 2019 7A
Sears could shutter an
average of three stores
had 687 stores and 68,000
employees at the time of
termath to keep up with
shifting consumer trends
per month and sell $600
million in real estate over
the filing. At its peak in
2012, its stores numbered
and strong rivals. It hasn’t
had a profitable year since
the next three years. And 4,000.
the company still faces Sears was hard hit 2010 and has suffered 11
cutthroat competition during the recession straight years of declin-
from Amazon, Target and and was unable in its af- ing sales.
Walmart. This while its
stores look old and drab.
“Major hurdles to its
long-term business re-
main,” wrote Moody’s
department store ana-
lyst Christina Boni, in a
note published Thursday.
“Scale, which is critical
to competing in retail to-
day, will be lacking and
its core customer proposi-
tion still remains in ques-
tion.”
Lampert, who merged
Sears and Kmart in 2005,
steered Sears into Chap-
ter 11 bankruptcy protec-
tion in October. The com-
pany’s corporate parent,
which also owns Kmart,
coalition, Brett McGurk,
some military leaders, re-
newed their concerns.
While the withdraw-
al would fulfill a Trump
goal, top military officials
have pushed back for
months, arguing IS re-
mains a threat and could
regroup. U.S. policy had
been to keep troops in
place until the extremists
are completely eradicat-
ed. Fears that IS fighters
are making a strategic
maneuver to lay low ahead
of the U.S. pullout has fu-
eled criticism that Trump
telegraphed his military
plans — the same thing
he accused President
Barack Obama of doing in
Afghanistan.
8A Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

Weather balloon
Continued from Page 1A
of a cold front that swept
through the region, and
Brown said the launch-
es are often performed
ahead of severe weather
systems to collect data
for forecasting. The bal-
loons carry equipment
that Brown said collects
a vertical profile of
winds, temperature and
moisture in the atmo-
sphere.
While the front that
passed through the
area on Thursday didn’t
pose any severe weather
threat, Brown said it
would lead to a drop in
temperatures.
Brown’s team is part
of a research program
called VORTEX South-
east, which he said works
to investigate the types
of environments that lead
to tornadic storms. The
program includes nine
university launch teams
and 13 National Weather
Service launch teams.
“Everybody did it at
that time,” he said. “All
the balloons went up so
we get a high-resolution
look at the atmosphere.”
During the demon-
stration, Brown showed
the students a range
of balloons that can be
used, from very small
ones, to the one it
launched — which he
said can expand to being
larger than a van once
it gets high up into the
atmosphere.
He said the balloon
would go about eight
miles up into the at-
mosphere and travel
far enough for its data
collection equipment,
guided by a parachute
after the balloon popped,
to fall back to the ground
around the Birmingham,
Alabama area — much
to the students’ amaze-
ment. Brown said the
weather team would col-
lect data from the balloon
for about an hour, but it
could continue to fly for
up to another hour after
that process finished.
While Brown said
the launches are fairly
routine for weather
scientists, who are more
interested in the data
the balloons collect, he
hopes they help spark an
interest in science for the
students.
“This gets kids
excited, to see the giant
balloons and those kinds
of things,” he said. “Any
time you can get kids
excited about science,
you’re doing a real
service. That’s my hope
anyway — especially
some of the young ladies
here. We brought out
three of my very best
students and two of them
are females. So I hope
some of the young girls
look at that and see all of
this is possible.”
Starkville Academy
Head of School Jeremy
Nicholas said Thursday’s
demonstration spoke to
the work Starkville Acad-
emy is doing to educate
its students in STEM
areas, and in working
with MSU.
“This is about as
hands-on as you can get,
when you can hold the
balloon and equipment
and launch it yourself,”
he said. “It’s all a part of
making learning fun.”

Principals
Continued from Page 1A

Sudduth Elementary Starkville area and meet confidence in me and I grade elementary school.
Mosley has served with all the teachers.” took it and ran with it. It’s “She has done a phe-
with SOCSD for the past Peasant, formerly an been an exciting year.” nomenal job in that time,”
25 years, 19 of those as assistant superintendent Milons has worked Peasant told the board.
principal at Sudduth Ele- at Tupelo, said he was ac- with public education in “She was one of the peo-
mentary. quainted with Abraham Oktibbeha County since ple we interviewed. She
“I know that Mrs. during his tenure there 2005, first as an English rose to the top in those
Mosley served this dis- but he never worked di- teacher at East Oktibbe- interviews and will be
trict at the elementary rectly with her. ha County High School. named the principal of
and middle school level Before becoming interim Overstreet Elementary.”
and has been an import- Overstreet principal at Overstreet, Peasant said since Mi-
ant and strong leader in Milons took the inter- she served eight years as lons took the interim role,
this community,” Peasant im principal role at Over- an English teacher at the he has seen the students
said. “We appreciate ev- street in July after Timo- high school, followed by grow academically and
erything that she’s done thy Bourne was named one year as a lead teach- socially under her leader-
for this district and all the director of accountability, er there (a position that ship.
children she’s touched helps teachers curricu- “She is just a lifelong
accreditation and assess-
over the years.” lum and other classroom learner,” Peasant said.
ment.
Abraham, who hails resources). “She’s one who has the
After serving the fall
from Tupelo, received her “My goal is to be sure great energy and most of
semester, Milons said she
bachelor of science from we are striving for all stu- all she has a natural love
wanted a shot at the per-
Mississippi State Univer- dents to be successful. To of children. I would de-
manent position, and she
sity, master’s of science build those positive rela- scribe her as an amazing
is relieved her “interim”
from Alcorn State Univer- relationship builder. She’s
tag has been removed. tionships,” Milons said.
sity, and specialist of ed- one who has been a sup-
“It was nerve-wracking “We’ve been doing a lot of
ucation from Delta State porter of faculty and staff
and I’m glad it’s over,” Mi- great things at Overstreet
University. at Overstreet. She’s done
lons said of the wait. “It and I’m excited to contin-
Currently, Abraham a phenomenal job of creat-
has been an awesome ex- ue.”
serves as assistant prin- ing a really exciting, hap-
perience. When Dr. Peas- Peasant said Milons’
cipal of Rankin Elementa- py and energetic elemen-
ant asked me to be inter- leadership at Overstreet tary school.”
ry School in Tupelo. She im I did not know what to has created an inviting
previously served as K-2 say, but I felt like he had environment for the fifth
instructional coach and
kindergarten teacher.
“My husband is from
here so he has always
wanted to come back to
Starkville,” Abraham
said. “When I saw the op-
portunity, I was excited
about it. When they called
and offered it, I was just
thrilled and grateful for
the opportunity to be a
part of this community.”
Peasant said that Abra-
ham’s experience in lower
elementary education is
what qualified her as a
strong candidate to lead
Sudduth.
“Mrs. Abraham has
served in administrative
roles in Tupelo at an A
school and has been a
leader in teacher growth
opportunities,” Peasant
said. “She’s been success-
ful in training teachers to
teach early literacy and
other strategies for lower
elementary age children.
Mrs. Abraham knows she
has some big shoes to fill.
We’re excited about her
coming in and continu-
ing the positive growth at
Sudduth Elementary.”
Abraham added she
hopes to continue the
strong leadership Mosley
has created at Sudduth.
“(I want) to continue
all the excellent things
going on there,” Abraham
said. “I want to make it an
open community to the

Sentencing
Continued from Page 1A
charge was dismissed. He
also recieved a 15-year
sentence with five years
suspended, 10 to serve
and a $1,200 fine.
Starkville Police De-
partment arrested two
other suspects — Sydney
Westmoreland Marvelous
Houston — in the case.
They had not yet been
convicted, as of Friday
morning.

cdispatch.com
Sports
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
MSU opens
season with
pair at home
By Scot t Walters
swalters@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mississippi
State sophomore Mia Davidson
set no personal goals before her
first season with the Bulldogs.
She does not plan to do any-
thing differently this year.
Davidson earned
Southeastern Con-
ference Freshman
of the Year hon-
ors after hitting a
school-record 19
home runs for the
Bulldogs.
Davidson Her second act
begins at 3 p.m. to-
day when MSU takes on Middle
Tennessee in its opening game at
the Bulldog Kickoff Classic. MSU
will also face Stephen F. Austin
at 5:30 p.m. before playing twice
more Saturday and another game
Sunday.
“Honestly, don’t get caught up
in the numbers,” Davidson said.
“If you pay attention to the per-
sonal accolades, the team goals
suffer. My job each day is to make
sure my contributions help this
team win. We have a lot of poten-
tial and we want to make this a
special season.”
Davidson is the type of
game-changing player that can
help transcend a program. A Hill-
sborough, North Carolina native,
Davidson made a verbal commit-
ment to the Bulldogs in seventh
grade and held true to her word.
She has watched Vann Stuede-
man build the program. Addi-
tional game-changers are now
making Starkville home and the
program appears poised to take
the next step.
“There is a lot of excitement
because of the type of players we
have,” MSU senior utility player
Emily Heimberger said. “At Mis-
sissippi State, you are always go-
ing be the underdog. The (South-
eastern Conference) is loaded.
However, that’s why you come
here to play. You want to be the
group to make something special
happen.”
The Bulldogs have won 33
or more games in six of seven
Stuedeman’s first sevens seasons.
A year ago, MSU finished 38-23.
The Bulldogs fell to Arizona in the
championship game of the Tucson
Regional.
From that team, 16 letters win-
ners and five position starters re-
turn.
That has led to a preseason No.
24 ranking by the National Fast-
pitch Coaches Association. It is
the second preseason ranking in
program history.
See SOFTBALL, 4B
GameS 1 and 2
n Middle Tennessee, 3 p.m. Today
and Stephen F. Austin, 5:30 p.m.
Today (SEC Network +).
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Latest challenge: Bulldogs face No. 5 UK
By Scot t Walters
swalters@cdispatch.com
STARKVILLE — Mississip-
pi State men’s basketball coach
Ben Howland earlier labeled
the opening part of February
as the team’s most difficult
stretch.
The Bulldogs are now in
that stretch, trying to enhance
their Southeastern Conference
standing, earn back a nation-
al ranking and strengthen an
NCAA tournament resume.
The next chance for MSU
(16-6. 4-5) to do all that comes
Saturday when No. 5 Kentucky
(19-3, 8-1) comes to Humphrey
Coliseum for a noon contest.
Lowndes County Battle
Chris McDill/Special to The Dispatch
In the photo above,
Caledonia senior Tyrin
Johnson (32) has a shot
blocked by New Hope
senior Tikorian Chandler
(3).
At right, New Hope senior
Presley Langford (11)
gets around a Caledonia
defender on the way to
the basket.
Senior Romeo Sanders
scored 37 points as Cale-
donia held off a late rally
to record a 71-65 win at
New Hope.
FEDS COMPLETE SWEEP
Caledonia uses free throw line to take second victory against New Hope
By Scot t Walters
swalters@cdispatch.com
Caledonia High School
boys’ basketball coach
Gary Griffin wanted his
team to drive to the basket
and to get to the free throw
line Thursday night.
The Confederates kept
their coach happy all night
long.
Caledonia hit 30 of 43
free throws and needed
almost all of them to hold
off New Hope 71-65 in an
intense Lowndes County
rivalry battle at the new
New Hope Gym.
Caledonia also won
the first meeting (66-54
at home on Dec. 4) mean-
ing a season sweep for the
first time in two decades.
“It feels great to do
something that hasn’t
been done here in a long,
long time,” Caledonia
senior Tyrin Smith said.
“When I transferred (from
Columbus High School),
Game 23
n No. 5 Kentucky, Noon Saturday
(WCBI; WKBB-FM 100.9, WFCA-FM
107.9).
“Kentucky is always good,”
Howland said. “It is one of
those contests where you find
out so much about your team.
You have to play great to have
a chance.”
A strong non-conference
schedule gave the Bulldogs a le-
gitimate chance to return to the
NCAA tournament long before
conference play started.
While an 0-2 start to league
play caused some concern, the
Bulldogs have gained some
momentum, by winning four of
INSIDE
n SENIOR NIGHT: Julia
Franks scores in final game
as New Hope girls beat Cale-
donia, Page 5B
my goal was to be part of
moments like this. The
seniors wanted to show
that this isn’t your normal
Caledonia team. We are a
lot better in a lot of areas.
It’s fun to be part of this.”
Caledonia (21-6) will be
the No. 3 seed in the Mis-
sissippi High School Ac-
tivities Association (MH-
SAA) Class 4A, Region
2 tournament. It will face
Amory at 5:30 p.m. Tues-
day in a first-round game
at Itawamba Community
College.
“Proud of the regular
season,” Griffin said. “Our
administration does ev-
erything possible to make
sure we have what we
need to have a successful
program. These kids are a
their last seven games.
“The thing about this team is
we have to keep getting better,”
MSU freshman Robert Wood-
ard II said. “We have some big
goals to achieve.”
A slow start to conference
play put the Bulldogs behind
the 8-ball a year ago. Again this
season, the stronger part of the
conference schedule took place
in the middle third.
Last week, Howland called
the current schedule “the mur-
derer’s row” a week ago. After
falling to Alabama in the final
seconds, MSU righted the ship
with an 81-75 win over Ole Miss
in Oxford.
See BULLDOGS, 4B
THE DISPATCH n CDISPATCH.COM n Friday, FEBRUARY 8, 2019
good representation of the
community. We are young
in a lot of areas. The hand-
ful of seniors we have, well
they have led. They have
gotten everything out of
this team possible. This
game showed a little bit of
the way we need to play to
win.”
Caledonia attacked the
basket viciously. The Con-
federates utilized a slight
size advantage under-
neath. Different players
drove the basketball with
similar results.
Senior Romeo Sand-
ers led Caledonia with 37
points. He was 21 of 23
from the foul line. Ironi-
cally, Caledonia got the
offensive rebound on both
misses.
“From the first time we
played them, we felt like
we could have some suc-
cess in the lane,” Sanders
said.
See FEDS, 5B
Kelly Donoho/Mississippi State Athletic Media Relations
Mississippi State freshman Reggie Perry (1) has scored 18 or
more points in three straight games for the Bulldogs.
PREP FOOTBALL
SPORTS EDITOR
Scott Walters
SPORTS LINE
662-241-5000
B
SECTION
Rice out as
Columbus
head coach
By Scot t Walters
swalters@cdispatch.com
For the second straight off-sea-
son, Columbus High School is
in the market for a new football
coach.
The Mississippi High School
Activities Association web site
listed a Columbus Municipal
School District advertisement for
a new head football coach Thurs-
day afternoon.
The advertise-
ment also includes
a position for assis-
tant football coach
on the high school
level, as well as
a head coach for
girls’ soccer.
Eric Rice just Rice
completed his first
season as coach of the Falcons.
However, speculation was ram-
pant when the season ended that
Rice would not be retained after
the team finished winless and he
did not coach the final game of the
regular season.
Calls to Rice and other school
district officials were not returned
Thursday night.
“The kids have always giv-
en a great effort,” said Rice in a
November interview after it was
announced by the MHSAA that
Columbus would be moving from
Class 6A to Class 5A. “We have a
plan and it starts at the junior high
level. We have to get the numbers
up in the program to be success-
ful. Playing 5A competition will
help. It will be a more even play-
ing field.”
This past season was the Fal-
cons’ second winless season in
program history.
Of the 11 defeats, three were
by shutout. Columbus was held
to one touchdown or less seven
times.
Randal Montgomery coached
Columbus for four seasons before
not returning after the 2017 cam-
paign. Montgomery was 2-9 in
his final season after leading the
Falcons to back-to-back MHSAA
Class 6A playoff berths.
Thanks in part to the play of
present Mississippi State sopho-
more Kylin Hill, the Falcons fin-
ished 8-4 in 2015 and 6-6 in 2016,
losing first-round playoff games in
each season.
After Hill’s departure, Co-
lumbus slumped to 2-9 in an in-
jury-plagued final season under
Montgomery. Overall, the Fal-
cons have lost 17 straight, dating
back to an overtime region win
over DeSoto Central on Sept. 22,
2017.
Prior to Montgomery, Colum-
bus won seven games two times
under Tony Stanford but only
made the playoffs one time.
High hopes for 2018 season
took a hit when defensive coordi-
nator Michael Kelly left Colum-
See RICE, 4B
2B Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

on the air
Today
AUTO RACING
5 p.m. — NHRA Drag Racing: Friday
Nitro Pomona, season-opening Winter-
nationals, Pomona, California, FS1
BIATHLON
6 p.m. — IBU World Cup: men’s 20km
and women’s 15km individual, Alberta,
NBC Sports Network
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
6 p.m. — St. Louis at St. Joseph’s,
ESPN2
6 p.m. — Canisius at Rider, ESPNU
8 p.m. — Georgia State at Louisiana,
ESPN2
8 p.m. — Kent State at Akron, ESPNU
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
7 p.m. — Georgetown at Marquette,
FS1
WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
6 p.m. — Auburn at Florida, SEC
Network
7:30 p.m. — LSU at Kentucky, SEC
Network
MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
5 p.m. — Minnesota at Penn State, Big
Ten Network
5:30 p.m. — Nebraska-Omaha at Mi-
ami University, CBS Sports Network
8 p.m. — Colorado College at St. Cloud
State, CBS Sports Network
COLLEGE WRESTLING
7:30 p.m. — Penn State at Ohio State,
Big Ten Network
FIGURE SKATING
11 p.m. — Four Continents Champi-
onships: ladies’ free skate, Anaheim,
California, NBC Sports Network
GOLF
11 a.m. — PGA Tour Champions Golf:
Oasis Championship, first round, Boca
Raton, Florida, TGC
2 p.m. — PGA Tour Golf: AT&T Pebble
Peach Pro-Am, second round, Monterey,
California, TGC
8 p.m. — European Tour Golf: ISPS
Handa Vic Open, men’s and women’s
third round, Australia, TGC
NBA
6 p.m. — Denver at Philadelphia, ESPN
8:30 p.m. — Minnesota at New Orle-
ans, ESPN
NHL
7 p.m. — Carolina at NY Rangers, NHL
Network
SKIING
8 a.m. — FIS World Alpine Champion-
ships: women’s super-combined (down-
hill), Sweden, NBC Sports Network
9 a.m. — FIS World Alpine Champi-
onships: women’s super-combined
(slalom), Sweden, NBC Sports Network
10 a.m. — FIS World Freestyle Champi-
onships: slopestyle skiing, Utah, NBC
Sports Network
8 p.m. — FIS World Freestyle Champi-
onships: skiing moguls’ competition,
Utah, NBC Sports Network
10 p.m. — FIS World Alpine Champi-
onships: women’s super-combined
(slalom), Sweden, NBC Sports Network
SNOWBOARDING
Noon — FIS World Freestyle Champi-
onships: halfpipe, Utah, NBC Sports
Network
SOCCER
1:20 p.m. — Bundesliga: Bayer
Leverkusen vs. FSV Mainz, FS2
Saturday
AAF FOOTBALL
7:30 p.m. — San Diego Fleet at San
Antonio Commanders, WCBI
AUTO RACING
9:30 a.m. — NASCAR: Monster Energy
Sprint Cup Series, practice, Daytona
Beach, Florida, FS1
Noon — NASCAR: Monster Energy
Sprint Cup Series, practice, Daytona
Beach, Florida, FS1
2 p.m. — NASCAR: Monster Energy
Sprint Cup Series, practice, Daytona
Beach, Florida, FS1
3:30 p.m. — ARCA Series, season
opener, Daytona Beach, Florida, FS1
6 p.m. — NHRA Drag Racing: Saturday
Nitro Pomona, season-opening Winter-
nationals, Pomona, California, FS1
7 p.m. — Monster Energy Supercross:
round 6 of the AMA Supercross series,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, NBC Sports
Network
BOXING
9 p.m. — Showtime Championship
Boxing: Davis-Mares, Carson, Califor-
nia, Showtime
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
11 a.m. — Providence at St. John’s,
CBS Sports Network
11 a.m. — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas,
ESPN
11 a.m. — Virginia Tech vs. Clemson,
ESPN2
11 a.m. — Temple vs. Tulsa, ESPNU
Noon — Ole Miss at Georgia, SEC
Network
1 p.m. — VCU at St. Bonaventure, CBS
Sports Network
1 p.m. — Minnesota vs. Michigan
State, ESPN
1 p.m. — Auburn vs. LSU, ESPN2
1 p.m. — TCU vs. Iowa State, ESPNU
2:30 p.m. — Arkansas at South Caroli-
na, SEC Network
3 p.m. — Rutgers at Illinois, Big Ten
Network
3 p.m. — Dayton at Rhode Island, CBS
Sports Network
3 p.m. — Florida vs. Tennessee, ESPN
3 p.m. — Louisville vs. Florida State,
ESPN2
3 p.m. — Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma,
ESPNU
5 p.m. — Minnesota at Penn State, Big
Ten Network
5 p.m. — New Mexico at Nevada, CBS
Sports Network
5 p.m. — Duke vs. Virginia, ESPN
5 p.m. — Kansas State vs. Baylor,
ESPN2
5 p.m. — Texas A&M at Missouri, SEC
Network
7 p.m. — Creighton at Seton Hall, CBS
Sports Network
7 p.m. — Texas vs. West Virginia,
ESPN2
7 p.m. — Tulane vs. Wichita State,
ESPNU
7 p.m. — Depaul at Xavier, FS1
7:30 p.m. — Nebraska at Purdue, Big
Ten Network
7:30 p.m. — Alabama at Vanderbilt,
SEC Network
9 p.m. — Washington vs. Arizona State,
ESPN
9 p.m. — Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga,
ESPN2
9 p.m. — Colorado vs. USC, ESPNU
11 p.m. — UC-Davis at UC-Sant Barba-
ra, ESPNU
WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
5 p.m. — Minnesota at Nebraska,
ESPNU
MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
9 a.m. — Beanpot Tournament: semi-
final, Boston College vs. Harvard, NHL
Network
FIGURE SKATING
10:30 p.m. — Four Continents Cham-
pionships: men’s free skate, Anaheim,
California, NBC Sports Network
GOLF
Noon — PGA Tour Golf: AT&T Pebble
Beach Pro-Am, third round, Monterey,
California, TGC
2 p.m. — PGA Tour Champions Golf:
Oasis Championship, second round,
Boca Raton, Florida, TGC
7 p.m. — European Tour Golf: ISPS
Handa Vic Open, men’s and women’s
final round, Australia, TGC
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
7 p.m. — UFC 234: prelims, Australia,
ESPN
NBA
7 p.m. — New Orleans at Memphis, Fox
Sports Southeast
7:30 p.m. — Oklahoma City at Hous-
ton, WTVA-ABC
NHL
6 p.m. — Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, NHL
Network
RUGBY
1:30 p.m. — Six Nations: Scotland vs.
Ireland, NBC Sports Network
3:30 p.m. — Six Nations: Italy vs.
Wales, NBC Sports Network
9 p.m. — Major League Rugby: Houston
Sabercats at San Diego Legion, CBS
Sports Network
SKIING
5:30 p.m. — FIS World Alpine Champi-
onships: men’s downhill, Sweden, NBC
Sports Network
1 a.m. (Sunday) — FIS World Freestyle
Championships, dual moguls competi-
tion, Utah, NBC Sports Network
SOCCER
6:25 a.m. — Premier League: Fulham
vs. Manchester United, NBC Sports
Network
8:20 a.m. — Bundesliga: Hoffenheim
vs. Borussia Dortmund, FS2
8:55 a.m. — Premier League: Liverpool
vs. Bournemouth, NBC Sports Network
11:20 a.m. — Bundesliga: Schalke vs.
Bayern Munich, FS2
11:25 a.m. — Premier League: Brigh-
ton vs. Burnley, NBC Sports Network
5 p.m. — LIGA MX: BUAP vs. Monter-
rey, FS2
Sunday
AAF FOOTBALL
3 p.m. — Memphis Express at Birming-
ham Iron, CBS Sports Network
AUTO RACING
2 p.m. — NASCAR: Monster Energy
Sprint Cup Series, The Advance Auto
Parts Clash, Daytona Beach, Florida,
FS1
4 p.m. — NHRA Drag Racing: Lucas
Oil NHRA Winternationals, Pomona,
California, FS1
BOXING
6 p.m. — Top Rank Boxing: Main Event,
Zepeda-Ramirez, Fresno, California,
ESPN
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
11 a.m. — Holy Cross at Lafayette
College, CBS Sports Network
1 p.m. — Connecticut at Memphis,
CBS Sports Network
1 p.m. — Central Florida at SMU,
ESPNEWS
3 p.m. — Cincinnati at Houston, ESPN
5 p.m. — Georgia Tech at Notre Dame,
ESPNU
7 p.m. — Stanford at Oregon, ESPN2
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
11 a.m. — Florida State at Notre
Dame, ESPN
11 a.m. — Florida at Georgia, ESPNU
1 p.m. — Northwestern at Minnesota,
Big Ten Network
1 p.m. — Tennessee at Mississippi
State, ESPN
1 p.m. — Houston at South Florida,
ESPN2
1 p.m. — Wichita State at Cincinnati,
ESPNU
1 p.m. — Seton Hall at Creighton, FS2
1 p.m. — Auburn at Arkansas, SEC
Network
3 p.m. — Iowa at Ohio State, Big Ten
Network
3 p.m. — Oregon at Stanford, ESPN2
3 p.m. — Loyola-Chicago at Valparaiso,
ESPNU
3 p.m. — Vanderbilt at Missouri, SEC
Network
5:30 p.m. — Northwestern at Iowa, Big
Ten Network
WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
9 a.m. — Penn State at Rutgers, Big
Ten Network
5 p.m. — UCLA at Washington, ESPN2
MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
11 a.m. — Beanpot Tournament: semi-
final, Boston University vs. Northeast-
ern, NHL TV
COLLEGE WRESTLING
11 a.m. — Northwestern at Michigan,
Big Ten Network
GOLF
Noon — PGA Tour Golf: AT&T Pebble
Beach Pro-Am, final round, Monterey,
California, TGC
2 p.m. — PGA Tour Champions Golf:
Oasis Championship, final round, Boca
Raton, Florida, TGC
NBA
2:30 p.m. — Los Aneles Lakers at
Philadelphia, WTVA-ABC
NBA G LEAGUE BASKETBALL
2 p.m. — South Bay Lakers at Oklaho-
ma City Blue, NBA TV
7:30 p.m. — Miami at Golden State,
NBA TV
NHL
6 p.m. — Toronto at New York Rangers,
NBC Sports Network
SKIING
9:30 p.m. — FIS World Alpine Cham-
pionships: women’s downhill, Sweden,
NBC Sports Network

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 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com Friday, February 8, 2019 3B

briefly CALENDAR Basketball

Jonas Blixt
Lucas Glover
Matt Kuchar
33-34—67m
35-33—68s
32-35—67m
Stacy Bregman
Dana Finkelstein
Pernilla Lindberg
34-40—74
36-38—74
38-36—74
NBA Wes Roach 31-36—67m Manon Molle 37-37—74

Local Prep Basketball

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
Kenny Perry
Graeme McDowell
Jose de Jesus Rodriguez
32-35—67m
33-35—68p
33-35—68s
Emma Talley
Christine Wolf
Sakura Yokomine
38-36—74
37-37—74
37-37—74
Starkville High basketball squads sweep Murrah Today’s Games Toronto
Boston
40 16 .714 —
35 20 .636 4½
Rafa Cabrera Bello
Tony Finau
35-34—69s
34-35—69p
Simin Feng
Yu Liu
37-37—74
35-39—74
STARKVILLE — The Starkville High School basketball teams Columbus at Neshoba Central Philadelphia 34 20 .630 5 Sung Kang 35-34—69p Thidapa Suwannapura 38-36—74
made it a clean sweep through regular-season Mississippi High School Brooklyn 29 27 .518 11 Aaron Baddeley 34-35—69s Isabelle Boineau 36-38—74
Noxubee County at Starkville New York 10 43 .189 28½ Sangmoon Bae 35-34—69s Christina Kim 38-36—74
Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A, Region 3 play. Southeast Division Mackenzie Hughes 35-33—68m Joanna Klatten 36-38—74
The Starkville girls (17-3, 6-0) won 56-32. The Lady Jackets will Caledonia at New Hope W L Pct GB Doug Ghim 33-35—68m Mariah Stackhouse 39-35—74
Charlotte 26 28 .481 — Sam Saunders 35-34—69p Pavarisa Yoktuan 38-36—74
enter tonight’s regular-season finale with a 13-game winning streak. Aberdeen at Houlka Miami 25 27 .481 — Brian Stuard 34-35—69p Ruixin Liu 40-34—74
Jalisa Outlaw led Starkville with 20 points. Amaria Strong added Talor Gooch 35-33—68m Nicole Broch Larsen 39-35—74
Calhoun Academy at Columbus Christian Orlando
Washington
23 32 .418 3½
22 32 .407 4 Chris Stroud 35-34—69p Robyn Choi 35-40—75
12 points. Saturday’s Game Atlanta 18 36 .333 8 Patrick Reed 33-35—68m Lydia Hall 38-37—75
In the second game, the Starkville boys (23-1, 6-0) took a 78-57 Central Division Brandt Snedeker 35-34—69p Klara Spilkova 38-37—75
victory. The Yellow Jackets have now won 16 straight. West Point at Noxubee County W L Pct GB Brandon Harkins
Chez Reavie
35-34—69p
36-32—68m
Michele Thomson
Astrid Vayson de Pradenne
37-38—75
37-38—75
Milwaukee 40 13 .755 —
Atavius Jones had 19 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Forte Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Indiana 36 19 .655 5 D.J. Trahan 35-33—68m Ursula Wikstrom 38-37—75
Detroit 24 29 .453 16 Martin Trainer 33-36—69p Whitney Hillier 38-37—75
Prater added 15 points. Coltie Young had 13 points, while Eric Green Class AAA, District 2 tournament Chicago 12 42 .222 28½ Roberto Diaz 35-34—69p Katelyn Must 39-36—75
had 10 points. Chad Campbell 37-32—69p Vicky Uwland 37-38—75
At Leake Academy Cleveland 11 43 .204 29½
WESTERN CONFERENCE Alex Prugh 35-34—69p Leticia Ras-Anderica 37-38—75
Both Starkville squads went 6-0 in region play for a third straight Jonathan Byrd 36-33—69p Breanna Gill 39-37—76
Heritage Academy girls vs. Starkville Academy Southwest Division
Nick Taylor 36-33—69p Jaye Marie Green 35-41—76
season. W L Pct GB
Russell Knox 35-33—68m Munchin Keh 36-40—76
Senior Night is up next as both Starkville High squads host Noxu- girls, 3 p.m. Houston 32 22 .593 —
Paul Casey 35-34—69p Sarah Jane Smith 38-38—76
San Antonio 32 25 .561 1½
bee County tonight at the Bee Hive. Winston Academy boys vs. Canton Academy, Dallas 25 28 .472 6½ Steve Stricker
Charley Hoffman
35-33—68m
36-33—69m
Laura Gonzalez Escallon
Grace Lennon
38-38—76
38-38—76
New Orleans 24 31 .436 8½
4:30 p.m. Memphis 22 34 .393 11 Scott Piercy 33-37—70p Anne Van Dam 40-36—76
Northwest Division Ben Crane 36-34—70s Hannah Burke 39-38—77
Heritage Academy squads split in district tournament Winston Academy girls at Leake Academy, 6 p.m. W L Pct GB Pat Perez
Grayson Murray
34-35—69m
36-34—70s
Youngin Chun
Camilla Lennarth
38-39—77
39-38—77
MADDEN — The Heritage Academy boys won, while the Heritage Heritage Academy boys at Leake Academy, 7:30 Denver
Oklahoma City
37 17 .685 —
35 19 .648 2 Vaughn Taylor 37-33—70s Amelia Lewis 36-41—77
Academy girls lost in the semifinal round of the Mississippi Association p.m. Portland 33 21 .611 4 Ryan Palmer 37-33—70s Ally McDonald 41-36—77
Utah 31 24 .564 6½ Parker McLachlin 33-36—69m Hanee Song 41-36—77
of Indepedent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA, District 2 tournament being
played at Leake Academy. Men’s College Basketball Minnesota 25 29 .463 12
Pacific Division
Ernie Els
Michael Thompson
J.J. Henry
36-33—69m
34-36—70s
34-36—70s
Sheridan Gorton
Amy Boulden
Camille Chevalier
38-39—77
37-41—78
39-39—78
The Heritage Academy boys defeated Winston Academy, 52-39. Saturday’s Games
Golden State
W L Pct GB
38 15 .717 — Brendon Todd 33-36—69m Diksha Dagar 39-39—78
The Heritage Academy girls dropped a 74-42 decision to Leake Kentucky at Mississippi State, Noon L.A. Clippers 30 26 .536 9½ Ben Silverman 34-36—70p Amy Walsh 42-38—80
Beau Hossler 35-34—69m
Academy.
Ole Miss at Georgia, Noon
Sacramento
L.A. Lakers
28 26 .519 10½
28 27 .509 11 Shane Lowry 35-36—71s Web.com Tour
Saturday, the Heritage Academy girls face Starkville Academy in Phoenix 11 45 .196 28½ Josh Teater 34-36—70m Panama Championship
the third place game at 3 p.m., while the Heritage Academy boys face Louisiana Tech at Southern Miss, 4 p.m. Adam Schenk
Ryan Armour
37-33—70m
34-36—70m
Thursday
Thursday’s Games At Panama GC
Leake Academy at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the championship. Alabama at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. Indiana 116, L.A. Clippers 92 Matthew Fitzpatrick 35-36—71p Panama City
Orlando 122, Minnesota 112 Tom Hoge 37-34—71p Purse: $625,000
The Starkville Academy girls dropped a 44-41 decision to Mississippi University for Women at Oakwood, Toronto 119, Atlanta 101 Adam Scott 33-37—70m Yardage: 7,154; Par: 70 (35-35)
Winston Academy in another semifinal final game Thursday. The Lady 9 p.m. L.A. Lakers 129, Boston 128 Rory Sabbatini 32-39—71p Partial First Round
Oklahoma City 117, Memphis 95 Tyler Duncan 35-36—71p Tim Wilkinson 33-32—65
Volunteers received 16 points from Lillee Alpe and 13 points from Meri James Hahn 34-37—71s
Laci Archer. Tuesday’s Games Portland 127, San Antonio 118
Joey Garber 36-35—71p
Xinjun Zhang
Mike Weir
31-35—66
32-34—66
Today’s Games
Curtis Luck 35-35—70m
Mississippi University for Women at Champion Cleveland at Washington, 6 p.m.
Hank Lebioda 35-36—71p
Brett Coletta 33-33—66
Denver at Philadelphia, 6 p.m. Edward Loar 34-33—67
Christian, 6 p.m. Matt Jones 36-35—71s
Wood records fist hole-in-one of new year at Elm Lake New York at Detroit, 6 p.m.
Chicago at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m. Kevin Streelman 34-36—70m
Corey Pereira
Brian Campbell
33-34—67
32-35—67
Ronnie Wood recorded the first hole-in-one for 2019 Saturday at Alabama at Mississippi State, 8 p.m. Milwaukee at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. Hunter Mahan 37-34—71s Chris Baker 34-33—67
Golden State at Phoenix, 8 p.m. Cameron Tringale 36-35—71p Trevor Cone 34-34—68
Elm Lake Golf Course. He was playing with his wife Mimi when he aced Wednesday’s Game Minnesota at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m. Julian Etulain 34-37—71p Rhein Gibson 35-33—68
Ricky Barnes 34-36—70m
the 3rd hole with a Pitching Wedge. Ole Miss at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. Miami at Sacramento, 9 p.m.
Kyoung-Hoon Lee 38-34—72p
Brett Stegmaier 34-34—68
Saturday’s Games Cameron Percy 36-32—68
Women’s College Basketball San Antonio at Utah, 4 p.m. Adam Hadwin 36-36—72s Nelson Ledesma 33-35—68
Russell Henley 36-35—71m
Mississippi State Saturday’s Games
Cleveland at Indiana, 6 p.m.
Charlotte at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.
Toronto at New York, 6:30 p.m.
Tom Lovelady
Sebastian Munoz
36-36—72p
37-35—72p
Nicolas Echavarria
Ben Polland
Todd Baek
33-35—68
32-36—68
35-33—68
Eight chosen for NFL Combine invites Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech, 1 p.m. L.A. Clippers at Boston, 7 p.m.
New Orleans at Memphis, 7 p.m.
Sepp Straka
Scott Brown
36-36—72s
36-36—72p
John Oda
Steve Marino
33-35—68
33-35—68
STARKVILLE – A Mississippi State record eight Bulldogs have Mississippi University for Women at Oakwood, Washington at Chicago, 7 p.m. John Senden 35-37—72s Dan McCarthy 33-35—68
Oklahoma City at Houston, 7:30 p.m. Michael Kim 36-36—72s Callum Tarren 35-33—68
been invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, scheduled for Feb. 26 Rod Pampling 38-34—72s
7 p.m. Orlando at Milwaukee, 8 p.m. Zach Wright 35-33—68
through March 4. Peter Malnati 35-37—72s Rick Lamb 34-35—69
The NFL officially released the full list of 338 invitees on Thursday. Sunday’s Game Thursday’s Men’s Brian Davis 35-36—71m Carl Yuan 35-34—69
Davis Love III 36-35—71m
For MSU, the selections were safety Johnathan Abram, offensive Tennessee at Mississippi State, 1 p.m. Major Scores Jerry Kelly 35-36—71m
Mathew Goggin
Derek Ernst
36-33—69
33-36—69
EAST Anders Albertson 38-34—72s
guard Deion Calhoun, quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, defensive end Gerri
Green, center Elgton Jenkins, safety Mark McLaurin, cornerback Jamal
College Softball Coll. of Charleston 83, Delaware 75
Drexel 69, UNC-Wilmington 57
Martin Piller
Cameron Davis
39-33—72s
35-37—72s
Steven Ihm
Bo Hoag
Jonathan Randolph
34-35—69
36-33—69
35-34—69
Hofstra 102, Elon 61
Peters and defensive end Montez Sweat. Today’s Games LIU Brooklyn 77, Mount St. Mary’s 62
Ryan Ruffels
Kelly Kraft
36-35—71m
35-37—72s
Ethan Tracy 37-32—69
Jordan Niebrugge 36-33—69
State’s eight selections tied for seventh-most nationally and broke Alabama vs. Murray State (Troy, Alabama), 12:30 Monmouth (NJ) 53, St. Peter’s 51
Northeastern 72, William & Mary 60
Sungjae Im 37-34—71m Charlie Saxon 34-35—69
John Huh 34-38—72p Mickey DeMorat 34-35—69
the team record of six set following the 2015 season when linebacker p.m. Robert Morris 72, Bryant 59 Jim Furyk 37-35—72s Willy Wilcox 37-33—70
Beniquez Brown, cornerback Taveze Calhoun, defensive tackle Chris Sacred Heart 69, Fairleigh Dickinson 63 Richy Werenski 36-36—72p
Houston Baptist at Southern Miss, 1 p.m. St. Francis (Pa.) 90, CCSU 85 Trey Mullinax 35-36—71m
Zack Sucher
Martin Flores
36-34—70
35-35—70
Jones, quarterback Dak Prescott, cornerback Will Redmond and wide St. Francis Brooklyn 51, Wagner 44 Nick Watney 36-37—73p
receiver De’Runnya Wilson were chosen for the 2016 NFL Combine. Ole Miss vs. Ohio State (Orlando, Florida), 1:30 SOUTH Patrick Rodgers 37-35—72m
Boo Weekley
Steve Wheatcroft
34-36—70
38-32—70
Austin Peay 80, SIU-Edwardsville 45 Dylan Frittelli 35-38—73p
It’s the 10th consecutive year that the Bulldogs have sent multiple p.m. Belmont 83, E. Kentucky 65 Cameron Champ 37-36—73s
Nicholas Thompson 36-34—70
Chattanooga 71, VMI 70 Mark Hubbard 35-35—70
players to the NFL Combine. Dating back to 1999, a total of 61 Bulldogs Valparaiso at Mississippi State, 3 p.m. Cincinnati 69, Memphis 64
Max Homa
Jason Schmuhl
35-38—73p
36-37—73s
Lanto Griffin 35-35—70
have been invited to the NFL Combine. Oliver Bekker 35-35—70
Stephen F. Austin at Mississippi State, 5:30 p.m. Furman 64, W. Carolina 45
Gardner-Webb 89, Longwood 88, OT
John Rollins 38-35—73p Scottie Scheffler 37-33—70
The 2019 NFL Draft is set for April 26-28, and will be held in Adam Long 38-35—73s Michael Gellerman 37-33—70
Alabama at Troy, 5:30 p.m. High Point 57, Campbell 56 Chad Collins 38-35—73p Michael Gligic 35-35—70
Nashville, Tennessee. Houston 77, UCF 68 David Duval 36-37—73s
n Baseball’s Mangum chosen for Golden Spikes watch list: Central Arkansas at Southern Miss, 6 p.m. Middle Tennessee 71, Charlotte 53 Ho Sung Choi 37-35—72m
Olin Browne, Jr.
Mark Anderson
35-35—70
35-35—70
Murray St. 86, E. Illinois 75 Chris Thompson 39-34—73p
At Starkville, Mississippi State baseball senior Jake Mangum has been Saturday’s Games N. Kentucky 97, Detroit 65 Tyrone Van Aswegen 36-37—73s
Ben Taylor 36-34—70
Old Dominion 70, UAB 59 Steve LeBrun 36-35—71
honored with a preseason appointment to the Golden Spikes Award Ole Miss vs. Minnesota (Orlando, Florida), 9 a.m. Presbyterian 67, UNC-Asheville 44
Adam Svensson 37-36—73s David Skinns 37-34—71
Wyndham Clark 37-36—73s Robby Shelton 36-35—71
Watchlist, given to the top amateur baseball player in the country by Alabama vs. Maryland (Troy, Alabama), 10 a.m. Radford 101, Hampton 98, OT Dominic Bozzelli 37-35—72m James Driscoll 33-38—71
USA Baseball in partnership with the Rod Dedeaux Foundation. South Alabama 70, Arkansas St. 62 Kyle Jones 37-37—74p Dicky Pride 36-35—71
Since 2008, only Mangum and Florida’s Tucker Preston have been Ole Miss vs. George Mason (Orlando, Florida), Tennessee St. 81, Morehead St. 80, 2OT
UALR 84, Troy 70
Tommy Fleetwood 35-38—73m Daniel Summerhays 38-33—71
Broc Everett 36-38—74p Zecheng Dou 36-35—71
named to the Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watchlist three times. 11:30 a.m. UNC-Greensboro 75, Samford 67 Chase Wright 36-38—74s Henrik Norlander 35-36—71
UT Martin 66, Jacksonville St. 64 Jason Gore 36-37—73m
On the 2019 watchlist, Mangum headlines the group of five student- Middle Tennessee at Mississippi State, 12:30 Winthrop 76, Charleston Southern 72 David Hearn 37-36—73m
Vincent Whaley
Steven Alker
37-34—71
37-34—71
athletes that have been named to the preseason watch list previously, Wofford 78, ETSU 76, OT Stephan Jaeger 37-37—74p
p.m. MIDWEST J.J. Spaun 38-36—74s
Max Greyserman 34-37—71
as he is joined by Zack Hess (LSU), Shea Langeliers (Baylor), Drew Green Bay 82, Cleveland St. 65 Michael Hebert 37-34—71
Whee Kim 37-37—74s
Alabama vs. Murray State (Troy, Alabama), 12:30 Iowa 77, Indiana 72 Brandon Matthews 35-36—71
Mendoza (Florida State) and Matt Wallner (Southern Miss), who have Nebraska-Omaha 107, South Dakota 102, OT
Freddie Jacobson 38-36—74p Ricardo Celia 36-35—71
each been recognized for the second-straight year. p.m. Ohio St. 74, Penn St. 70
Jim Knous
Corey Conners
40-34—74s
38-37—75s
Hayden Buckley 36-35—71
Brett Drewitt 33-38—71
Mangum has been named to four preseason All-America teams Tennessee Tech at Southern Miss, 5:30 p.m. Purdue Fort Wayne 79, W. Illinois 64
SE Missouri 71, Tennessee Tech 66, OT
David Lingmerth 36-39—75p Rico Hoey 35-36—71
Dru Love 38-36—74m Harry Higgs 33-38—71
and was tabbed first-team All-Southeastern Conference earlier today Houston Baptist at Southern Miss, 8 p.m. Wright St. 76, Oakland 62 Jimmy Walker 38-37—75s
Youngstown St. 72, Milwaukee 71 Bryan Bigley 36-35—71
(Feb. 7) by the conference coaches. The Pearl, Mississippi native owns Opponent TBD at Mississippi State, time TBD SOUTHWEST
Andrew Putnam 39-36—75s Chad Ramey 35-36—71
Derek Fathauer 38-37—75p Greg Yates 36-35—71
preseason All-America recognition from Collegiate Baseball News- FAU 61, UTEP 48 Chesson Hadley 39-37—76s
paper (first team), D1Baseball (second team), the National Collegiate Sunday’s Games North Texas 78, Marshall 51 Steve Jones 40-36—76p
Nick Voke 36-35—71
Oral Roberts 78, Denver 65 Austin Smotherman 36-35—71
Alex Cejka 39-37—76p
Baseball Writers Association (first team) and Perfect Game (third team). Ole Miss vs. Ohio State (Orlando, Florida), 8:30 a.m. South Florida 67, SMU 66 D.A. Points 37-38—75m
Davis Riley 35-36—71
Texas State 74, Appalachian St. 71 Taylor Moore 37-35—72
He was also tabbed as D1Baseball’s top returning senior. Alabama at Troy, 12:30 p.m. Texas-Arlington 74, Coastal Carolina 54
J.B. Holmes
Brice Garnett
38-38—76p
37-40—77s
Tyler McCumber 36-36—72
In his career, Mangum owns a hit in 146 of 176 games started Oscar Fraustro 35-37—72
Jackson State at Southern Miss, 3 p.m. UTSA 100, FIU 67
W. Kentucky 92, Rice 85, 2OT
Roger Sloan 39-38—77s Erik Compton 37-35—72
(82.9%) and has reached base in 159 of 176 games started (90.3%). John Catlin 38-39—77s William Harrold 35-37—72
Opponent TBD at Mississippi State, time TBD FAR WEST Kramer Hickok 40-37—77s Matt Atkins 37-35—72
The active career leader in hits among NCAA baseball student-athletes, BYU 83, Portland 48 John Chin 40-38—78p
Mangum enters the season with 275 career hits. With 154 career runs College Rifle California Baptist 94, Chicago St. 44
Gonzaga 92, San Francisco 62
Robert Garrigus
Ted Potter, Jr.
41-40—81p
40-42—82s
Benjamin Alvarado
Brad Fritsch
39-33—72
36-36—72
scored, Mangum sits No. 4 among returning student-athletes for the Saturday’s Match Hawaii 77, Long Beach St. 70 Scott Harrington 35-37—72
2019 season, while his .356 batting average is No. 4 among returners in Idaho St. 81, N. Arizona 79 LPGA Tour Ryan Brehm
Patrick Sullivan
35-37—72
37-35—72
Ole Miss at Memphis Montana 100, Idaho 59
Vic Open
Division I with at least 400 at bats in their career. Montana St. 74, E. Washington 66 Vince India 37-35—72
The preseason watch list features 55 of the nation’s top amateur College Swimming & Diving N. Colorado 80, Portland St. 62
New Mexico St. 71, CS Bakersfield 70, OT
Thursday
At Beach and Creek Courses
Geelong, Australia
Albin Choi
Michael Miller
35-37—72
36-36—72
players, from high school and college baseball. The Golden Spikes Today’s Meet Rio Grande 72, Grand Canyon 69
Purse: $1.1 million
Norman Xiong 39-33—72
S. Utah 65, Weber St. 53 Michael Arnaud 37-36—73
Award Advisory Board will maintain a rolling list of players, allowing Yardage: 6,585; Par 73 Chase Seiffert 38-35—73
Alabama at Auburn Invitational (Auburn, Ala- Saint Mary’s (Cal) 78, Pacific 66
First Round
athletes to play themselves into consideration for the award throughout San Diego 65, Loyola Marymount 63
a-amateur
Billy Kennerly 36-37—73
the season. bama) Santa Clara 79, Pepperdine 71
Felicity Johnson 32-33—65
Andy Zhang
Marcelo Rozo
37-36—73
34-39—73
Stanford 83, Oregon St. 60
n Baseball chosen sixth in SEC West: At Starkville, in the Saturday’s Meet UC Davis 63, Cal Poly 53 Kim Kaufman
Anne-Catherine Tanguay
31-35—66
33-33—66
Erik Barnes 37-36—73
Washington 67, Arizona 60 Michael Johnson 37-36—73
Southeastern Conference baseball coaches preseason poll, the Alabama at Auburn Invitational (Auburn, Ala- Washington St. 91, Arizona St. 70 Su Oh 36-31—67 Maverick McNealy 34-39—73
Mississippi State baseball program was tabbed to finished sixth in the Haru Nomura 33-34—67 Danny Walker 39-34—73
seven-team race and two Bulldogs earned preseason All-SEC honors
bama) Thursday’s Women’s Manon De Roey 33-34—67 Rob Oppenheim 38-35—73
Olivia Cowan 32-36—68 Byron Meth 39-34—73
as announced by the conference on Thursday (Feb. 7). Sunday’s Meet Major Scores a-Yae Eun Hong 35-33—68 Joshua Creel 37-36—73
EAST Alison Lee 32-36—68 Jamie Arnold 34-39—73
The preseason poll featured all 14 baseball coaches voting on the Alabama at Auburn Invitational (Auburn, Ala- Fairfield 72, Canisius 65 Charlotte Thomas 34-34—68 Trevor Sluman 35-38—73
Marist 62, Manhattan 51 Karis Davidson 33-35—68
preseason all-conference squad, along with ranking their projected bama) Quinnipiac 62, Niagara 42 Jane Park 35-33—68
Justin Hueber
Christian Brand
34-40—74
37-37—74
order of finish in each division. No head coach was allowed to vote for
his own team or student-athlete in the preseason poll. Men’s College Tennis Rider 65, Monmouth (NJ) 50
Siena 66, Iona 45
UMass 69, Duquesne 66
Marissa Steen
Celine Boutier
34-34—68
33-36—69
Cody Blick
Omar Tejeira
38-36—74
37-37—74
Peiyun Chien 34-35—69 Angel Cabrera 37-37—74
The coaches also chose the overall SEC champion, with Vanderbilt Today’s Matches SOUTH a-Stephanie Kiriacou 33-36—69 Scott Gutschewski 35-39—74
Appalachian St. 77, Texas State 56 Teresa Lu 34-35—69
garnering nine votes. LSU (5 votes), Florida (2 votes) and Arkansas (1 Alabama at San Diego State, 11 a.m. Austin Peay 77, SIU-Edwardsville 65 Alena Sharp 34-35—69
Brad Hopfinger
Andrew Svoboda
36-38—74
36-38—74
vote) also appeared on the champions line. The divisional coaches polls Southern Miss at LSU, 3 p.m. Belmont 87, E. Kentucky 52 Lauren Stephenson 34-35—69 Brian Richey 38-36—74
Clemson 69, Wake Forest 53 Pei-Ying Tsai 33-36—69
are listed below, with first place votes in parenthesis. George Cunningham 36-38—74
Mississippi State at Texas Tech, 4 p.m. Duke 85, North Carolina 69 Suzuka Yamaguchi 33-36—69 Kevin Lucas 38-36—74
n Men’s tennis to face Texas Tech, Tulane: At Starkville, riding FIU 51, UTSA 40 Hannah Green 35-34—69 Andrew Novak 36-38—74
a four-match win streak to open the 2019 season, the No. 3 Mississippi Saturday’s Matches Florida 57, Alabama 55 Charlotte Thompson 35-34—69 D.H. Lee 38-37—75
Florida St. 75, NC State 70 Prima Thammaraks 34-35—69 Jack Maguire 35-40—75
State men’s tennis team is set for its first road tests of the year, traveling Alcorn State at Ole Miss, Noon Furman 53, W. Carolina 28 Mariajo Uribe 35-34—69 Paul Imondi 36-39—75
Georgia Southern 79, Louisiana-Lafayette 71 Holly Clyburn 35-35—70
to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech and Tulane. Southern Miss at Louisiana, Noon Georgia St. 68, Louisiana-Monroe 46 Georgia Hall 34-36—70
Kyle Reifers 37-38—75
John Merrick 37-38—75
The Bulldogs (4-0) first face the Red Raiders (5-2) at 4 p.m. on Mississippi State vs. Tulane (Lubbock, Texas), Georgia Tech 67, Pittsburgh 55 Noemi Jimenez Martin 34-36—70 Max Rottluff 41-34—75
Kentucky 78, Auburn 68 a-Grace Kim 37-33—70
Friday before playing the 19th-ranked Green Wave (4-1) at 2 p.m.
Saturday at TTU’s McLeod Tennis Center. 2 p.m.
Sunday’s Match
LSU 71, Arkansas 34
Louisville 76, Syracuse 51
Marshall 67, North Texas 55
Mirim Lee
Xiyu Lin
Stephanie Meadow
33-37—70
35-35—70
35-35—70
Hockey NHL
“We’re really excited about our first road tests of the year this Maryland 72, Northwestern 57 Morgan Pressel 34-36—70 EASTERN CONFERENCE
weekend,” head coach Matt Roberts said. “Texas Tech and Tulane are Alabama at Pepperdine, 11 a.m. Miami 72, Notre Dame 65 Mel Reid 35-35—70 Atlantic Division
Middle Tennessee 62, Charlotte 55 Maria Torres 34-36—70 GP W L OT Pts GF GA
both outstanding, well-coached teams that are consistently in the NCAA
Tournament year-in and year-out. This weekend is a great opportunity Women’s College Tennis Morehead St. 71, Tennessee St. 55
Murray St. 60, E. Illinois 51
Lindsey Weaver
Sarah Kemp
34-36—70
33-37—70
Tampa Bay
Toronto
54 39 11 4 82 207 150
53 33 17 3 69 190 150
to test ourselves against some very good players and teams on the Today’s Matches Rice 68, W. Kentucky 46
South Carolina 76, Mississippi 42
a-Min A Yoon 36-34—70 Montreal 55 31 18 6 68 169 158
Muni He 34-36—70 Boston 54 29 17 8 66 155 140
road before we head to Chicago for National Indoors.” Georgia State at Alabama, 1 p.m. Texas-Arlington 67, Coastal Carolina 64 Dani Holmqvist 34-36—70 Buffalo 53 26 20 7 59 158 166
UAB 69, Old Dominion 61 Karoline Lund 35-35—70 Florida 52 22 22 8 52 161 180
n Track and field ready for pair of meets: At Starkville, with UT Martin at Alabama, 6 p.m. UT Martin 77, Jacksonville St. 72 Isi Gabsa 36-34—70 Detroit 54 21 26 7 49 153 178
the calendar turning to February, competition continues to thicken for UTEP 70, FAU 44 Cheyenne Knight 35-35—70 Ottawa 54 20 29 5 45 167 199
Saturday’s Match Virginia 79, Boston College 77 Jodi Ewart Shadoff 35-36—71 Metropolitan Division
Mississippi State track and field, which is set to compete in a split meet MIDWEST Caroline Hedwall 34-37—71 GP W L OT Pts GF GA
today and Saturday at Clemson and Vanderbilt. Alabama State at Mississippi State (DH), 11 California Baptist 93, Chicago St. 67 Nuria Iturrios 35-36—71 N.Y. Islanders 53 31 16 6 68 154 129
a.m. Green Bay 70, N. Kentucky 42 Haeji Kang 34-37—71 Washington 54 30 18 6 66 182 171
Several Bulldogs will head to Clemson, South Carolina, for the Iowa 86, Michigan St. 71 Vani Kapoor 35-36—71 Columbus 53 30 20 3 63 173 164
Tiger Paw Invitational – a meet that features multiple top-25 teams. Sunday’s Matches Michigan 67, Nebraska 61 Brittany Lang 35-36—71 Pittsburgh 54 28 19 7 63 185 167
Missouri 70, Texas A&M 65 Benyapa Niphatsophon 36-35—71 Carolina 54 27 21 6 60 158 160
Another MSU contingent will return to Nashville for the Music City Kennesaw State at Alabama, 10 a.m. North Dakota 70, N. Dakota St. 58 Madelene Sagstrom 36-35—71 Philadelphia 54 24 23 7 55 155 180
Challenge hosted by Vanderbilt. Purdue 72, Illinois 50 Marianne Skarpnord 34-37—71 N.Y. Rangers 53 23 22 8 54 152 178
“When we set up our schedule, we wanted our competition to get UAB at Mississippi State, Noon Rio Grande 49, Grand Canyon 42 Nanna Koerstz Madsen 36-35—71 New Jersey 53 20 25 8 48 154 180
SE Missouri 62, Tennessee Tech 53 Ayako Uehara 32-39—71 WESTERN CONFERENCE
tougher with each meet leading up to the SEC Championships,” interim Lipscomb at Alabama, 4 p.m. Wright St. 73, Milwaukee 69 Dottie Ardina 37-34—71 Central Division
head coach Chris Woods said. “We were able to test ourselves against
some national title contenders two weeks ago at Arkansas, and that op-
College Track and Field UALR 76, Troy 72
SOUTHWEST
Arkansas St. 69, South Alabama 58
Cheyenne Woods
Luna Sobron
Bronte Law
35-36—71
36-35—71
36-35—71

Winnipeg
Nashville
GP W L OT Pts GF GA
54 34 17 3 71 189 154
56 33 19 4 70 174 143
portunity presents itself again this weekend in Clemson and Nashville. Today’s Meets FAR WEST Mina Harigae 38-33—71 Dallas 54 28 21 5 61 140 137
Arizona 69, Washington 59 Sarah Schmelzel 37-34—71 Minnesota 54 26 23 5 57 151 158
We’re very excited about another chance to see how we’ve grown from Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Southern Arizona St. 61, Washington St. 46 Lindy Duncan 35-36—71 St. Louis 52 25 22 5 55 147 153
Hawaii 70, UC Irvine 68 Cathryn Bristow 34-37—71 Colorado 53 22 22 9 53 176 177
meet to meet and to see how we stack up against these top programs.” Miss at Music City Challenge (Nashville, Tennes- Idaho 76, Montana 68 Chloe Leurquin 35-36—71 Chicago 55 22 24 9 53 177 201
On the men’s side, the Bulldogs will take on six ranked opponents see) Loyola Marymount 69, Santa Clara 60 Brianna Do 36-35—71 Pacific Division
Montana St. 61, E. Washington 47 Ashleigh Buhai 35-37—72 GP W L OT Pts GF GA
at the Tiger Paw Invitational, including No. 2 Florida State, No. 3 Florida,
Alabama at Tyson Invitational (Fayetteville, N. Arizona 81, Idaho St. 77 Tamie Durdin 36-36—72 Calgary 54 34 15 5 73 199 157
No. 4 Houston, No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 11 Southern California and New Mexico St. 61, CS Bakersfield 48 Kendall Dye 35-37—72 San Jose 55 32 16 7 71 198 173
No. 20 Penn State. In addition to the Gators and the Aggies, Auburn, Alabama) Pacific 70, San Diego 53 Kristen Gillman 34-38—72 Vegas 56 31 21 4 66 167 153
Pepperdine 72, San Francisco 66 Jenny Haglund 38-34—72 Vancouver 55 24 24 7 55 158 171
Kentucky, South Carolina and Tennessee round out MSU’s SEC foes Saturday’s Meets Portland St. 74, Sacramento St. 58 Katherine Kirk 36-36—72 Edmonton 54 24 25 5 53 157 179
Saint Mary’s (Cal) 78, BYU 75 Minjee Lee 36-36—72 Arizona 54 23 26 5 51 142 159
at Clemson. Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Southern UC Davis 70, UC Santa Barbara 44 Meghan MacLaren 32-40—72 Anaheim 55 21 25 9 51 125 176
In Nashville, State’s men will take on No. 7 Alabama and No. Miss at Music City Challenge (Nashville, Tennes- UC Riverside 62, Cal St.-Fullerton 59 Catriona Matthew 37-35—72 Los Angeles 54 23 27 4 50 128 160
Weber St. 67, S. Utah 66 Wichanee Meechai 36-36—72
15 North Dakota State, while Ole Miss is the only other conference
see) Lee-Anne Pace 35-37—72 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for
opponent in the Music City Challenge.
MSU’s women will face 10 ranked opponents at Clemson, including Alabama at Tyson Invitational (Fayetteville, Golf Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras 35-37—72
Daniela Darquea 37-35—72
overtime loss. Top three teams in each division
and two wild cards per conference advance to
five top-10 teams in No. 2 Southern California, No. 3 Texas A&M, No. Alabama) PGA Tour Valdis Jonsdottir
Rebecca Artis
36-36—72
36-36—72
playoffs.

Pebble Beach Azahara Munoz 37-35—72 Thursday’s Games

4 Florida, No. 5 Florida State and No. 10 Kentucky. No. 16 Tennessee,
No. 18 South Carolina, No. 19 Penn State, No. 21Ohio State and No. 24 Junior College Basketball Thursday
At p-Pebble Beach GL, Yardage: 6,816;
Georgia Tech round out the ranked opponents. Auburn joins the group Monday’s Games Par: 72(36-36)
At s-Spyglass Hill GC, Yardage: 6,960; Par:
as one of seven SEC teams represented at Clemson. Women: EMCC at Northwest, 5 p.m. 72(36-36)
At the Music City Challenge, the Bulldog women are set to take on At m-Monterey Peninsula GC-Shore,
Men: EMCC at Northwest, 7 p.m. Yardage: 6,958; Par: 71(34-37)
No. 14 Alabama and No. 24 Georgia Tech in addition to Ole Miss and Pebble Beach, Calif.
Women: Itawamba at Mississippi Delta, 6 p.m. Purse: $7.6 million
Vanderbilt. First Round
MSU opens the weekend at 11:45 a.m. today in Clemson with Men: Itawamba at Mississippi Delta, 8 p.m. Brian Gay 29-35—64m
Charles Brockman III, Jesse Henderson and Herbert Wise III in men’s
60m hurdles qualifying. In Nashville, State will start at 3:30 p.m. with the
Junior College Baseball Scott Langley
Cody Gribble
31-33—64m
31-35—66s
Jason Day 32-33—65m
Saturday’s Games Phil Mickelson 33-32—65m
men’s and women’s high jumps in addition to the women’s weight throw. Matt Every 35-30—65m
First gun on Saturday is set for 10:30 a.m. in Clemson, starting with Snead State at Itawamba (DH), 1 p.m. Si Woo Kim 33-33—66p
Charlotte Cayton-Smith, Olivia Knox and Alon Lewis in the women’s
800m. 2018 NCAA Outdoor runner-up Marco Arop, along with Dejon
Junior College Softball Kevin Kisner
Keith Mitchell
32-33—65m
33-33—66m
Dustin Johnson 31-35—66m
Saturday’s Games Jordan Spieth 34-32—66m
Devroe and Daniel Nixon, will follow at 10:50 a.m. in the men’s 800m. Scott Stallings 34-33—67s
In Nashville, Sylvia Russell, Carly Terp and Alex Wallace will start Jackson State (Tennessee) at Itawamba (DH), 2 p.m. Branden Grace 31-36—67p
things off in the women’s 3000m unseeded sections at 10 a.m., with
Shannon Fair closing out the day’s events in the seeded 3000m at 4:25
Junior College Tennis Austin Cook
Johnson Wagner
34-32—66m
35-32—67s
Fabian Gomez 35-32—67s
Saturday’s Matches Nate Lashley 34-33—67p
p.m. Martin Laird 35-33—68s
Holmes at Itawamba, 1 p.m. Roberto Castro 32-36—68p
—From Special and Staff Reports Brady Schnell 31-36—67m
Seth Reeves 32-35—67m
Stephanie Na
Tiffany Joh
37-35—72
36-36—72
Sarah Schober 38-34—72
Jackie Stoelting 36-36—72
Elizabeth Szokol 35-37—72
Becca Huffer 36-36—72
a-Stephanie Bunque 38-34—72
Beth Allen 37-36—73
Paula Creamer 36-37—73
Kylie Henry 35-38—73
Celine Herbin 37-36—73
a-Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
Charley Hull
36-37—73
35-38—73
Noora Komulainen 37-36—73
Becky Morgan 35-38—73
Karrie Webb 36-37—73
Brittany Marchand 38-35—73
Tonje Daffinrud
Ingrid Gutierrez Nunez
36-37—73
37-36—73
Beatriz Recari 35-38—73
Silvia Banon 36-37—73
Leona Maguire 35-38—73
Linnea Strom 37-36—73
Kris Tamulis
Laura Davies
36-37—73
35-38—73
Agathe Sauzon 36-37—73
Marta Sanz Barrio 36-37—73
Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong 37-36—73
Aditi Ashok 38-35—73
Jaclyn Lee 35-38—73
Tiffany Chan 37-36—73
Los Angeles 3, Philadelphia 2, SO
Florida 3, Pittsburgh 2, OT
N.Y. Islanders 2, New Jersey 1, SO
Washington 4, Colorado 3, OT
Carolina 6, Buffalo 5, OT
Ottawa 4, Anaheim 0
Montreal 5, Winnipeg 2
St. Louis 1, Tampa Bay 0, OT
Vegas 4, Detroit 3
Edmonton 4, Minnesota 1
Nashville 3, Dallas 2, OT
Chicago 4, Vancouver 3, OT
Columbus 4, Arizona 2
San Jose 5, Calgary 2
Today’s Game
Carolina at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Anaheim at Philadelphia, Noon
Minnesota at New Jersey, Noon
Detroit at Buffalo, Noon
Colorado at N.Y. Islanders, Noon
Los Angeles at Boston, Noon
Winnipeg at Ottawa, 1 p.m.
Nashville at St. Louis, 1 p.m.
Dallas at Arizona, 3 p.m.
San Jose at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
Florida at Washington, 6 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m.
Toronto at Montreal, 6 p.m.
Calgary at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
Columbus at Vegas, 9 p.m.
4B Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

briefly COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Ole Miss
Women’s basketball falls at No. 12 South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nelly Perry led a balanced attack with 13
points and No. 12 South Carolina warmed up for a showdown with
Miles enjoys return to frantic rush of signing day
Connecticut with an easy 75-42 win over Ole Miss Thursday night.
Alexis Jennings, Destainni Henderson and Victaria Saxton added
By DAVE SKRET TA player of the year, an imposing physi- initial defensive coordinator pick to an
The Associated Press cal presence that not only filled a cru- NFL job and one of his defensive posi-
12 points apiece for the Gamecocks (17-5, 9-1 Southeastern Confer-
ence), who will carry a five-game winning streak when they play at the cial need but also began a foothold in tion coaches to West Virginia. But he
No. 5 Huskies on Monday night. LAWRENCE, Kan. — Les Miles the talent-rich state. still added seven more prospects to
South Carolina got off to a bit of a slow start and didn’t get the lead spent the final night ahead of national Miles wasn’t done in Texas, either. his early signing list, including speedy
into double figures until an 8-0 run later in the second quarter. Still, the signing day ensconced in a conference
Rebels (8-16, 2-8), who have lost five straight, only trailed 36-27. He landed three-star athlete Velton wide receiver Joshua Youngblood and
The Gamecocks outscored Ole Miss 21-5 in the third quarter to
room inside the Kansas football facili- Gardner out of perennial powerhouse help at three crucial areas: running
break the game open. They went 7 of 17 from the field but four were ty, working his cell phone to piece to- Dallas Skyline, fulfilling the coach’s back, defensive back and defensive
3-pointers. They had a 19-2 run, scoring the last 15 points of the gether the last pieces of his initial class desire to get faster and more athletic. line.
quarter. After making their first shot of the third quarter, Ole Miss missed with the Jayhawks. Miles then plucked a late addition
10 straight shots into the fourth quarter. The top prospect could be three-
Just down the Interstate 70, Chris in physical running back Amauri Pe-
South Carolina scored the first four in the fourth quarter and added star running back Thomas Grayson
a 9-0 run later to lead by 38. Klieman was busy doing the same sek-Hickson from the Kansas City sub- out of Booker T. Washington in Tulsa,
Crystal Allen had 13 points for the Rebels. thing at Kansas State, pausing only urb of Overland Park. He had been a Oklahoma. It’s the same school that
n Softball shuts out Central Florida in opener: At Orlando, to rile up the crowd at halftime of the longtime commitment to Michigan be-
Florida, for the fourth-straight season, Ole Miss has started the season produced Kansas State standout Tyler
Wildcats’ basketball game against fore backing out when the Wolverines
off 1-0 after defeating UCF 3-0 in the first game of the Friends of Jaclyn Lockett, and gives the Wildcats help
Tournament Thursday night. their bitter rival. asked him to attend prep school and at a position that returns exactly zero
Making her final season-opening appearance, senior Brittany All of which seemed somehow fit- sign with next year’s class instead. scholarship players next season.
Finney had all of her stuff working in the circle. The righty threw the ting. Pesek-Hickson punted that oppor-
second complete game shutout of her career, allowing just four hits and Miles and Klieman were hired late Clyde Price, a bruising running
a walk, striking out six. tunity and jumped on the rebuilding back from Kansas City, also signed
Batting out of the two-hole, junior Kaylee Horton had herself a
last year to turn around programs fall- process at Kansas.
en on hard times, the former one of the during the late period.
ball-game. The slapper went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of “I think physical football has to be The defensive side of the ball
runs scored and a walk. worst in major college football and the played by big men at some point in
The Rebels didn’t waste any time getting the first run of the season latter after it slipped the past couple showed that Klieman is willing to cast
time. Even the wide receivers, looking
up on the board. Horton got things started with a looping single down
of seasons under Hall of Fame coach a wider net than Snyder’s staffs in the
the left field line before stealing second. Finney helped her own cause at height and size,” Miles said. “I think
Bill Snyder. And that meant both were past. Matthew Pola-Mao is from Ar-
with an RBI single, lacing a pitch back up the middle to plate Horton. it’s necessary at some point in time.”
forced to not only build a staff but land izona, fellow defensive tackle Kenny
Ole Miss added to its lead in the third, with Horton doing the Another priority? Locking down the
bidding again. The junior led off with a single up the middle, once a recruiting class that could lay the Givens from Chicago, three-star safe-
Midwest.
again swiping second. After she moved to third on an Abbey Latham foundation for that purpose. That naturally led to a head-to-head ty Tyrone Lewis is from Louisiana and
grounder, the Jasper, Alabama native beat the throw home on a double cornerback Kenyon Reed from Califor-
steal to make it 2-0 in favor of the Rebs. “We started late. I took my time showdown with his Kansas State coun-
The Rebels used their speed once more in the fourth to tack on hiring this staff and it cost us a little,” terpart. nia.
another run. After Gabby Alvarez drilled a double down the right field Miles said. “The things we wanted to Oklahoma linebacker Gavin Potter “We’re still going to hammer the
line, Tate Whitley came on to run out of the flex spot. With Whitley on do in the short term was those needs had been committed to the Wildcats footprint area, which is Kansas, Mis-
third, Ole Miss once again utilized the double steal and the freshman souri, the state of Texas is always go-
slid under the tag at the plate to extend the lead. the team had to have and had to have for a while, but Texas Tech had started
With Finney in fine form in the circle, that was plenty of offense as quickly.” to make inroads with a new coaching ing to be big,” Klieman said, “but you
the senior pitcher and her defense were able to shut down whatever the The Jayhawks finished off a 19-mem- staff. When signing day dawned, it was have to be able to nationally recruit.
Knights could throw at them to start out 2019 with a shutout. ber class Thursday, the first day of the Jayhawks who swept into Broken Kansas State has a national name, na-
Ole Miss is playing without coach Mike Smith, who has been tional brand, so to get a few kids from
suspended for this season-opening tournament.
the February signing period. Many of Arrow and swiped away a physical mid-
n Pair chosen for leadership council: At Oxford, Ole Miss them signed during the early period in dle linebacker prospect. other areas is a great success.”
student-athletes Myles Hartsfield (football) and Gabby Little (soccer) December, including touted junior col- “That was certainly a very compet- The work doesn’t stop for Miles or
will represent the Rebels at the SEC Student-Athlete Advisory Council lege quarterback Thomas MacVittie, itive recruiting process,” Miles said. Klieman anytime soon.
meetings at the conference offices this Friday and Saturday. Hartsfield but the rest committed over the past Both coaches said they plan to turn
and Little will be part of 28 student-athletes from across the conference
“I think there was an attachment in a
representing their schools. couple of months. lot of different ways to this school. ... their attention toward offseason pro-
The purpose of the SEC SAAC is to provide student-athletes with They wound up being the gems of It appeared to me that he was going grams and spring football, and build-
additional opportunities to engage with campus leaders and conference the class. to have interest, and sometimes in re- ing cohesiveness within the staffs. But
office staff. Additional councils with similar purposes were introduced by Four-star prospect Steven Parker, a cruiting it becomes important certain they also will be back on the recruiting
the Conference in 2016 for football and men’s and women’s basketball.
Each council convenes annually, and a joint meeting is held during the 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end out guys come.” trail, laying the foundation for their
summer. The SEC Football Leadership Council conducted its two-day of Texas was perhaps the most highly Klieman dealt with a couple of staff second classes and first with a full cy-
meeting last weekend, and the basketball councils meet during the fall. sought. He was the state’s defensive changes late in the cycle, losing his cle at their disposal.
Agenda items for the SEC SAAC meeting include a presentation

Michigan wrestles Big Ten lead away

on leadership by Growing Leaders, Inc., a conversation with SEC
Commissioner Greg Sankey, a review of NCAA and SEC legislative
items with SEC Assistant Commissioner Matt Boyer, and an open
discussion on various topics facilitated by Misty Brown, SEC Director of
Student-Athlete Engagement. The group will also elect officers at the
end of its meeting. By The Associated Press from Oregon. The Nittany the nation. Joseph Darkwa. The 6-5,
Student-athletes scheduled to attend the meeting include: Kat Lions were ranked No. 2 in Four-star safety Quint- 270-pounder, whose mother
Rogers (Alabama soccer), Taylor Beitz (Arkansas soccer), Landon Michigan finished the the conference and No. 13 en Johnson out of St. John’s moved from Ghana about 30
Ernst (Arkansas men’s golf), Abigail Meadows (Auburn soccer), Bill
Taylor (Auburn football), Addie Baggarly (Florida women’s golf), Rachel
football recruiting cycle nationally. College High in Washington years ago, comes from the
Kramer (Florida volleyball), Katie Higgins (Georgia soccer), Ryan with the top class in the Big Ohio State, which had was the only player to sign Dusseldorf Panthers’ U-19
Peppenhorst (Georgia cross country), Zoe Collins (Kentucky women’s Ten, and four other confer- been No. 1 in Big Ten re- with Michigan on Wednes- team in the German Foot-
golf), Jacob Cook (Kentucky men’s golf), Harrison Martingayle (LSU ence programs were ranked
cross country), Milan Stokes (LSU volleyball), Myles Hartsfield (Ole
cruiting eight years in a day. He’s drawn compari- ball League.
Miss football), Gabby Little (Ole Miss soccer), Kanani Price (Mississippi
in the top 25 in the nation row and in 10 of the last 11, sons to ex-Wolverines star He also had offers from
State volleyball), Kody Schexnayder (Mississippi State football), Jacob Wednesday. slipped to No. 3 during the Jabrill Peppers, who played UCLA, Georgia Tech and
Bohlken (Missouri wrestling), Riley Sents (Missouri volleyball), Jack Wolverines coach Jim coaching transition from both defense and offense in Colorado, among other
Parrott (South Carolina men’s golf), Simone Wark (South Carolina Harbaugh added one player
soccer), Maddy Banic (Tennessee women’s swimming and diving),
Urban Meyer to Ryan Day. 2015-16. Johnson has said schools.
Brianna Leverenz (Tennessee women’s swimming and diving), Riley on the second letter-of-in- The Buckeyes’ No. 14 na- he would be willing to do Ohio State, which must
Lovingood (Tennessee football), Jake Gibbons (Texas A&M men’s tent signing day to a 26-man tional ranking was their the same. replace four of its five start-
swimming and diving), Maddy Stulce (Texas A&M women’s track and class that was No. 1 in the lowest since 2010 and end- Kansas City-area three- ing offensive linemen, beat
field), Mary Beckwith (Vanderbilt women’s swimming) and Namilla Big Ten and No. 8 nationally,
Sanchez (Vanderbilt women’s swimming).
ed a streak of eight straight star athlete Amauri Pe- out Southern California for
n Track and field set for weekend competition: At Oxford, a according to the 247Sports. classes ranked seventh or sek-Hickson de-committed four-star guard Enokk Vi-
majority of the Ole Miss track & field team will head back to Vanderbilt com composite rankings. higher. The drop is partly Monday over a disagree- mahi of Kahuku, Hawaii,
this weekend for the Music City Challenge on Feb. 8-9, while a handful It was Michigan’s first top attributable to the 17-man ment about Harbaugh’s and three-star tackle Dawa-
of Rebel men’s distance runners head out to Boston for the David ranking in the Big Ten since
Hemery Valentine Invite at Boston University in search of national-qual-
class being Ohio State’s request that he delay his nd Jones of Indianapolis.
ifying mile times. 2007. smallest since 2007. enrollment and go to prep The signings cushioned the
Ole Miss currently has a total of 15 marks or times that rank within Penn State coach James Nebraska and Purdue school. Pesek-Hickson blow of the Buckeyes losing
the NCAA top-50, nine of which are within the top-25. To qualify for the Franklin assembled a 23- had the top two classes in signed with Kansas. four-star offensive lineman
NCAA Indoor Championships, athletes must rank within the top-16 in
their events at the end of the conference championship weekend.
man class made up of play- the Big Ten West, coming in Penn State went all Doug Nester of Huntington,
Ole Miss head coach Connie Price-Smith is in her fourth season. ers from 11 states, including at Nos. 4 and 5 in the confer- the way to Germany to West Virginia, who flipped
Price-Smith, who was the head women’s coach for Team USA at the three from Florida and one ence and Nos. 20 and 25 in bring in defensive tackle to Virginia Tech.

Softball
2016 Olympic Games in Rio, is in her 18th season overall as a head
coach.
In four seasons at Ole Miss, Price-Smith has already mentored
seven NCAA champions, 54 First or Second-Team All-Americans, 29
SEC Champions and several of the highest SEC and national team Continued from Page 1B
finishes ever at Ole Miss -- including the highest SEC Outdoor finish
ever for the women in fifth place in 2018. Still, the Bulldogs are picked 10th in Bulldogs return roughly 25 percent of just as valuable to us behind the plate
Price-Smith’s coaching staff all returns as well, with associate head the preseason in the rugged SEC. the innings pitched from last season. (as the catcher). The good news is we
coach Andre Scott (jumps, women’s multis), assistant coach Anthony ‘This team has a lot of speed and The biggest unknown may be Arizo- have more threats around her now. If
Acklin (sprints, hurdles), assistant coach Brian Porter (pole vault,
we have a good approach at the plate,” na State transfer Alyssa Lozer. we can get runners on before her and
javelin, men’s multis), assistant coach John Smith (throws) and director
of operations Sasha Leeth all returning for their fourth seasons at Ole MSU senior outfielder Kat Moore “We have five pitchers and each will she delivers to her capabilities, that
Miss, with associate head coach Ryan Vanhoy (distance) entering his said. “We should be able to score runs throw this weekend,” Stuedeman said. will be a good offensive combination.
sixth year as a Rebel. and put the pressure on other teams. “We have confidence in all five. It is go- The offense early will be important,
n Baseball honors continue to roll in: At Oxford, Southeastern We have high expectations and (the ing to be exciting to watch the pitching while the pitching plan comes togeth-
Conference office released its 2019 Preseason Coaches Poll and Pre-
season All-SEC Teams Thursday, bringing another wave of accolades preseason ranking) showed that is staff develop. Offensively, on paper, we er. We are ready to play. The SEC is a
for the No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels. justified. It’s important that we have have a chance to have a very good sea- grind. We have veterans. They know
Ole Miss was picked second in the SEC Western Division, garner- a strong start to the season. The first son.” the grind. They love the grind. We
ing one first-place vote. The reigning SEC West and SEC Tournament couple of weeks are important, while Davidson will be at the heart of that want to build off last season. Our talent
champions also tied for the most Preseason All-SEC selections, placing
we try to make strides.” offensive production. A year ago, she level gives us a chance to do just that.”
four Rebels—Cole Zabowski, Parker Caracci, Chase Cockrell and Tyler
Keenan—on the preseason all-conference roster. Teams and order of While the Bulldogs return the bulk hit .370 with 48 RBIs.
finish are voted on by the SEC coaches. of last season’s offense, the biggest “The thing with Mia is she is a tire- Follow Dispatch sports editor Scott
Zabowski enters as the Rebels’ lone first-team selection after question marks are in the circle. The less worker,” Stuedeman said. “She is Walters on @dispatchscott
earning SEC All-Defensive Team honors in 2018. The junior first

Bulldogs
baseman was also named a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award
as he made just four errors in all of 2018, finishing with a stellar .990
fielding percentage.
In addition to his outstanding glove work, Zabowski had a great Continued from Page 1B
season at the plate. The Lawrenceville, Georgia, native hit .300 with 10
home runs and 44 RBI. After a strong summer with the Fond du Lac That set the tone for this the last four games. He has has matched a season high ing their conference opener
Dock Spiders and an excellent fall in Oxford, he’ll return as one of the critical three-game home- scored 18 or more points in with 27 points three times in the final seconds at Ala-
top bats in a stacked Rebel lineup.
Caracci leads a group of three Rebels on the second team, adding stand. After losing to LSU three straight games. in the Bulldogs’ last four bama.
to a litany of preseason honors for the redshirt junior closer. Earlier this 92-88 in overtime Wednes- “The thing about Reggie games. The Bulldogs’ other four
week, Caracci earned his fifth Preseason All-American nod of 2019. day, the homestand con- is the rebound number,” Weatherspoon is now conference losses have been
The redshirt junior out of Jackson, Mississippi, was selected in the cludes with Alabama (14-8, Howland said. “He is a nat- second in the league with by a combined 17 points.
37th Round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, but he
5-4) at 8 p.m. Tuesday. ural at rebonding. The more an average of 18.0 points per “We just have to find
elected to return to Oxford for 2019. The Jackson Prep product earned
three All-America nods at the conclusion of the 2018 season. He was The Ole Miss victory also minutes he plays, the better game. a way to win these close
also named second-team All-SEC and was a midseason All-American, gave berth to a new starting our numbers will be in that Kentucky will be looking games,” Weatherspoon said.
in addition to an SEC Pitcher of the Week honor on April 2. lineup. Freshman Reggie category. The offense will for its 13th straight victory “We have been close, but we
Caracci totaled 10 saves last year, tying him for the seventh-most in Perry drew the start and come, too, but the rebounds in the series. have to do more.”
a single season in program history. Caracci also amassed 73 strikeouts
in 48.0 innings pitched, compared to just 14 walks for a 5.2 strikeout-to- again started in the loss to really excite me.” Earlier in the year, Ken-
walk ratio. He allowed just 38 hits and maintained a 2.25 ERA. LSU. Quinndary Weather- tucky took a 76-55 win at Follow Dispatch sports ed-
The outstanding season earned Caracci a spot on the USA Perry has collected a spoon is also on his own of- home. The Wildcats have itor Scott Walters on Twitter
Baseball Collegiate National Team for the summer, where he posted a double-double in three of fensive roll. Weatherspoon won nine straight after los- @dispatchscott
perfect 0.00 ERA in 9.2 innings of action, compiling a pair of saves and

Rice
a .094 opposing batting average.

Junior Colleges
Continued from Page 1B
EMCC basketball squads sweep Coahoma C.C.
SCOOBA — East Mississippi swept a pair of MACJC North Divi- bus to become the head coach at well as the quarterback trio of rising as traditional rivals West Point and
sion basketball games from Coahoma Community College Thursday Caledonia High School in June. Three seniors Jaelan Craddieth, Jordan Nash New Hope.
night at Currie Coliseum.
The EMCC men improved to 13-7 overall and 7-2 in division play
CHS assistants also went with Kelly. and rising junior Ethan Conner. West Point and Columbus have
with an 87-62 victory. Thus, Rice had to shuffle the coach- The smallest Class 6A school in the played annually throughout this de-
Robert Davis, Jr. had 15 points, while Donte Powers, Dewayne Cox ing staff during summer workouts, previous enrollment figures, Colum- cade. The last Columbus-New Hope
and Darrious Agnew each had 14 points. Terryonte Thomas added 13 after being hired himself a couple of bus settles comfortably in Class 5A. regular-season game was played in
points. The EMCC women (9-11, 6-3) won 56-45. Tye Metcalf had 19 weeks before spring practice. The 2019 Class 5A, Region 1 rivals 2016 at New Hope.
points, while Brianna Page had a double-double with 11 points and 10
rebounds. Columbus will return rising senior include Center Hill, Grenada, Lafay- Follow Dispatch sports editor Scott
—From Special and Staff Reports Devarkas Ramsey at running back, as ette, Lake Cormorant, Saltillo, as well Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com Friday, February 8, 2019 5B

PREP BASKETBALL briefly

Alabama
Women’s basketball falls at Florida in SEC play
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Alabama fell in the final seconds against
Florida, 57-55, on Thursday night inside Exactech Arena at the Stephen
C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.
“I thought we had a couple of critical turnovers that led to transition
three’s,” head coach Kristy Curry stated. “They had a lot of good looks
in transition and Funda (Nakkasoglu) got cut loose a couple of times
and we just have to take care of the ball on the road.”
With the game tied at 55-55, Delicia Washington knocked down
the go-ahead mid-range jumper with 15 seconds remaining to secure
the win for the Gators (6-17, 2-8 SEC) over the Crimson Tide (11-12,
3-7 SEC).
The Tide was led by junior Cierra Johnson who scored in dou-
ble-digits for the sixth consecutive game after finishing with 15 points
and six rebounds. Freshman Megan Abrams provided a spark with 11
points in the loss.
Alabama jumped out to a 5-0 led to begin the game before Florida
cut the deficit to 13-12 at the end of the first. UA started the second
quarter with a quick 6-0 run to go up 19-12, again UF had an answer
and cut the Tide lead to 26-23 after 20 minutes of action.
In the third period the Crimson Tide held its largest lead of the
game when UA went on a 9-0 run including a layup from Johnson to put
Alabama up 39-30 with 3:38 to go. Florida responded with a mini 5-0
spurt and trailed the Tide 41-37 heading into the fourth.
The two sides battled back-and-forth in the final quarter, with
Alabama holding the 51-48 advantage with 4:26 to go. Florida answered
with a 7-0 run to go up 55-51 with 2:27 remaining in the game. Johnson
put in four-straight points to tie the game with one minute left. After
UF grabbed an offensive rebound, Washington found an opening and
made a 16-foot jumper to go up 57-55, the eventual final.
Alabama led for 34 minutes of the game and were ahead by as
many as nine points in the second half. The UA defense held the Gators
to just 36 percent (22-of-61) from the field and won the rebounding
battle, 44-36.
n McEwen makes track and field watch list: At Tuscaloosa, Al-
abama, Alabama junior high jumper Shelby McEwen has earned a spot
on the Men’s Bowerman Award Watch List, the U.S. Track and Field
and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced
Thursday. The Bowerman Trophy is collegiate track and field’s highest
individual honor.
The NCAA Championship runner-up and Southeastern Confer-
ence champion in the high jump both indoor and outdoor last season,
McEwen cleared 7-7 (2.31m) and 7-5.75 (2.28m) at the Carolina
Challenge last weekend, giving him the top-two heights in the nation
this season.
In addition to being a personal-best height, the Abbeville, S.C.,
native’s 7-7 leap is also just three quarters of an inch off both the school
Chris McDill/Special to The Dispatch
and SEC record in the high jump and puts him more than an inch and a
In her final game at New Hope High School, senior Julia Franks scored her team’s final points of the game. Franks tore her half ahead of his closest competitors nationally.
ACL during a game in December. She took part in Senior Night ceremonies and took the court in the closing seconds to McEwen is also just a quarter of an inch from tying as the ninth
score for one final time. best performer in collegiate history and three-quarters of an inch from
fourth place.

Franks’ basket closes out Lady Trojans’ victory

By Scot t Walters
swalters@cdispatch.com
The final basket of New Hope High
School senior Julia Franks’ career was
not a game-winner.
However, it had to feel like it meant
a championship.
Franks tore her ACL on Dec. 28 in a
game at the New Hope Trojan Classic.
With her leg in a brace, she joined her
teammates for Senior Night festivities
Thursday night at the school.
In the closing seconds, Franks
checked in. The Lady Trojans collect-
ed a rebound and threw it to the oppo-
site end of the floor. The ball was saved
in bounds and relayed to Franks.
She hit a layup and Trojan Gym
erupted with applause.
It was the final score in New Hope’s
53-46 win over Lowndes County rival
Caledonia.
“That was special,” New Hope
coach Chad Brown. “Special thanks to
(Caledonia) coach (Gary) Griffin, who
helped make that happen. She means
so much to our team. To be able to get
her on the court one last was special. It
will always mean a lot to her. She is the
heart and soul of our team. That was
great.”
New Hope (11-14) has already qual-
ified for the Mississippi High School
Activities Association (MHSAA) Class
4A playofffs. The Lady Trojans are the
region’s third seed and will face tour-
nament host Leake Central at 7 p.m.
Thursday in the regional tournament
semifinal round.
Franks was accounting for close to
half of the team’s offense when she
went down in the contest against Jack-
son Academy.
“It was a big blow to our team,”
Brown said. “We had to adjust some
goals after that. Our No. 1 goal to start
the season was to make the playoffs. To
be able to achieve that is important. We
are young a team. It’s been hard to re-
place both the scoring and the leader-
ship (from Franks). We have done the
best we could this year. Proud of how
we have played and improved.”
Both teams struggled offensively in
the first quarter. In the second quarter,
the Lady Trojans took charge. A 10-0
run gave New Hope a 20-10 lead.
The Lady Trojans allowed five sec-
ond-quarter points to take a 25-13 lead
at halftime.
In the second half, New Hope would
run the lead to 15 but Caledonia kept
battling. A 3-pointer by Allison Pen-
nington brought the Lady Feds back
within three at 47-44.
Caledonia had a couple of chances
to tie but could not covert.
“Gave a great effort,” Caledonia
coach Gary Griffin said. “This team is
young. They have played hard through-
out the season. Looking forward to
watching their growth and maturity
during the off-season.”
Caledonia (3-18) will be the No. 6
seed in the Class 4A, Region 2 tour-
nament. It will face Shannon at 4 p.m.
Tuesday at Itawamba Community Col-
lege.
For New Hope, Brown has a chance
to get the team some postseason expe-
rience before the actual Class 4A play-
offs begin.
“Leake Central has a talented
team,” Brown said. “It’s a game we can
win. We just have to play well. Making
the playoffs was the primary goal. Be-
ing able to make it to the region cham-
pionship game would be extra.”
For New Hope, India Woods hit five
3-pointers and finished with 17 points.
Juquala Sherrod had 13 points, while
Reed McGlothin had 12 points.
For Caledonia, Nenah Young had
14 points, while Pennington had nine
points.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Scott
Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
This past summer, he finished fifth in the high jump and was the
No. 2 collegian at the USATF National Championships.
McEwen is one of 10 men from throughout the NCAA, including
one of five from the SEC, to earn a place on the Bowerman’s mid-indoor
season watch list.
n Swimming and diving competes at Auburn: At Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, the Alabama swimming and diving teams close out the regu-
lar season this weekend at the Auburn Invitational in Auburn, Ala.
The meet runs today through Sunday, with prelims starting at 9:30
a.m. each day. Finals start at 5 p.m. today and Saturday and 3 p.m. on
Sunday.
The weekend marks the second year in a row that Alabama has
closed out the regular season in Auburn. Prior to last year, the Crimson
Tide finished things out with a dual meet, usually at home, before rolling
into the postseason. This year and last, head coach Dennis Pursley and
his staff are using the invitational to solidify the final spots on the men’s
and women’s championship rosters.
In 2018, Braxton Young went into the Auburn Invitational looking
for the opportunity to finish off his career in style. Fast swims in Auburn
earned the senior his first trip to the Southeastern Championships,
where he scored individually and then won an SEC title as part of
UA’s 200 freestyle relay. From there, Young made the Tide’s NCAA
championship squad, earning All-America honors as part of the 200
freestyle relay.
More than half of the Tide’s 70 swimmers will be at this weekend’s
meet, while those who have already claimed a spot on the postseason
roster will train through the weekend for SECs, which get underway
February 19 in Athens, Georgia.
Friday’s events include the 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays as
well as the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle.
n Men’s tennis heads to California: At Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
the Alabama men’s tennis team will compete in its first pair of road tests
when it travels to California this weekend. The Crimson Tide will first
face San Diego State at 5 p.m. today at the Aztec Tennis Center, in
San Diego, California, and will follow with a match on Sunday, against
Pepperdine at 3 p.m. at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center, in Malibu,
California.
Alabama (6-1) enters the weekend at No. 23 in the latest Oracle/
ITA National Team Rankings and in the Tennis Channel/USTA College
Tennis Top-25 Rankings.
Individually, senior No. 40 Mazen Osama sports a 4-2 record as
the Tide’s top player, while junior Edson Ortiz is a perfect 7-0 in dual
matches. In addition, junior Zhe Zhou is off to 6-1 start and sophomore
Jeremy Gschwendtner is undefeated (3-0) in his Alabama rookie
season.
San Diego State (2-1) and Alabama will meet for the second time

Feds
Continued from Page 1B
“Both of these teams are
physical teams. There were
calling it tight early, so that
just meant for us to do what
we do, to get to the bas-
ket and make free throws.
Proud of this team and how
we kept our composure.”
New Hope (15-12) will be
the No. 2 seed in the MH-
SAA Class 4A, Region 4
tournament. It will face Lou-
isville at 8:30 p.m. Thurs-
day at Leake Central. Since
this is a five-team region,
the Trojans have already
clinched a return trip to the
Class 4A playoffs.
On this night, the Trojans
held tough, despite not be-
ing able to find a consistent
flow on the offensive end. A
guard-oriented squad, New
Hope has done a lot of dam-
age from 3-point range. On
this night, the Trojans only
hit four.
“Played hard and compet-
ed,” New Hope coach Drew
McBrayer said. “Put them
on the free throw line too
much. Proud of how hard
we played and how we had
a chance there at the end.
This team has come a long
way from the start of the
season.”
A nip-and-tuck first half
saw Caledonia carry a 29-27
lead into the intermission.
In the third quarter, the
Confederates opened things
up with a 7-0 run. Cooper
McCleskey hit a pair of bas-
kets during that run. Anoth-
er 3-point basket by McCles-
key ran the lead to 41-34.
The Confederates later
New Hope High School senior Tikorian Chandler (3) puts up a 3-point shot attempt against
the defense of Caledonia senior Romeo Sanders (12) during Thursday night’s game at New
Hope. Sanders scored 37 points as the Confederates beat the Trojans, 71-65.
scored six points over two
possessions, thanks to a
technical foul on the Tro-
jans’ bench. A putback by
Johnson ran the lead to 47-
35.
“Before we took the court,
we talked about it being a
game of runs,” Griffin said.
“New Hope was playing at
home and they always have
a great crowd. We knew they
would make runs at us. Our
job was to answer when they
had a run. We just couldn’t
let him consecutive baskets
and get things going. We did
a great job the entire night of
answering runs.”
Still, New Hope hung
tight.
LJ Hackman and RL Mat-
tix each hit critical 3-point
baskets in the early stages
of the fourth quarter.
Mattix later hit a pair of
free throws to bring his team
back within 56-51. However,
when Caledonia came up
empty with no points on a
two-free throw possession,
the Trojans had a turnover
after a Caleb Parr defensive
rebound.
A putback by Parr lat-
er closed the gap to 62-58.
However, Sanders proved
too much at the line, hitting
Chris McDill/Special to The Dispatch
5 of 6 in the final 75 seconds.
“This was another chance
for this team to grow up,”
Sanders said. “This late in
the year, the younger guys
are playing like veterans.”
For New Hope, Mattix
had 18 points for a second
straight game, while Parr
had 14 points.
For Caledonia, Sanders
was followed by McCleskey
with 13 points and Smith
with 12 points.
Follow Dispatch sports ed-
itor Scott Walters on Twitter
@dispatchscott
in program history after the Crimson Tide bested the Aztecs 4-1 in the
inaugural matchup, on Feb. 11, 2018, in Tuscaloosa.
Friday’s contest against Pepperdine marks the ninth meeting
between the two programs, as Alabama trails 5-4 in the all-time
series. However, the Tide won the last meeting Feb. 9, 2018, 6-1, in
Tuscaloosa.
n Gymnastics competes at Arkansas: At Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, the No. 8-ranked Alabama gymnastics team heads back out
on the road this week, taking on No. 22 Arkansas in Barnhill Arena at
Fayetteville, Arkansas today.
“There are no nights off in the SEC,” UA head coach Dana
Duckworth said. “You have to be ready every time out, but I think that’s
what makes this conference so great when it comes to the postseason.
Everyone in this league has been tested by the time we get to March
and April.”
Today marks Alabama’s third road contest and sixth meet overall
of the season, while it will be Arkansas’ second home competition of the
season and first since Jan. 5, and its fifth meet overall.
In addition to being another SEC competition, both teams will be
trading their traditional team colors for pink leotards on Friday, helping
bring attention to the fight against breast cancer. Alabama’s Power of
Pink initiative began collegiate gymnastics’ “pink” efforts in 2004.
Alabama was without a key gymnast in each of the last two meets.
Sophomore Lexi Graber missed the LSU meet two weeks ago after an
injury in warmups, while senior Abby Armbrecht didn’t travel to Missouri
due to an illness that cropped the day the team traveled to Columbia.
Both are slated to be back in the lineup this week.
Graber bounced back against Missouri going in the all-around and
scoring a career-best 9.925 on the floor exercise. Sophomore Alonza
Klopfer used a career-best mark of her own to win the balance beam
against the Tigers, posting a 9.875 in the leadoff position.
n Track and field set for busy weekend: At Tuscaloosa, Ala-
bama, in its last weekend of regular-season action, the Alabama track
and field teams are splitting their squads between a trio of meets, as it
begins to hone in on the championship season.
The Crimson Tide is sending a contingent of sprinters and jumpers
to the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, site of this year’s
Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. A crew of sprint
and distance runners, as well as those competing in the throws and
jumps, will head to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Music City Challenge.
Alabama is also sending a distance contingent to the Iowa State Classic
in Ames, Iowa.
The Tide will compete in Ames on Friday, while the meets in
Fayetteville and Nashville will include events today and Saturday.
Junior Shelby McEwen, the nation’s No. 1 ranked men’s high
jumper, is among those traveling to the Tyson Invitational, along with
sophomores Tamara Clark and Daija Lampkin. Clark and Lampkin are
ranked seventh and 14th in the nation, respectively, in the women’s 60
meters, while Lampkin is 20th at 200 meters. Senior Stacey Destin,
ranked 10th nationally in the women’s high jump and 12th in the
pentathlon, will also be in Fayetteville.
The Crimson Tide’s women’s shot put corps, headed to Nashville
this weekend, has three ranked in the top-25 nationally, with senior
Portious Warren sitting at No. 7, senior Haley Teel at No. 18 and
sophomore Nickolette Dunbar at No. 25. Senior Kord Ferguson and
freshman Bobby Colantonio Jr. will also be part of the Tide’s Music City
Challenge squad. Ferguson is ranked 14th nationally in the men’s shot
put, while Colantonio is 12th overall and first among freshmen in the
men’s weight throw.
n Women’s tennis competes at home: At Tuscaloosa,
Alabama, the Alabama women’s tennis team will host another pair of
doubleheaders with Georgia State at 1 p.m. and UT Martin at 6 p.m.
today, followed by Kennesaw State at 10 a.m. and Lipscomb at 4 p.m.
Sunday, at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
The team will play either indoors or outdoors depending on the
weather an hour before match time.
—From Special Reports
6B Friday, February 8, 2019 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com

BASEBALL

Pro baseball community mourns loss of trailblazer Robinson at 83

By DAVID GINSBURG
The Associated Press
Crowding the plate, fear-
some and fearless, Frank Rob-
inson hammered his way into
the Hall of Fame.
His legacy, however, was ce-
mented that day in 1975 when
he simply stood in the dugout
at old Cleveland Stadium — the
first black manager in Major
League Baseball.
Robinson, the only player to
earn the MVP award in both
leagues and a Triple Crown
winner, died Thursday at 83.
He had been in failing health
and in hospice care at his home
in the Bel Air section of Los
Angeles. MLB said he was with
family and friends at the time.
“Frank Robinson’s resume
in our game is without paral-
lel, a trailblazer in every sense,
whose impact spanned genera-
tions,” Commissioner Rob Man-
fred said in a statement.
Robinson hit 586 home runs
— he was fourth on the career
list behind only Hank Aaron,
Babe Ruth and Willie Mays
when he retired and now ranks
10th. An MVP with Cincinnati
and Baltimore, he led the Ori-
oles to their first World Series
championship in 1966.
“Frank Robinson and I were
more than baseball buddies. We
were friends. Frank was a hard-
nosed baseball player who did
things on the field that people
said could never be done,” Aar-
on posted on Twitter.
“Baseball will miss a tremen-
dous human being,” he said.
An All-Star outfielder in 12
seasons and a first-ballot selec-
tion to Cooperstown, Robinson
also was a Rookie of the Year,
a Gold Glove outfielder and a
bruising runner.
But his place in the sport’s
history extended far beyond the
batter’s box and basepaths.
Robinson fulfilled his
quest to become the first Af-
rican-American manager in
the big leagues when he was
hired by the Cleveland Indians.
His impact was immediate and
memorable.
The Indians opened at home
that year and Robinson, still
active, batted himself second
as the designated hitter. In the
first inning, he homered off Doc
Medich and the crowd went cra-
zy, cheering the whole April af-
ternoon as Cleveland beat the
Yankees.
The Reds, Orioles and Indi-
ans have retired his No. 20 and
honored him with statues at
their stadiums.
Robinson later managed San
Francisco, Baltimore and Mon-
treal. He became the first man-
ager of the Washington Nation-
als after the franchise moved
from Montreal for the 2005 sea-
son — the Nationals put him in
their Ring of Honor.
More than half the major
league teams have had black
managers since his debut with
Cleveland.
Robinson later spent several
years working as an executive
for MLB and for a time oversaw
the annual Civil Rights Game.
He advocated for more minori-
ties throughout baseball and
worked with former Commis-
sioner Bud Selig to develop the
Selig Rule, directing teams to
interview at least one minority
candidate before hiring a new
manager.
For all he did on and off the
field, Robinson was present-
ed the Presidential Medal of
Freedom by George W. Bush in
2005.
“Frank Robinson’s wife,
Barbara Ann Cole, once said,
“He believes in rules and he
respects the game. He reveres
the game,’” Bush said in a state-
ment.

Comics & Puzzles

DILBERT
Dear Abby
D
EAR ABBY: able working in We are both employed and
Something a place where will have continued access to
happened there are per- health insurance through our
at work that has verted nuns who employers in retirement. My
me traumatized. don’t respect insurance covers her even if
I work at a retire- people’s privacy. I predecease her, unless she
ment house for What do I do? remarries.
a convent. The I’m confused and My wife now says she
nuns are sweet, angry, spending wants to carry her own health
kind and easy to my days in my insurance because she feels
get along with. home crying and she might want to remarry
But last week contemplating sometime after my death. Her
ZITS while I was using whether to file new interest about remarrying
the bathroom, a police report. bothers me, and I feel some-
a nun decided Please give me what guilty about that.
to be a Peeping some advice. -- What has me depressed is
Tom while I was TRAUMATIZED IN the question of who she would
on the toilet. She
Dear Abby THE EAST want to be buried beside -- her
laughed at me in DEAR new husband or me. We have
a taunting manner saying, “I TRAUMATIZED: I hope you been married for 38 years,
can see you!” I screamed at realize that the behavior the and the possibility of having a
her to stop, but she just kept retired nun exhibited is that of final resting place without her
looking and laughing at me. a 4-year-old. She may suffer seems very lonely and like I
When she finally left, I was in from dementia. While the am being rejected. It almost
shock. woman may have had good feels like a divorce. These are
I reported the nun to my judgment in her younger years, thoughts and feelings I can
supervisor as soon as I could, clearly she does not now. It neither shake off nor ratio-
GARFIELD but later in the day I was still may be the reason she is living nalize. Your thoughts? -- LIFE
so humiliated and upset that in that retirement community. GOES ON
I ended up having an anxiety I’m curious about how your DEAR LIFE GOES ON:
attack. I can’t stop thinking supervisor reacted when you Your wife is trying to keep her
about it. It left me feeling told her what happened. If you options open, which, although
disgusted with the nun and cannot move beyond the trau- it isn’t sentimental, makes
with myself. ma, talk to the director of the sense. There are no guaran-
I want to report her to the home and ask for counseling tees that if you predecease
police, but I don’t want drama so you can regain some per- her, she will be swept off her
at work. This is my only source spective. Filing a police report feet, so you may be worrying
of income. I need my job in may not be the way to go. needlessly. If you haven’t told
order to provide for my kids, DEAR ABBY: My wife and her how you feel, it might put
but I no longer feel comfort- I are getting ready to retire. your mind at ease if you do.

CANDORVILLE
Horoscopes
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Feb.
8). The easiest way to say
and do the right thing is not to
rehearse it and work at it, but
to live it. It’s the truth of your
heart. So instead of changing
anything about your behavior,
you’ll focus on generating
greater joy in your heart. All
good things flow from this.
You’ll count this among your
best years to date. Scorpio and
BABY BLUES Sagittarius adore you. Your
lucky numbers are: 3, 2, 19, 40
and 38.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Certain things are in place. Life
will change you for the better,
whether you want it to or not.
Also, there’s nothing to be done
BEETLE BAILEY
MALLARD FILLMORE
FAMILY CIRCUS
about it, so you may as well just
relax and take it all in.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20).
Love somehow still sticks with
you even when you give it away.
In fact, the more you give, the
more you have, and it becomes
really hard to get rid of.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
When your friend is on the
phone to someone else, you
can tell who’s on the line. You’re
sensitive to the way people
sound in different relationships.
It teaches you something about
your own communication style.
CANCER (June 22-July 22).
You have quirks. Everyone does.
Some people hide them better
than others. You tend to enjoy
most the ones who don’t bother
or who can’t seem to hide them.
Anyway, someone finds your
quirks irresistible today.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Even
though practical advice will work
for many, if it goes against what
you’re feeling today, then you’re
highly unlikely to be able to
apply it, so why bother? Accept
your own stubbornness as the
quality that just might deliver
you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
It’s hard to see where you’re
limiting yourself by complying to
norms, but try and step back.
Resist going where you’re led or
answering what you’re asked.
There’s nothing you have to do.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
If you’re too focused on what
they might like, you’ll miss out
on what you like. You’ve been
cultivating your preferences
and aesthetic for a while now.
Isn’t everyone missing out if you
don’t share?
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). If you’ve ever looked back
on old work (or an old diary or
historic pieces of your ward-
robe) and cringed, well, then
today’s cringey situation will feel
familiar. But isn’t this just a sign
that you’ve grown a lot?
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec.
21). Has it been done before?
Of course. Just about everything
has, but not quite in this way,
and not by you. The particulars
of your approach and very es-
sence will make this unique.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). Being able to tell a good
story is a quality that will take
you far, not only socially but
also with your work and your
self-talk, and the way you orga-
nize yourself in general.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). You’d like to think that
you open yourself to help from
friendly forces, and yet you
also notice that you’re tensing
up around a certain area, as
though you must do it on your
own. This tension is your inner
wisdom speaking.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). There’s a need to be
filled and you’ll get the sense
that you’re just the one for the
job. Now it’s just a matter of
convincing the others, which will
be no problem for you once you
forget yourself and just do it.

Bigwig
SOLUTION:
 The Dispatch • www.cdispatch.com Friday, February 8, 2019 7B

Black History Program
New Bell Zion U.M. Church, 3743 Hwy.
25 S. Bypass, hosts its Black History
Program at 6 p.m. Feb. 9. Guest speaker
will be State Senator Angela Turner-Food.
The public is invited to attend. For more
information, call Sis. Lena Smith, 662-
617-3892.
Black History Extravaganza
The 2019 Male Chorus Black History
Extravaganza will be held at 5 p.m. Feb.
10 at Canaan M.B. Church, 2425 Bell
Ave. The public is invited to attend.
Missionary Program
New Zion Pilgrim Baptist Church,
Religious briefs
Hwy. 182 W. in Starkville. All men and
boys are encouraged to attend. Fellowship
Prayer for Youth
Every 2nd and 3rd Saturday, Pleasant
meal will follow. For more information, call
Ridge Faith Center hosts a prayer for the
Orlando Trainer, 662-769-0071 or e-mail,
youth from 2-3 p.m.
orlandotrainer@hotmail.com.
Forgive and Live Prayer, Free Coffee
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church,
Forgive and Live meets from 6-7 p.m.
2221 14th Ave. N., hosts free coffee and
every 2nd and 4th Monday of each month
a prayer community outreach service from
in the downtown YMCA Board Room.
Inquire and seek information to succeed
8-9 a.m. every 5th Saturday. For informa-
tion, contact Jesse Slater, 662-328-4979.
spiritually, physically and financially and
be eager to be a blessing to the commu-
nity, churches and families through the Radio Program
Word of God. The public is invited to at- Apostles Patrick Perkins invites the
tend. For more information, call Pat Fisher public to tune in to WTWG, radio 1050
Douglas, 662-251-5899. AM for Perfecting the Saints Broadcast,
Wednesdays 8:30 a.m.

Sudoku
5253 New Hope Road, hosts its Annual YESTERDAY’S ANSWER
Gospel Book Club Yesterday’sANSWER
answer
Missionary Program at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 10.
Guest speaker will be the Rev. Tim Brin- Friendship M.B. Church, 1102 12th Women Prayer, Worship Service Sudoku Sudoku is a number-
YESTERDAY’S
Ave. S., invites the public to join its Church of the Eternal Word, 106 22nd 9 2 1 6 4 5 3 8 7
kley of Mt. Herman M.B. Church in West placing puzzle
Sudoku based on
is a number-
Gospel Book Club from 6-7 p.m. every 4th St. S., holds a prayer and worship service
Point. The public is invited to attend. a 9x9 grid
placing with based
puzzle severalon 8 4 6 7 2 3 5 9 1

2019 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Friday of each month to study and discuss every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. Call Marie
agiven
9x9 grid with several
numbers. The object 5 3 7 9 8 1 2 6 4
Nabors, 662-549-4322 or 662-329-
Pastor Anniversary one chapter of the King James Bible each
month. For more information, call Lillian 1234, for prayer requests.
given
is
1 to
numbers.
is to place
place
to 9 in thethe
The object
the numbers
numbers
empty spaces
3 6 8 1 9 7 4 2 5
Mt. Zion M.B. Church, 2221 14th Ave. 2 7 9 5 6 4 1 3 8
Murray, 662-570-1974 or 662-570-5595. 1sotothat
9 ineach
the empty spaces
row, each
N., hosts its Pastor Jesse J. Slater and
First Lady Olivia Slater’s 11th Anniversary
Prayer Ministry so that each
column
column
row, each
and each 3x3 box 1 5 4 8 3 2 6 7 9
Program at 10 a.m. Feb. 10. The public is Worship Services New Beginning Everlasting Outreach containsand theeach
same3x3 box
number 4 9 2 3 5 8 7 1 6
contains the same number
Ministry invites the public to call in with only once. The difficulty
invited to attend. Open Doors M.B. Church invites the only once. The difficulty 7 8 5 2 1 6 9 4 3
public to Sunday Morning Worship Ser- their prayer requests at 662-327-9843. level increases from
level increases from 6 1 3 4 7 9 8 5 2
Monday to Sunday.
Ministry Celebration vices from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. every 1st, 2nd
& 3rd Sunday of each month at the Travis Praise and Worship Service
Monday to Sunday. Difficulty Level 2/07

Apostle Dan Griffin will be celebrating

21 years of service in ministry at 6 p.m.
Feb. 9 at Tribe of Judah Ministries, Inc.,
730 Whitfield St. in Starkville. Guest
speaker will be Apostle Flice Williams.
The public is invited to attend.
Scholarship Banquet
The Northeast Mississippi Baptist
State Convention O.C. Brand Scholarship
Banquet will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the
Trotter Convention Center. Guest speaker
will be the Rev. William T. Glynn of Mt.
Olive M.B. Church in Fort Worth, Texas.
Tickets are $30. For more information,
call Sis. Darnell Boyd, 662-769-3192
or the Rev. N. D. Houston Sr., 662-352-
1763.
Church Anniversary
Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church, 1108
14th St. S., hosts its 135 Church Anniver-
sary Program at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 17. Guest
speaker will be Chaplain Tara L. Dixon of
Columbus AFB. For more information, call
662-327-7994.
State Convention
The Layman’s of the Northeast Missis-
sippi State Convention will meet at 6:30
p.m. Feb. 21 at Bethel M.B. Church, 1766
Outlaw Sportsplex Center, 405 Lynn
Lane in Starkville. Sunday School is from
10-10:30 a.m. For more information, call
662-263-7102.
Grief Support Group
The Oil of Joy for Grief and Mourning
offers a grief support group at 6 p.m.
every 2nd Thursday of the month at
United Christian Baptist Church, 232
Yorkville Road East. “Making your grieving
journey easier.” For more information, call
662-327-0604 or e-mail unitedchristian@
cableone.net.
Fellowship Dinner, Youth Service Fitness Transformations
Pleasant Ridge Faith Center, 923
Ridge Road, Columbus, hosts a fellow-
ship dinner and youth service every 3rd
Sunday.
Celebrate Recovery
Calvary Church, 514 Lehmberg Road,
and Meadowview Church, 300 Linden Cir-
cle in Starkville, host Celebrate Recovery
at 6 p.m. every Sunday at Calvary and
at 6 p.m. every Tuesday at Meadowview
Church. Get help, healing and support
for any habit, hurt or hang-up using the
Christ-centered 12 steps.
Sulfur Springs MB Church holds a
praise and worship service the last Friday
of each month at 7 p.m. For information,
call Pastor Henry Mosley, 662-328-1035.
Prayer Service
Church of the Eternal Word, 106 22nd.
St. S., Columbus, holds prayer service
Thursday nights 5-6 p.m. Contact Marie
Nabors, 662-549-4322. Church service
times: Sunday school 10 a.m.; Sunday
worship 11:15 a.m.; Tuesday Bible study
7 p.m. For information, call Pastor District
Elder Lou Nabors, 662-329-1234.
The Transformational Church, 2301
Jess Lyons Road, hosts boxing lessons
Mondays and Wednesday from 5-7 p.m.,
weight-loss boot camp Tuesdays and
Thursdays 5-7 p.m. and both on Satur-
days 9-11 a.m.
Youth Fellowship
The Transformational Church, 2301
Jess Lyons Road, hosts Youth Fellowship
from 7-8:30 p.m. every Tuesday. Games,
prayer, service, food, & more. Transpor-
tation available. For information, call Iris
Roberson, 662-295-7456.

Mississippi House approves bill

targeting Israel boycotts
House Bill 761 now goes to the
Mississippi Senate for more debate
The Associated Press
JACKSON — Lawmak-
ers want Mississippi to
join some other states in
refusing to do business
with companies boycot-
ting Israel.
The Mississippi House
on Thursday voted 88-10
for House Bill 761, which
calls for the state to de-
velop a list of boycotting
companies. The measure
goes to the Senate for
more debate.
The state treasurer
exceptions if a company
is dropping its boycott or
and Public Employees
Retirement System would
if the state determines an
ACROSS
investment is necessary
be banned from invest- 1 Carried on
for other reasons. 6 Cleaner scent
ing state money with any
Civil liberties advo- 11 Center of the
company on the list.
Existing investments cates have said the bills Renaissance
unconstitutionally target 12 Quite impressed
as of July 1, 2020 would 13 Chutzpah
have to be sold within boycotting companies’
14 Lawn tool
120 days after the list is freedom of speech and as- 15 Take it easy
published. The bill allows sociation. 17 Edit menu choice
18 Inlets
20 Beige
22 “That’s gross!”
23 Babar’s wife
26 DVR option

Alabama executes Muslim inmate who wanted imam present
Inmate had argued state’s execution
procedure favors Christian inmates
By KIM CHANDLER
The Associated Press
ATMORE, Ala. — A
Muslim inmate who filed
a legal challenge because
Alabama wouldn’t let his
Islamic spiritual adviser
be present in the execu-
tion chamber was put to
death Thursday after the
nation’s highest court
cleared the way.
Dominique Ray, 42,
was pronounced dead at
10:12 p.m. of a lethal injec-
tion at the state prison in
Atmore.
Ray had argued Al-
abama’s execution pro-
cedure favors Christian
inmates because a Chris-
tian chaplain employed
by the prison typically
remains in the execution
chamber during a lethal
injection, but the state
would not let his imam be
there in the room.
Attorneys for the state
said only prison employ-
ees are allowed in the
chamber for security rea-
sons.
Ray’s imam, Yusef Mai-
sonet, watched the exe-
cution from an adjoining
witness room, after visit-
ing with Ray over the past
two days. There was no
Christian chaplain in the
chamber, a concession
the state agreed to make.
Strapped to a gurney
in the death chamber, Ray
was asked by the warden
if he had any final words.
The inmate said an Islam-
ic statement of his faith in
Arabic.
The 11th U.S. Cir-
28 Wide tie
29 Got comfy
31 In the past
cuit Court of Appeals on
Wednesday had stayed
where the execution pro-
tocol calls for a Christian
32 Hide
33 Muffin makeup grandmaster 25 School near
the execution over the
religious arguments, but
chaplain to be present in
the execution chamber.
34 Fight memento
36 Early shepherd
4 Pole workers
5 Colors
Windsor
27 Like surgical
the U.S. Supreme Court Alabama Corrections 38 Radium discov- 6 Tall tale tools
allowed it to proceed in Commissioner Jeff Dunn erer 7 Lasts 30 Pilot’s guess:
a 5-4 decision Thursday said this is the first time 40 Puzzled 8 Norwegian chess Abbr.
43 Island ring grandmaster 33 Colorful tropical
evening. Justices cited the state has had an objec-
44 Chophouse 9 Was in debt fish
the fact that Ray did not tion to the chaplain’s pres- 10 Infamous 34 Striker’s foe
order
raise the challenge until ence. He said the state 45 Angled edge emperor 35 Fetching
Jan. 28 as a reason for the will review procedures to
46 Annual visitor 16 Course area 37 Deep voice
decision. determine if something 18 “Tres —!” 39 Annex
Justice Elena Kagan needs to be changed. DOWN 19 Lot unit 41 Put away
wrote in a dissent that she Ray was sentenced to 1 Take the title 21 Not naked 42 Alias letters
considered the decision death for the 1995 rape 2 Put away 23 Con holder
to let the execution go for- and murder of a 15-year- 3 Russian chess 24 Forum garb
ward “profoundly wrong.” old girl. Tiffany Harville
Other states generally disappeared from her
allow spiritual advisers to Selma home on July 15,
accompany condemned 1995, and her decompos-
inmates up to the execu- ing body was found one
tion chamber but not into month later in a cotton
it, said Robert Dunham, field.
executive director of the It was Alabama’s first
Death Penalty Informa- execution of the year.
tion Center, which studies Ray was convicted in
capital punishment in the 1999 after another man,
United States. Marcus Owden, con-
Durham said did not fessed to his role in the
know of any other state crime and implicated Ray.

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