1-3A Baseball: Curlee claims
another top award
Published Friday, June 12
By H. Lee Smith II
Sports Editor
Diante Curlee has run the gamut in Division 1-3A.
The speedy junior was tabbed the league's Offensive Player of the Year in football and followed up that honor by being named Defensive Player of the Year on the diamond.
Division champion Booneville took three of the top five awards, including Pitcher of the Year (Kyle Stephenson) and Offensive Player of the Year (Hunter Maness). Devil mentor Bo Sandlin was also named Coach of the Year.
Mooreville's Ben Kingsley, who was named Player of the Year, and Curlee rounded out the coveted awards.
Curlee was flawless in garden, playing errorless ball through all 180 innings in 27 contests. The center fielder recorded 32 putouts and had four assists.
As the Warriors' lead-off batter, Curlee hit .310, paced the squad with a .482 on-base percentage and drew a team-high 23 walks in 112 plate appearances. He was also 13-of-14 in the stolen base department. Curlee's teammates Jordan Gurley and Tario Knight, along with Alcorn Central's Weston Moss were named to the First Team. Gurley doubled up on the 1-3A squad as an infielder (.387, 6HR, 31RBI) and pitcher (3-3, 2.08 ERA, 37IP, 66Ks). The senior played in both the NEMCABB and Crossroads All-Star Games and was a Second Team All-State selection in Class 3A.
Alcorn County claimed six -- Alcorn Central's Trae Bain and Lowell Gann, Corinth's Parks Frazier and Cameron Aultman, and Kossuth's Wesley Box and Heath Wood -- of the 12 spots on the Second Team.Coach of the Year: Bo Sandlin, Booneville
Player of the Year: Ben Kingsley, Mooreville
Pitcher of the Year: Kyle Stephenson, Booneville
Offensive Player of the Year: Hunter Maness, Booneville
Defensive Player of the Year: Diante Curlee, CorinthFirst Team
Pitchers -- Jeremy Ferguson (North Pontotoc), Jordan Gurley (Corinth),
Weston Moss (Alcorn Central).
Catcher -- Ethan Flake (North Pontotoc)
Infielders -- Josh Swords (North Pontotoc), Hunter Maness (Booneville), Ben Kingsley (Mooreville), Jordan Gurley (Corinth), Colton Robbins (North
Pontotoc)
Outfielders -- Diante Curlee (Corinth), Weston Mounce (North Pontotoc), Gary Johnson (Mooreville).
Utility -- Channing Nanney (Mooreville), Myles Snyder (North Pontotoc)
DH -- Tario Knight (Corinth).Second Team
Parks Frazier (Corinth), D.J. Gregory (Mooreville), Wesley Box (Kossuth),
Lowell Gann (Alcorn Central), Blake Burcham (North Pontotoc), Tyler Moore (Mooreville), Chaz Carrillo (North Pontotoc), Cameron Aultman (Corinth), Tre Welch (Booneville), Trae Bain (Alcorn Central), Drew Cristo (Booneville), Heath Wood (Kossuth)
East splits with West
in NEMCABB All-Star Game
Published Sunday, May 31
By Steve Beavers
Staff Writer
The West rode the Wave.
Tupelo pitchers Chris Stratton and Jacob McGregor kept the East bat silent over the first five innings en route to a 10-5 win in the 3A/4A/5A NEMCABB All-Star Game.
In the 1A/2A encounter, the East squad routed the West 19-6 in the first of two games at Jesse Bynum Field.
Stratton, the 3A/4A/5A NEMCABB Player of the Year, worked the first three innings. The Tupelo senior fanned six and left with his team ahead 6 0.
Pontotoc's Nathan White provided the bulk of the West offense. White went 3-for-3 with a home run and five RBI in being named the West Best Offensive Player. His two-RBI hit in the first gave the West a 4-0 lead off losing pitcher Luke Hargett.
McGregor followed Stratton on the bump and allowed only a bunt single by Amory's Stephen Otey. Otey stole second and third before scoring on a passed ball for the East unit's initial run.
The West pushed the advantage to 10-2 with three runs in the seventh. White came through with a bases loaded knock for a pair of runs. The East didn't get its second hit until the seventh. Tishomingo County's Lee Griffin started the frame with a single, but the team couldn't push across a run.
Corinth's Jordan Gurley and Alcorn Central's Lowell Gann sparked a three run frame in the top of the eighth. Gurley reached when his hard liner was booted. After Gurley stole second, Gann chased him in with a double to the left-center gap.
Gurley was named the East Best Defensive Player and Gann collected the Best Offensive Player. Tishomingo County's Blake Long received the Ralph Bruce Memorial Award for the East.
- Isaac Winders collected four hits in leading the East past the West in the 1A/2A contest. Winders, the East Most Valuable Player, also added three RBI in the victory.
The East put up a six spot in the fourth. Trey McWhorter, Winders and Jaymel Tyes all had two RBI in the inning.
The visitors tacked on seven more in the eighth behind Kevin Barnett's three-run dinger.1A/2A
East 19, West 6
East 000 605 170 -- 19 16 3
West 100 201 200 -- 6 10 2WP: Blake Cass. LP: Craig Bullock. Multiple Hits: (E) Isaac Winders 4, Brett Bridges 2, Jaymel Tyes 2, Lee Wilson 2. 2B: (E) Tyes, Wilson, (W) Justin Jordan, Jamey Cutts, Hunter Burke. HR: (E) Kevin Barnett.
3A/4A/5A
West 10, East 5
East 000 101 030 -- 5 3 3
West 411 100 30x -- 10 9 4WP: Chris Stratton. LP: Luke Hargett. Multiple Hits: (W) Nathan White 3, Sawyer Wheatley 2. 2B: (W) Wheatley 2, Jeremy Ferguson, (E) Lowell Gann. HR: (W) White.
Corinth is now number one
Published Thursday, May 7
By Steve Beavers
Staff Writer
RIDGELAND -- Corinth's number twos are now number one.
CHS saw both its number two doubles teams complete undefeated seasons by winning Class 3A individual state tennis titles on Tuesday. The champs were incorrectly listed as runner-ups on the Mississippi High School Activities Association website and Wednesday's sports page.
³There was a lot of confusion when scores were put in," said CHS Head Coach Lynn Wood. "It was nothing intentional ... just a clerical error."
Kayla Keefe, who won the event last season with Taylor Coombs, and Catherine Coleman teamed to complete an undefeated campaign. The doubles pair downed Newton County's Emily Lucy and Lauren Lurk 6-3, 6 3 for the individual crown.
Keefe/Coleman ended the season with a 19-0 mark.
Corinth "Killer Bs" of Brandon Gardner and Ben Nhek also ended the year undefeated. The pair finished up a 10-0 season by downing Louisville 6-4, 7-5.
Scores from the individual championship matches were:Girls Singles: (C) Christina Coleman def. (NP) Chelsea Sudduth 6-3, 6-1.
Boys Doubles #1: (MSMS) Zachary Patterson/Adam Powers def. (C) Austin McElwain/Charlie Curtis 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Boys Doubles #2: (C) Brandon Gardner/Ben Nhek. def. (L) Hunt/Cunningham 6-4, 7-5.
Girls Doubles #1: (NC) Cassie Munn/Claire Tadlock def. (C) Christina
Puckett/Abby Lambert 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.Girls Doubles #2: (C) Kayla Keefe/Catherine Coleman def. (NC) Emily
Lucy/Lauren Lurk 6-3, 6-3.Mixed Doubles: (C) Joseph Hurt/Allie Winters def. (NC) Aaron Scoggin/Kelsey Tadlock 6-4, 7-6 (9-7).
CHS rolls to 14th tennis title
State Champions: 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Published Tuesday, May 5
By H. Lee Smith II
Sports Editor
RIDGELAND -- Number 14 was easy.
Corinth completed its quest for a 14th team title, blanking Newton County 7-0 in the 3A championship held Monday morning at Ridgeland Tennis Center.
CHS was nearly perfect in the postseason, winning 26 of 28 matches, including three shutouts. Corinth even bettered last season's championship score, a 6-1 victory over the same Newton County squad.
"Good players is what it is," said CHS coach Lynn Wood. Wood has directed Corinth to all 14 titles. Monday's rout provided the program with its fifth straight title.
"The first three events came off at the same time," said Wood. "Then we kinda struggled at the beginning of the other four. I was wondering when the fourth win would come."
Brian McDonnieal and Christina Coleman rolled in their singles' matches and Charlie Curtis and Austin McElwain did likewise in No.1 boys doubles. All told, the first three events lost just games, with Coleman winning 6-0, 6-0.
Mixed doubles was the next event completed, with Joseph Hurt and Allie Winters straight set victory providing Corinth's fourth win -- the magic number in the seven-event match.
Corinth made it 5-0 behind Kayla Keefe and Catherine Coleman in No. 2 girls doubles. The sweep was completed behind three-set victories by Brandon Gardner and Ben Nhek in boys No. 2 and Abby Lambert and Christina Puckett in No. 1 girls. CHS finished the 2009 season 18-1, losing only to Oxford, which claimed the 4A team title on Monday.Corinth 7, Newton County 0
Girls Singles: (C) Christina Coleman def. (NC) Shannon St. Clair 6-0, 6-0
Boys Singles: (C) Brian McDonnieal def. (NC) Brandon St. Clair 6-0, 6-1
Boys Doubles #1: (C) Austin McElwain/Charlie Curtis def. (NC) Blake
Cochran/Bryden Reed 6-0, 6-1
Boys Doubles #2: (C) Brandon Gardner/Ben Nhek def. (NC) Richie
Ferguson/David Brand 5-7, 6-0, 10-2
Girls Doubles #1: (C) Christina Puckett/Abby Lambert def. (NC) Cassie
Munn/Claire Tadlock 6-1, 4-6, 12-10
Girls Doubles #2: (C) Kayla Keefe/Catherine Coleman def. (NC) Emily
Lucy/Lauren Lurk 6-4, 7-5
Mixed Doubles: (C) Joseph Hurt/Allie Winters def. (NC) Aaron Scoggins/Kelsey
Tadlock 6-0, 6-4
See the official results
from the May 2, 2009
Corinth Coca-Cola 10k Classic
