MERIDIAN —
Both bands performed at halftime of the football game between Newton County and Southeast Lauderdale Friday night in Vimville.
But there's no doubt the main attraction for the home folks was the Tiger baseball team.
Southeast Lauderdale honored its 2012 MHSAA Class 3A State Championship baseball team at halftime, when the Tigers received their state championship rings to a roaring ovation.
Head coach Shay Cooper, assistant Kent Lewis and Southeast administrators handed out the hardware to each player from the 2012 squad which went 32-7 and captured the school's first baseball state championship since 1966.
Among those honored: Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 3A Player of the Year Blake McMullen, Jackson Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen selection Ledarious Clark and catcher Matt Miller — a trio of all-state players who headlined a group of six seniors from Southeast's title run last spring.
Clark was a first-team, MAC all-state selection as an outfielder, while Miller — the team's Most Valuable Player behind the plate — and pitcher Colby Ramey were second-team MAC all-state picks.
JaGradi Webster and Cody Lewis are the other two Tigers Cooper will be trying to replace when Southeast begins its title defense in February.
"We had tryouts the week after the season and had a nice big group out," Cooper said. "But we lost a lot of good players, so that's good.
"It was an exciting time for us and something all these guys will always remember. This community really backed us and it showed again tonight."
And while the fund-raising efforts for the rings are still ongoing, Cooper — the MAC's Class 3A Coach of the Year — and the Tigers also tipped their hat to the efforts of Penny Miller on Friday night.
"She got us a t-shirt put together for Judge Little and we probably sold 400 of them," Cooper said. "We've done some other fund-raisers that have all helped toward the cost, but she deserves a lot of credit because that was the bulk of it right there."
Southeast, which repeated as division champs, dethroned four-time defending state champion and juggernaut Sumrall on the way to its title — then topped St. Andrews for the South State crown before getting past Kossuth in a best-of-three series for the state title.
Sports
Baseball team steals show at Southeast
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(PHOTOS) Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship
Slideshow of Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship fast pitch series.
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(PHOTOS) Newton County wins Class 4A
Slideshow of Newton County in the Class 4A State Championship fast pitch series.
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(PHOTOS) Neshoba wins Class 5A
Slideshow of Neshoba Central in the Class 5A State Championship fast pitch series.
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Newton County beats Houston 10-0 to claim 7th fast-pitch championshi
Players from Newton County’s dugout barely made it to the foul line before a celebratory dogpile ensued here Saturday. Indeed, winning never gets old.
The Lady Cougars blanked Houston 10-0 Saturday at Freedom Ridge Park, completing an easy sweep of their best-of-three, Class 4A State Championship Series and gaining a measure of revenge after falling short a year ago. -
Rockets roar by East Central, claim 5A crown
Trae Embry took somewhat of a gamble when he accepted the softball
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new opportunity. - Newton County wins state
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Enterprise falls twice to East Webster
It just wasn't to be.
After 16 innings of big plays and tense moments, the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs fell just short of their third MHSAA Class 2A State Fast-Pitch Softball Championship on Saturday, dropping a 3-1 decision in the decisive game three. But EHS head coach Davey Dewitt said he was pleased with the way his team played, battling East Webster to the last out. -
Richmond leaves Clarkdale for Neshoba Central
Former Clarkdale High School head football coach Chris Richmond is leaving the team to serve as a position coach at Neshoba Central next season. Richmond, who went 1-21 in his two seasons as the Bulldogs head coach said the move to Neshoba will help him stay closer to his family
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Neshoba Central shuts out East Central 8-0
Neshoba Central’s last two rounds of the state softball playoffs involved grueling series wins over Lake Cormorant and New Hope. And while no one knows what today holds in the Class 5A State Championship Series, the Lady Rockets zipped through East Central like a hot knife through butter in Ridgeland Friday night.
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Enterprise tops East Webster 6-3
Just one more win.
That's how far away the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs are from closing out an amazing season. After beginning the year 4-8, EHS has won 15 of their last 19 games, including Friday afternoon's 6-3 win over East Webster in the MHSAA Class 2A Fast-Pitch Softball Championships. - More Sports Headlines
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