π Wow! I am honored to have my work recognized by winning the Regional Murrow Award for Sports Reporting!
This is one of the most-prestigious awards in the industry!
Thanks to my mentors for encouraging me to be creative and tell meaningful stories that impact the community!
βΎοΈ March 23 was a beautiful day in Amory. The Panthers baseball team improved its record to 15-1, proving doubters wrong
But March 24 changed everything. A rare EF3 tornado destroyed Amory's fields. But it didn't destroy their spirit or their season:
Part 1
Extended story soon
πποΈπΊ Comedians Cedric The Entertainer and Anthony Anderson stopped by Jackson State today and helped introduce and hype up the Sonic Boom of the South!
They have the drum major moves!
@sonicboomots
@gojsutigersfb
@GoJSUTigers
βΎοΈ Jackson Prep grad Konnor Griffin has been drafted 9th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2024 MLB Draft
Here is the immediate reaction and words by Konnor, his father, Kevin, and his high school coach, Brent Heavener:
@jprepbaseball
@KonnorGriffin22
π At 6-foot-9, Erick Dampier Jr. is a threat on the court
While he looks like an experienced senior, he's in 8th grade--one of the top-ranked Class of 2028 players nationally
With a former NBA center as dad, "Little Erick" says he loves the game & the grind of growth & success
π We go to games in person because we get experiences & memories we can't have through TV
That is the case for 12-year-old Ryder Tibbetts who on Saturday went home with a piece of history: Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin's visor:
@Lane_Kiffin
@OleMissFB
@OleMissSports
@WJTV
π What a game for Mississippi State men's basketball
The Bulldogs top 5-Tennessee, 77-72
It's MSU's first AP Top 10 win since 2002
MRA grad Josh Hubbard led with 25 points
Tolu Smith had 23
Here's the wild ending:
βΎοΈ Jackson Prep senior Konnor Griffin has been named Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year!
He also has been named the Gatorade Mississippi Baseball POY
Griffin is expected to be a top MLB Draft pick next month
@jprepbaseball
@JPsports
@bheavener5
@KonnorGriffin22
@MLB
πJackson State kicker Leilani Armenta has been named the SWAC Specialist of the Week
She became the first female to score a point in an HBCU DI football game Saturday, going 3/3 on PAT
Here is my conversation with her, plus a PAT try of my ownπ
@LeilaniArmenta
@gojsutigersfb
π Jackson State head coach T.C. Taylor says he's happy his team ended the season with a winning record, but the Tigers' goal are "so much more bigger than that."
Says they're looking ahead to 2024 now
@gojsutigersfb
@GoJSUTigers
βΎοΈ Jackson Prep and Mississippi State grad Jake Mangum collects 3 hits tonight in the Durham Bulls win
He improves his International League leading batting average to .322
@jakemangum15
@HailStateBB
@HailState
@JPsports
ππ¨ HISTORY has been made!
Jackson State football added women's soccer student-athlete
@LeilaniArmenta
to the roster. She became the first womenβs player in JSU football history (and JSU says is believed to be theΒ first woman to kick in HBCU Division I history)
@GoJSUTigers
π SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey tells me he doesnβt play EA Sports on Commissioner Mode, but instead on Mascot Mode as Syracuseβs Otto the Orange
Sankey is from Auburn, NY and got his Masterβs from SU. Heβs also a Cortland grad and was Utica College Director of Intramural Sports
Jackson State women's basketball head coach Tomekia Reed
@CoachTReed
says the Tigers have been preaching defense all season & the difference btw. the slow 1st quarter & dominant rest of game was "switching defenses."
My full convo. w/ Reed abt. JSU's ability to be tough & adapt:
π Introducing your new Jackson State basketball scoreboard!
There have been multiple investments into new Jackson State facilities over the past few years
π The Sonic Boom pays tribute to Jaylen Burns, the Jackson State student who was killed this past week, by spelling out his name on the field and doing a balloon release on the field:
@GoJSUTigers
@gojsutigersfb
π Jackson State TE DJ Stevens was the only Tiger on the Preseason All-SWAC First Team, but there was a chance he never would've played football at all
The Ridgeland grad's story shows that sometimes you don't find what you're looking for because, instead, it finds you:
Pt 1:
π JSU football head coach T.C. Taylor says Madison Central grad Isaiah Spencer has βbeen a big surpriseβ in camp.
Says when you have a freshman WR standing out, something is working really well for him. Says he looks like one of the older guys
@iamisaiahspence
@MCHSjags39110
JSU RB Syβveon Wilkerson is staying at Jackson State for 2023.
Wilkerson, from Chicago, said this year that former JSU RB and Football Hall of Famer (who played for the Chicago Bears) Walter Payton is his role model.
Now heβll continue his JSU legacy, too.
@syveonwilkerson
π We're seeing many student-athletes embark on new journeys as they commit to schools or enter the transfer portal
You never know who you'll meet when you go to a new place
Here's how two SWAC football stars unexpectedly grew closer together by moving farther away:
π SWAC Commissioner & Jackson native Callaway grad Charles McClelland was in the house for Jackson State hosting Southern in JSU's first SWAC test of the year
The Tigers handled SU, 33-15, but another injury to QB McCoy forced him to leave the game
@JPSDistrict
@gojsutigersfb
ππ€£ Haha I'm loving these comments
I'm told Ryder's mom, Casey, came to the game because she wanted to see Juice. And now the family got a retriever and named it Juice, too. Twinning!
π Former JSU defensive star and defensive coordinator of the back-to-back state championship Louisville football team Javancy Jones has been hired to the Jackson State football staff!
π Jackson State 2024 football schedule!
8/31 at ULM
9/7 vs Lane
9/14 vs Southern
9/21 at Grambling
9/28 at Texas Southern
10/6 at Alabama A&M
10/12 BYE
10/19 vs FAMU
10/26 at Bethune-Cookman
11/2 vs. AR-Pine Bluff (HOMECOMING)
11/9 vs MVSU
11/16 at AL St
11/23 at Alcorn
Sports bring people together.
Religion brings people together.
What if there was a place where sports and religion come together, too?
Here's the story of a Mississippi church that's found a way to build community both on the court and in prayer:
"This is a blessing."
Raleigh senior
@Suntarine
Perkins has officially received his
@USArmy
All-American jersey.
The Lions held a pep rally for him.
Perkins says he is honored and grateful.
Full interview:
@Raleigh_Lions
@bighig77
π "I just wanted to turn a program around. ... It feels great to be able to do it in the city in which I was raised."
Murrah grad and JSU WBB Head Coach Tomekia Reed says Jackson State is home and she is proud of what her team has done over the last half decade:
@CoachTReed
π Mississippi State womenβs basketball head coach Sam Purcell is at Tougaloo College, presenting as part of the Mississippi Association of Coaches Clinic.
The topic is βBring the Juice: Drills to Start Your Practice with Energyβ
@HailStateWBK
@HailState
@SamPurcellMSU
π"When you're building a team for long-term success, you have to have culture guys. ... Each guy has a role that we specifically see for them"
JSU coach Otis Riddley says JSU relied less on transfer portal this yr, but portal is great to get role models for the young HS signees
βΎοΈ Landon Harper used to be one of the kids at M-Braves games, playing on the hill past the outfield wall, hoping a player would hit a home run to him
Now, the former Southern Miss pitcher is in the mound trying to prevent HRs from being hit
He says it's a dream come true:
π MRA football head coach Herbert Davis is home from kidney surgery and was at Patriots' QB John White's signing ceremony today!
He says he is in precautionary COVID-19 protocol just to be extra careful after having the procedure, but he is doing well!
@CoachHerbertDa1
Jackson State football
@GoJSUTigersFB
head coach
@CoachTaylor010
says he's known about all the football talent that he can recruit from right here in Mississippi for a long time.
As a matter of fact, the McComb grad is an example of it himself:
π JSU women's basketball's Angel Jackson has been named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year!
JSU's head coach Tomekia Reed has been named SWAC Coach of the Year!
JSU's Ti'lan Boler has been named to the All-SWAC 1st Team. Jariyah Covington 2nd tm
@hooper_angel15
@CoachTReed
It was a pleasure to meet Jackson State football signee
@EsaiasGuthrie
today! Great conversation & cool dude
Photo credits to fellow soon-to-be JSU WR
@iamisaiahspence
. Guthrie got to watch Spencer lead Madison Central boys basketball with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 TO & 3 steals!
π A massive fight broke out on the field between student-athletes after the Soul Bowl
But then, minutes later, student-athletes from both teams were conversing and asking to take photos with each other
Definitely a family rivalry, as T.C. Taylor has described it pregame
βΎοΈ Southern Miss signee and Ripley senior Ty Long pitched 13 innings in the state championship series, allowing 0 earned runs and just 4 hits across the two games
Get ready, Hatties *cough* Baseburg!
@USMGoldenEagles
@SouthernMissBSB
@Ty_Long2
πWith FAMU's win, now 7-0 in SWAC, with 1 game left, Jackson State (5-2 SWAC) is eliminated from SWAC Championship hopes this season
I asked head coach T.C. Taylor how he puts this season into context even though it won't end with a 3rd straight conference title
@gojsutigersfb
πAlcorn State head coach Fred McNair says the Braves are going to lose a lot of student-athletes and will need to rebuild and recruit this offseason
He says he is proud of how the student-athletes have grown as men this year on the field & in the classroom
π JSU head coach T.C. Taylor says he's not happy with his team allowing a TD on 2 plays for 97 yards with 28s left in the game to end the shutout:
"We got to learn how to [expletive] finish games right now. We're still growing as a football team. But I mean, unacceptable."
π "This is What I Recruited This Team To Do": JSU Women's Basketball Prepares for SWAC Tournament
@GoJSUTigers
@GoJSUTigersWBB
head coach
@CoachTReed
says it's not about proving anything at this point; instead, Reed says it's about taking the program to the next level:
π Hartfield Academyβs Chris Jones was in a car accident this morning where his car flipped over twice, Hawks officials say.
Jones went to the hospital & has been cleared, fortunately only having minor soreness. Here he is leading his team in warmups before he will play tonight:
Someone out there is waiting for you to tell your story. Donβt keep It to yourself , tell whoever will listen ! Pearl high school , we will be in touch.
π On the field with Ole Miss football head coach Lane Kiffin as students storm the field.
13-LSU 49
20-Ole Miss 55
Final
Yes, Kiffin had a new visor when he came to the postgame press conference.
@OleMissFB
@OleMissSports
@suntarine
@aydenwilliams74
π "We definitely focused on the o-line and d-line ... but we thought we built a well-rounded class."
JSU coach Otis Riddley says the coaching staff focused on getting stronger & tougher on the lines and then added skill position guys who can perform when protected well by them
π Jackson State kicker Leilani Armenta scored on all three PAT tries she had today as part of the Tigers' 40-14 win.
Highlights tonight and full story tomorrow πͺ
@gojsutigersfb
@GoJSUTigers
@LeilaniArmenta
βΎοΈ Former Southern Miss & Northeast Lauderdale pitcher Landon Harper & former Mississippi Gulf Coast & West Harrison outfielder Brandon Parker are two of the final M-Braves on the field, signing autographs for & taking pictures with fans of the team they also grew up watching
βΎοΈ Southern Miss signee Ty Long struck out 18 batters (of 21 outs) in a complete game for Ripley over Sumrall in game 1 of the MHSAA 4A state championship
He says that ties a career high in what could be his final high school start before becoming a Golden Eagle:
@Ty_Long2
π JSU head coach T.C. Taylor says he & Alcorn State coach Fred McNair are great friends
"He's been around, done it the right way for a long time. ... If you talk about a blueprint of doing it the right way, that's Fred McNair"
Says he feels he's following in McNair's footsteps
π It is inspiring to see how many people of all ages just asked
@LeilaniArmenta
to take a photo together after the game today.
Every few seconds someone would walk up and ask her as she made her way off the field toward the locker room.
@GoJSUTigers
@gojsutigersfb
βΎοΈ St. Andrew's grad & former Ole Miss baseball outfielder Banks Tolley has taken an interesting path to the MLB Draft
He first was a soccer player at Mercer, then to Meridian CC, Ole Miss & this year led the Sun Belt in HR at App St
But he says he's right where he meant to be:
π Jackson State football student-athletes safety Esaias Guthrie and offensive lineman Evan Henry are set to represent the Tigers as SWAC Media Day on July 16!
@EsaiasGuthrie
@GoJSUTigers
@gojsutigersfb
π Jackson State football gets its 1st win, a 58-7 W over Lane
Cam'Ron McCoy started at QB, Canton grad JaCobian Morgan came in in Q2, Madison Central grad Isaiah Spencer led with 107 receiving yards & a TD & Brandon grad Nate Blount got some rushes
@gojsutigersfb
@GoJSUTigers
βΎοΈ March 23 was a beautiful day in Amory. The Panthers baseball team improved its record to 15-1, proving doubters wrong
But March 24 changed everything. A rare EF3 tornado destroyed Amory's fields. But it didn't destroy their spirit or their season:
Part 1
Extended story soon
π "It was time. ... Very proud of him."
Jackson State head coach T.C. Taylor says Madison Central grad Isaiah Spencer had a breakout game, leading the team with 107 yards and a TD
Says JSU designed plays specifically for Spencer to get the ball... & he's just a sophomore!
π βCut it off. β¦ Letβs get to work!β
Belhaven football is wasting no time sitting around. The Blazers turned off the selection show after they were announced on the bracket, had a brief speech by head coach
@BlaineMcCorkle
& went right to practice
@belhavenblazers
@BelhavenFB
πBelhavenβs in!
Blazers are paired with 2022 DIII National Champion North Central (IL) in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.
βTheyβre probably just trying to get rid of us early,β head coach
@BlaineMcCorkle
said. βBut we didnβt just come here to play; we came here to winβ
You canβt make this up.
I picked up a rental truck and drove it from Utica, NY toβ¦ thatβs rightβ¦ UTICA AVENUE in Jackson, Mississippi.
The Universe has a funny way about it.
πJackson State football head coach T.C. Taylor says the Tigers needed this bye week to refresh, rest & heal, especially with having so many injuries recently
He says he expects the team to brush off the dust now and finally have all units executing well at once:
@gojsutigersfb
At Jackson State today for a football camp for high school student-athletes.
Spoke with soon-to-be-named Special Assistant to the Head Coach Tim Brewster, who has quite the football resume: HS, college and NFL.
About 400 students from across the country here.
"I don't think anyone seen that coming."
Jackson State football
@GoJSUTigersFB
head coach Deion Sanders says Ridgeland graduate & current Tigers graduate student DJ Stevens has been the biggest surprise this season.
The tight end has 294 receiving yards and 2 TD this year.
π Jackson State TE DJ Stevens was the only Tiger on the Preseason All-SWAC First Team, but there was a chance he never would've played football at all
The Ridgeland grad's story shows that sometimes you don't find what you're looking for because, instead, it finds you:
Pt 2:
Honored to win 1st, 2nd & 3rd place for Sports Story, Best High School Football Program (with
@blake_levine
) & Best Sports Team in MS (Blake & I top 2) from the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters!
I love what I get to do for work. Itβs a dream. THIS. IS. SPORTS. ZONE!
π I asked Brandon RB Nate Blount this weekend what was next for him. He said wait and see and itβd all work out
The senior all-star has committed to Jackson State!
π Sounds of excitement, anticipation and also relief (when seeing they werenβt chosen for some seeds/matchups) from Jackson State womenβs basketball while watching the Selection Show:
@GoJSUTigers
@GoJSUTigersWBB
βΎοΈ You can tell how much it means
I told a story earlier this year about former USM & Northeast Lauderdale pitcher Landon Harper promoted to the team he watched as a kid
βI always wanted to be a Mississippi Braveβ
He saved some dirt from the mound after the final home game:
π Alcorn State's SWAC West destiny is in its own hands!
The Braves topped 2022 SWAC West Champion Southern, 44-21, and now have sole possession of first place
@BRAVESSPORTS
@AlcornStateFB
βΎοΈ Southern Miss baseball head coach Christian Ostrander has become the winningest first-year baseball head coach in USM history (37 wins)
Here's what he said postgame today about what this season has meant to him so far:
@USMGoldenEagles
@SouthernMissBSB
π "Good job, bro. Keep growing/going, man. Keep building."
Jackson State head coach T.C. Taylor to MVSU head coach Kendrick Wade after todays 21-6 JSU win.
Both are grads of the universities at which they now are in their 1st years as head coaches
@CoachTaylor010
@Coach_kwade
βΎοΈ Every team has a story. Southern Miss baseball is looking to keep its going.
Here's how USM got here, now on The Road to Omaha:
PS--
@TheJeffTakeWXXV
is everyone's favorite reason videos can be posted online (no ESPN footage used!)
@USMGoldenEagles
@SouthernMissBSB
@SunBelt
π₯We're still waiting to hear back from the MHSAA officially, but we checked with the NFHS and MHSAA rules online and talked with a certified softball umpire, and here's what we learned about the end of the MHSAA 1A softball state championship between Stringer and Pine Grove: