BATESVILLE – The South Panola ninth grade Lady Tigers ended their season with a 6-0 record after downing Southaven 26-9.

The Lady Tigers almost shutout Southaven in the first half, but Southaven hit two free throws, not back-to-back, to avoid a shutout. The Lady Tigers led 12-2 at halftime.

As always the Lady Tigers maintained their aggressiveness and scored 14 points in the second half, while allowing the Lady Chargers only seven to take the game and end on a perfect note.

BATESVILLE – Erinn Gates scored a season high 32 points to lead all scorers in the the South Panola Lady Tigers district loss to Southaven 61-54, Tuesday, Jan. 21.

At one point, the Southaven Lady Chargers (3-12) led the Lady Tigers (5-11 overall, 1-2 district) by 16 points, but the Lady Tigers dug in deep and battled back to only fall by seven points.

Southaven jumped out to a 7-0 lead. The Lady Tigers’ first score of the game came at 3:18 left on the first quarter clock on an Erinn Gates field goal.

The Lady Tigers proceeded to score six additional unanswered points to take the lead for a little bit with 2:08 left in the game, 8-7. Southaven immediately retaliated with a field goal to retake the lead.

The Lady Tigers had gotten a taste of the lead and wanted so more so a steal and another field goal by Gates put the Lady Tigers up 10-9 with 35.9 seconds left in the first quarter.

Southaven gained control of the tempo of the game Tuesday, Jan. 21, and used it to its advantage to take a 48-35 district win.

Southaven piled up an 8-0 lead because the Tiger starters had a hard time finding the basket. Coming off the bench, Rickey Wright, Justin Bobo and Chris Jones, each scored a basket to rattle off six unanswered points to cut the lead 8-6 with 42.0 seconds left in the first quarter. Southaven led 10-6 at halftime.

Both teams upped their play in the second quarter. Almost three and a half minutes expired before Southaven scored one free throw for the first score of the quarter.

My favorite teams to play ended when Cleveland and Pittsburgh fell in the playoffs.

Then I cheered for the Titans. Now, I am just going with who I think is the better team.

It’s been a while since I have actually cared who won the SuperBowl.

This year I kind-of did not give my colleagues a choice of publicly picking a winner.

You know what they did?

They fussed about those "old" photos I used of them Tuesday.

Can you believe that? They actually think they’ll get better looking with age.

Now, back to important things like the game.

I did not pay enough attention to the NFL until after the college season was over with.

With the high school and college teams doing so well this year, I’m afraid my little brain just could not take on a third worry until the other seasons finished.

Believe me, I was totally surprised when I surfaced from the quagmire of local football to see Tampa Bay in the playoffs, well knowing the Superbowl.

All I could say was, "Humphh."

Then, here goes Tampa Bay pulling on the Mississippi heartstrings with two people from Mississippi on the team. (Psst… I am borrowing some info from The Clarion-Ledger).

Defensive lineman Ellis Wymns of Indianola Gentry is a former MSU Bulldog.

Bucs Scout Ruston Webster is an Ole Miss alumni.

Don’t worry Raider fans, they are pulling your heartstrings with those Mississippi connections, too.

There’s Jerry Rice, a Mississippi Valley State graduate. Then there is ex-Hinds star Zack Crockett (Crockett finished his college career at Florida State). There are a couple of more but I don’t know who yet. I’ll find out.

So, it seems we all have a stake in the Superbowl, whether relative, friend, fellow Mississippian or just another football game.

It’s funny I am even contemplating going to a Superbowl party. I usually park in front of the tv with a book and look at the action every once in a while.