Christmas Safety
With the hustle and bustle of the Christmas Holiday Season underway, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Enid Lake would like to remind everyone to keep safety on the top of their Christmas List this holiday season.

A few safety tips to keep you and your family safe while decorating for the holiday seasons are as follows: always check holiday lights to make sure they are recommended for intended use. Using lights that are not specifically designed for certain usage can be very dangerous causing fire or electrical shock.

Before hanging lights, insure lights are in mint condition, and free from broken or cracked sockets, and free from frayed or bare wiring. When putting up your Christmas tree be sure and place the tree away from heaters, fireplaces, and do not block doorways. Christmas trees, although very pretty, can be very dangerous with the potential of catching fire.

While decorating Christmas trees be sure and use decorations that are made with flame resistant materials and never use lighted candles on a tree. For those who still use a live tree, be sure and always keep the tree stands filled with water. Heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, which can result in the tree catching on fire. For those of you who have small children in your home or will have small children visiting, be sure to keep all small Christmas decorations with sharp points out of reach of children. These bright and shiny decorations are very inviting to children, and can be very dangerous if swallowed. Last, but not least NEVER leave candles burning or Christmas lights on when going to bed or leaving your home. Remember safety first; don’t let your happy and joyful holiday season turn into a tragedy.

Winter Camping
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would like to remind campers that the Wallace Creek Campground will be closed for the remainder of the winter.

Class A camping is available at Persimmon Hill, and Chickasaw Hill Campgrounds, and Class C camping is available at Long Branch, and Plum Point Campgrounds. We would also like to remind campers that off season rates are now being collected in all campgrounds, and are as follows: $10 and $12 at Persimmon Hill Campground depending on site location, $8 at Chickasaw Hill, and $5 at Plum Point and Long Branch Campgrounds.

Campers interested in camping at the Persimmon Hill Campground should access the Persimmon Hill Campground by Highway 51 south. Bickerstaff Brothers Inc. continues to perform rip rap overlay operations on the face of the dam. The top of the dam will remain closed until further notice.

Whether you’re spending a nice quiet Christmas at home, camping at Enid Lake, or will be traveling to visit friends and family, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. For more information on holiday safety or camping opportunities at Enid Lake, please contact the Enid Lake Field Office at 662-563-45741.

Though school is out for the holidays at North Delta, the basketball teams still have some work to do.

After hosting Strider in non-district action last night, the Green Wave teams will have their hands full with district foe Bayou tonight.

The games begin with the seventh grade girls at 3 p.m. The seventh grade girls are 8-0 after defeating Marvell 11-6.

"I have 11 girls on the seventh grade team," head coach Phil Douglas said. "They are a pretty good group of girls."

Saturday, the teams will head to Marks to take on Delta Academy in non-district action beginning at noon. Monday, North Delta will host Lee Academy of Clarksdale in the final game before the Christmas holidays. Games begin at 2:30 p.m.

The junior high girls defeated Tunica Institute of Learning (TIL) on Monday 49-18.

North Delta held Tunica scoreless in the first quarter and led 12-0. At halftime North Delta had built up a 32-7 lead.

The Lady Waves shared in the scoring with 10 players contributing. Leading scorers were Katelyn Still and Lauren Kimzey with 10 points each. Other scorers include Linsey Hebert, eight points; Sara Waldrip, seven points; Bradi Beard, six points; and scoring two points each were Laci DuBravec, Meri Morgan Fortune, Hanna Greenlee, Mary Jane Morrow and Hannah Waldrip.

"The girls have come a long way," Douglas said. "The difference is between night and day when we started in June to the present. I attribute that to hard work and dedication the young ladies put forth."

Douglas is still looking for consistency on the offense.

"We just need to improve offensively," he said. "We are getting the shots from the offensive structure. It is just a matter of the players spending more time in the gym on their own to improve themselves individually."

Douglas has been pretty pleased with the defensive play.

Against TIL, Bradi Beard had four tipped balls and four steals. Waldrip led in rebounds with six, followed by Morrow and Fortune with four each. Kimzey led in stealing with five.

The varsity girls are still winless in their early season with a 0-7 record.

ND Varsity Boys
The North Delta varsity boys are 2-6 overall, 0-3 district after losing a close conference game to TIL Monday, 50-46.

Head coach Herman Coats said the team played better.

"We cut down on turnovers," he said. "Defensive breakdowns hindered our effort against Tunica also."

Offensively, the team is still struggling at the free throw line, according to Coats, shooting only 50 percent.

"I think a team should be shooting 80 percent or above from the free throw line," he added.

ND JH Boys
The junior boys are seeing some success on the basketball court. The seventh grade team has a winning season so far after defeating Oxford University last Tuesday. The seventh graders played most of the game themselves without any help from the backup eighth graders.

"They are showing a lot of promise," Wilson said.

The players include Levi Garner, Bailey Guckert, Sean King, Zach Inman and Luke Williams.

The junior high team has a 6-5 overall and 1-2 district record.

They defeated TIL 41-35 Monday night. TIL was 4-1 until they met North Delta.

The district losses include an overtime loss to Marvell by six points and a loss to Desoto by six points.

"Defensively, we are solid," Wilson said. "We mostly play man to man, half court trap and 3-2 zone against bigger teams."

Right now Wilson said the teams are on an even playing field in the district.

"We are trying to find a good half court offense," he said. "We are coming along."

Leading the team in scoring are Bryan "B" Nickle, averaging 13 points per game, Geri Lamm, 11 points per game and Corbin Baker, seven points per game.

"Corbin has kept us in games when the others get in foul trouble," Wilson said. "He has been a big help."

Thomas Womble, Tres Brasell, Jim Tom Copeland and Carson Bailey are the ones Wilson depends on in the post area. He switches them out during the games.

Brasell had a good night against TIL scoring 12 points.

Keith Crumpler and Matthew Barefoot go in off the bench and play some good minutes, according to Wilson.

Post Holidays
After the holidays, the varsity teams will participate in the Kirk Academy Invitational Tournament January 2 through 6 in Grenada.

The first game for North Delta will be Wednesday, January 3. North Delta girls will play Oak Hill Academy at 3 p.m. and the boys will follow at 4:15 p.m.

The Senatobia Warriors entered Tuesday’s fray with the South Panola Tigers with a 2-7 record, but that was not indicative of the physical play the Warriors bring to the game.

The Tigers did jump out to a 7-2 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter, but Senatobia refused to go away.

At the end of the first quarter, South Panola led 14-4 on a three by Regan Bailey with one second left. With turnovers by South Panola, forced and unforced in the second quarter, Senatobia cut the lead to 14-10 with 5:35 left in the first half.

Senatobia used its pressure defense to force some other turnovers in the last two minutes of the quarter, but the Tigers still managed to maintain their composure and led 22-13 at halftime.

Both teams had some scoring issues in the third quarter. The Tigers scored the first points on a Nicholas Johnson three with 4:01 to take a 25-13 lead.

After that Senatobia turned up the heat and pulled within four points, 27-23, with 1:42 left in the third. On a three-point play, Senatobia had cut the lead to one, 30-29 with 38 seconds left in the quarter.

Antonio Allen hustled inside to the low post area to give the Tigers a field goal and breathing room with 31.5 seconds left in the third and a 32-29 lead.

The Tiger and Warrior crowds were on their feet at this time. It was close throughout the fourth quarter. The Tigers built the lead to five points, 39-34, on a three-point play by Allen with 4:01 left in the game.

Senatobia pulled within three points three times during the final part of the quarter. With 1:37 left in the game, Senatobia was a field goal away from tying the score at 41-39.

The score was 43-41 Tigers with 17.8 seconds left and Senatobia took a time out with 16.1 on the clock.

A Senatobia foul sent Johnson to the line and he shot both free throws, with 12 seconds left, to put the game out of Senatobia’s reach.

Allen was the game’s high scorer with 22 points, followed by Johnson with 13.

Scores from last night’s game against district foe Olive Branch were not available for today’s edition, but it was a barn burner Tuesday night for South Panola and Senatobia.

The Senatobia Lady Warriors (10-0) entered the game ranked No. 9 in the state, but put that record and ranking in jeopardy against the Lady Tigers.

Senatobia had defeated the Lady Tigers to open the season on November 7, 49-38.

South Panola did lose to Senatobia 48-46 but the teams played hard from beginning to end.

Senatobia enjoyed an 18-14 first quarter lead and led by as many as eight points in the second quarter.

The Lady Tigers buckled down and started hitting the tough shots in the second quarter and cut the lead to 29-26 at halftime.

With 3:24 left in the second quarter, Senatobia stole the ball and scored for a 28-20 lead. Lady Tigers Sabrina Townsend led the charge scoring the six points needed to get the Lady Tigers back in the game.

Senatobia came back out with the hot hand in the third quarter and built the lead back to eight with 4:11 on the clock.

South Panola’s Skylar Barnes scored in the low post with 5:17 left in the third and then the Lady Tigers went cold while Senatobia pulled away. The next Lady Tiger basket was by Tyunna Diggs with 1:48 left in the quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, Senatobia had a 40-34 lead.

Senatobia pulled away to a nine point lead, 43-34, with 7:22 left in the game. Townsend hit a three, stole the ball, was fouled and hit two free throws to bring the Lady Tigers back within four, 43-39 with 6:08 left in the game.

After another Senatobia score, the Lady Tigers fouled and turned the ball over then got it back on a steal. Another three by Townsend put the Lady Tigers within three points, 45-42.

With some physical defensive play, turnovers and fouls on both sides, South Panola had the ball at the free throw line. Barnes completed both free throws to bring the Lady Tigers within one, 45-44. Vetorra Cole stole the ball and fed it to Townsend who scored with 45 seconds left in the game to take the lead for the first time, 46-45.

Senatobia took a time out with 40 seconds left.

On two free throws, Senatobia retook the lead 47-46 with 28.5 seconds left in the game. South Panola missed a field goal and Senatobia got the defensive rebound. With 1.9 seconds left in the game, Senatobia hit the front end of a one and one and missed the second for the final point of the game.

Townsend led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 16 points, followed by Barnes with 14.

Tywanna Webb of Senatobia was the game high scorer with 27 points, followed by Portia Tucker, formerly of Sardis, with 13 points.

The Lady Tigers will resume basketball action after the Christmas holidays on January 9 hosting Grenada in non-conference games beginning at 6 p.m.