Starkville boys focused on getting back to ‘Big House’

A disappointing end to the season last year has motivated this Starkville High School team.

The Yellow Jackets have been focused on getting back to a familiar place in the “Big House” at the Mississippi Coliseum and they are one win away from that. The team has won 11-straight games, including a regular season and tournament title in Class 6A, Region 1.

The latest win was a 51-32 victory over Clinton last week in the second round of the playoffs. It was an impressive defensive showing in which Starkville had two quarters of single digit defensive outputs.

“I feel like we played great as a team,” Jacket Makhi Myles said. “Defensively, that's how we ended up losing last year is not really locking down. The fact that we were able to come out and play the way that we did against a team that can shoot and drive the way that they can, it made us feel good about where our defense is.”

Myles is a big reason for the team's success this season. In his third year as a starter, the Wichita State signee is averaging 19.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 2.8 assists and 2.5 steals a game. His season has spearheaded this run for SHS and also earned him the Mississippi High School Activities Association Mr. Basketball for 6A.

He and the Jackets have jumped out to a 25-4 record this year and were as challenged as anyone in the state. SHS played teams like Madison Central, Meridian, MRA, Holmes County Central, Brandon, Biloxi, Horn Lake and Tupelo.

It will be a repeat matchup today when the Jackets travel to Mississippi Valley State to take on Horn Lake for a trip to the Final Four and the semifinals at the Big House. Horn Lake has been one of the best teams in the state from start to finish this year

for the Jackets in the Season Opener.

Other first place winners for SHS were Grady Stewart in the 400 meters, Scott Mcdonnell in the 800 meters, Giles Jones in the 1600 meters, the 4x100 meter relay

team of Sanchez Brooks, Jejuan Davis, Anthony Hogan and Evan George, and the 4x400 meter relay team Willie Harkins, Mekhi Edwards, Omarian Owens and Stewart.

“If everybody stays healthy and we do what we do, we've got our eyes on a big finish at the end of the year,” Reeves said.

Coach Tony Minor lost

some valuable Lady Jacket seniors off of last year's squad, but looks forward to working with the veterans on the 2023 roster.

“We're just kind of rebuilding,” Minor said. “We have a total of 11 seniors, but overall, everyone is young. I think we're going to have a good track season this year.”

Starkville got off to a good

start on Tuesday when Veronica Dunn tied the school record in the pole vault. Minor said the Lady Jackets are looking to Taniya Turner, Bria Jones and Emerald Owens for strength in the running events.

Both the SHS boys and girls participate in the Hattiesburg High School Invitational today.