Happy New Year!

Whatever happened to 2008?

Let’s take a look at what major events happened on the localsports scene during the last 365 days.

If you seek the most successful sport, look no further thansoftball. Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s march tostate/regional championships earned Coach Allen Kent’s Lady Wolvesa berth in the NJCAA Division II Nationals at Normal, Ill.

For the record, Kent’s team finished runner-up to four-timenational champion Phoenix (Ariz.) College. Co-Lin finished 32-14and Kent was named region Coach of the Year.

Co-Lin pitcher Becca Bailey was a catalyst in Co-Lin’ssuccessful campaign. She posted a 21-4 record, with a 1.34 ERA.Bailey earned NJCAA Division II First Team All-American honors. TheBaton Rouge product signed with Lock Haven (Pa.) College.

In Lincoln County, softball was a hot item, be it fastpitch orslowpitch. Last spring the Bogue Chitto Lady ‘Cats were South Sate1A runners-up to eventual fastpitch state champion EastWebster.

Also in the spring, Coach Ricky Allen’s Brookhaven Academy LadyCougars claimed the Class AA slowpitch state title.

Slowpitch season for the public schools took place in the falland West Lincoln’s Lady Bears set the high standard, advancing tothe Class 1A state championship series. Coached by Andrew Redd, theLady Bears lost a tough best-of-three series to Smithville in thethird game.

Area slowpitch competition was strong. Lawrence County, undernew head coach Courtney Shivers, won the Division 6-4A title.Coaches Dana Smith of Franklin County and Sonya Wallace of NorthPike led their respective teams to Division 3A crowns.

Several new football coaches took control of area programs andhad mixed success. At Franklin County, new head coach Trent Hammonddirected the Bulldogs to the South State 3A championship game wherethey lost to Tylertown for the second time this season.

Herbert Davis Jr., returned home to Brookhaven Academy after a15-year odyssey and coached the Cougars to a third straightDistrict 4-AA title. Davis replaced Bo Milton who returned toMcComb Parklane Academy, his high school alma mater.

Two new football coaches in Lincoln County, Wayne Rogers atEnterprise and Chris Calcote at West Lincoln; retired fromadministrative positions to coach the sport they loved.Unfortunately, neither coach inherited much of a program and theresults fell far short of anticipated goals as Enterprise went 1-10and West Lincoln finished 0-11.

There’s always next year.

At neighboring Lawrence County, Coach Mike Davis directed theCougars to a banner campaign, winning the Region 6-4A title andreaching the second round of the state playoffs. They’re explosiveWing-T offense boasted a trio of 1,000-yard rushers in KendrickHardy, Matthew Wells and Josh Cameron.

Brookhaven was runner-up to Lawrence County in the region raceand reached the second round of the state playoffs aftereliminating St. Stanislaus in the first round. In the midst of amajor rebuilding season, Coach Tucker Peavey’s Panthers overcame arash of injuries to finish strong.

Meanwhile, at Hazlehurst, new head coach Todd McDaniel inheriteda troubled but tradition-rich program and guided the Indians to theDivision 6-3A championship.

Making a fastbreak to basketball, Brookhaven Academy’s boysachieved a remarkable feat by winning a fourth consecutive Class AAState Tournament title in 2008. Coach Dale Watts watched his teamexceed all expectations after a fourth place finish in SouthState.

Also at BA, Barry Gray’s Lady Cougars overachieved, winningDistrict 4-AA and South State championships. They finished third inthe state tournament at Grenada Kirk.

Brookhaven’s Lady Panthers made a strong playoff run, reachingthe Class 4A State Tournament for the third straight year. CoachFreda Craft’s team lost to Indianola Gentry in overtime as theunbeaten Lady Rams realized a repeat as state champions.

The Lady Panthers were led by SEC signees Nikki Byrd (Ole Miss)and Swayze Black (LSU).

Two new basketball coaches entered the Lincoln County scene lastsummer. John Knight was hired to coach the Enterprise boys and CurtCrain took over the Bogue Chitto boys.

In the spring, basesball had its ups and downs.

On the upside, Cory Keyes coached Lawrence County to a secondstraight Division 6-4A championship. Keyes was selected to coach inthe Mississippi High School All-Star Game last summer.

Franklin County achieved the South State finals before losing toeventual state champion Sumrall.

Pitcher Paxton King of Brookhaven played for the South in theAll-Star contest. King, a southpaw, signed a scholarship withSouthern Miss.

Catcher Kolby Byrd of Brookhaven Academy signed a baseballscholarship with Mississippi State in November.

Also in the spring, Brookhaven Academy’s girls and boys won theClass AA State Tennis Tournament.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz, c/o The DAILY LEADER, P.O. BOX551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mail sports@dailyleader.com