MC Choctaws Field Winning Teams in 2010
Fans of Mississippi College's baseball team in the new year quickly discovered that frigid weather is part of the landscape in Central Mississippi. Pitchers, catchers, outfielders, infielders and fans, everybody was chilly in early February.
There was no snow, but temps were ice-cold as the MC Choctaws lost to Belhaven University 4-3 at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson. That Feb. 10 game was part of the annual Maloney Trophy Series that also includes the Millsaps Majors. Fans best know Smith-Wills as the former home of minor league baseball teams affiliated with the New York Mets and Houston Astros. MC exited the park on Lakeland Drive with a 2-1 record.
This is pretty much the same MC baseball team that came within one pitch of winning the American Southwest Conference championship at home in 2009.
The talented Choctaws baseball team led by coach Brian Owens is working hard to make sure the 2010 season ends up with an ASC championship under their belts. Owens and his players will never forget what happened to wrap up the 2009 season. "The end of the season was heartbreaking," Owens told the MC "Collegian," in its Feb. 2 edition.
While baseball talk is warming up, MC Choctaws baseball fans were still checking the Weather Channel in light of last week's mix of sleet and snow in the region. At least, the white stuff was a big hit with an outstanding lineup of student photographers showing the winter beauty of the Clinton campus.
No snow is predicted this week when the MC Choctaws renew their baseball rivalry with Millsaps. The Choctaws face Millsaps Tuesday Feb. 16 on the road in Jackson. The game starts at 6 p.m.
MC baseball will be back home at Frierson Field for games against Concordia of Texas Feb. 26-27 and face Millsaps in Clinton March 2. ASC rivals like Louisiana College will visit Frierson Field March 12-13.
But don't get too far into baseball season. There's still a couple of critical hoops contests ahead for the men and women of MC. The MC men and women will be on the road with key games against Louisiana College in Pineville Feb 16 and then head to the University of Texas-Tyler Feb. 20. The ASC basketball tournament is booked to start Feb. 26.
Last season, the MC Lady Choctaws punched their ticket to post-season play for the first time in school history. Led by coach Paul Duke, the Lady Choctaws of Division III hope to repeat. The men also are fielding a stellar squad as well in 2009-2010 under coach Don Lofton who is in his 5th season as MC's head coach.
Saturday, the Lady Choctaws breezed to a 62-37 win against East Texas Baptist at home. They were led by Jennifer Wair, who pumped in 13 points and snared 13 rebounds. Jalessa Taylor chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds. The MC Lady Choctaws now sport a nifty 18-5 record, including 13-5 in the ASC.
Rounding out the doubleheader, the MC men fell to East Texas Baptist by a 78-57 score at A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Choctaws were led by Luther Suggs who scored 19 points on 8-14 shooting from the field. The Choctaws cross state lines to LC this week with a 17-5 record, including 13-5 in the conference.
"Both are having very good seasons," says MC sports information director Chris Brooks. Over the weekend, it was hoops mania at the Golden Dome. The MC men and women faced LeTourneau University of Longview, Texas. He predicts both will go far in the ASC tournament.
Baseball or basketball isn't your game? There are other sports (among the 16 at MC) happening this spring - from equestrian to track to tennis this spring. The MC women's track team ventured out to Indiana and scored an 8th place finish in the DePauw Invitational Saturday. The Lady Choctaws were led by Liz Laubenberg with her first place finish in the 55m hurdles.
Also on the same campus in Greencastle, Indiana, the MC men's track team finished 7th in the DePauw Invitational. The Choctaws were led by senior Deoante' Rivers. He helped lead the MC 4 x 200m relay team to first place and he also won the 200m dash.
Closer to home, MC's nationally ranked table tennis team (No. 4 in the USA) was supposed to defend its Dixie Division title at the Baptist Healthplex on Saturday. But the tourney was postponed due to the weather situation that brought 5 inches of snow to metro Jackson. Teams like West Florida, Southern Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama, Alabama -Huntsville and MC may be back in action here Feb. 20.
Led by new players from China, the Mississippi College team expects to make its third straight return trip to the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association championships near Milwaukee April 9-11. NCTTA rankings list Texas Wesleyan as No. 1, followed by No. 2 Princeton, with Lindenwood University of Missouri third, MC fourth and Virginia Tech rounding out the nation's top five in collegiate table tennis.
With a new captain leading the way, Sara Mellado of Mesquite, Texas, the MC equestrian team continues to enjoy success in its third season this spring. Sara is the granddaughter of former MC art chairman and internationally celebrated artist Sam Gore.
On the MC campus that also is a hotbed for intramurals, Choctaw sports is a winner year-round for athletes and fans!
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