Mississippi
Mississippi State’s Hunter Washington ready to put topsy-turvy 2023 behind him
STARKVILLE — Hunter Washington found himself on plenty of highlight tape last season, and not in a good way.
When LSU visited Davis Wade Stadium on Sept. 16, Washington was frequently matched up against Malik Nabers, one of the top three wide receivers in all of college football. Tigers quarterback and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels spotted the mismatch and went to work, firing two long touchdown passes to Nabers, who beat Washington in coverage both times. Nabers finished the day with 239 receiving yards in a 41-14 LSU romp.
Washington, now entering his third year at Mississippi State after starting his college career at Florida State, started the Bulldogs’ first four games but gave way to Corey Ellington on the safety depth chart, then missed the last five games of 2023 with an injury.
There is a path for Washington to return to a starting role this fall — Ellington and Isaac Smith are near locks to start at safety, but the third spot is up for grabs, with Washington battling junior college transfer Brylan Lanier.
“I’m just glad to be back,” Washington said Wednesday. “Just doing my job and doing what I’m supposed to do. My job is to play for the team and do what the coaches ask me to do.”
As a true freshman with the Seminoles, Washington appeared in just one game, keeping his redshirt status intact, but was named Florida State’s special teams scout player of the year. He played in nine games in his first year at MSU but had just three tackles, then broke into the starting lineup at the beginning of last season.
Now a redshirt junior, Washington is one of the leaders in a young safeties room under new position coach Matt Barnes.
“Hunter’s going to come down and hit you. He’s a strong guy,” linebacker Stone Blanton said. “He’s vocal. He’s always calling out plays and helping us get aligned. That’s what you want from a safety, a guy coming down behind you. He’s big enough to come hit a running back. He’s a great leader.”
Miner ready to experience non-conference games from the other side
Ethan Miner, the Bulldogs’ projected starter at center, is playing in a so-called high-major conference for the first time after spending four years at Arkansas State and one season at North Texas.
But he has plenty of experience playing in big stadiums against the big boys of the sport. His first collegiate start came in 2020, when the Red Wolves upset Kansas State on the road, and he was Arkansas State’s starting center for trips to Washington and Ohio State in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
“I’m just looking forward to having a home crowd that’s going to be the way it is (in Starkville),” Miner said. “I’ve heard about the cowbells, the fans are crazy. Coming from (the Group of 5), these were the games where I have to lock in, the crowd’s going to play a factor in the game. It’s just nice that this is our home and we have an advantage with it.”
MSU hosts Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 31 in the season opener and later plays Toledo and Massachusetts at home in non-conference play. All three teams will undoubtedly be fired up to play in a Southeastern Conference venue, while teams from the power conferences sometimes sleepwalk through “buy games” or are caught looking ahead.
The Colonels may be an FCS team, but they gave Kentucky a battle in Week 2 last year, leading for almost the entire first half and again early in the second half before losing 28-17.
“When I was at Arkansas State and UNT, these games would come up and this was the game I had to show up,” Miner said. “We’re playing in a lower level conference; scouts are going to see how you play against this competition. The worst thing we can do is underestimate (Eastern Kentucky), say, ‘Oh, they’re an FCS team.’ That’s how you get into situations like Kentucky did last year.”
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Mississippi
Escaped Mississippi inmate in custody after hourslong standoff at Chicago restaurant
Joshua Zimmerman, 30, had escaped from the DeSoto County courthouse in northwest Mississippi on June 14, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office said.
A man wanted on murder and armed robbery charges was taken into custody Wednesday morning after an over 15-hour standoff with police at a Chicago restaurant, authorities said.
Joshua Zimmerman, 30, had escaped from the DeSoto County courthouse in northwest Mississippi, where he was scheduled for a hearing on June 14, according to the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. At the time, Zimmerman was being held on charges of attempted murder and armed robbery, the U.S. Marshals Service said.
Zimmerman was also awaiting extradition back to Houston for a murder charge, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. After more than two months on the run, the U.S. Marshals Service located Zimmerman at a west Chicago restaurant.
Justin Smith, chief deputy with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, said at a news conference Tuesday that Zimmerman was barricaded inside the restaurant and was surrounded by the Chicago SWAT team. He was taken into custody by Chicago police at about 7:20 a.m. Wednesday.
Zimmerman had no hostages and was taken into custody without incident, authorities said.
DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas E. Tuggle thanked the community for its support during the search for Zimmerman and praised the departments that assisted in his arrest.
“Our team is already on the ground in Chicago, fully prepared to commence the next phase of our investigation,” Tuggle said in a statement Wednesday. “I cannot emphasize the importance of the strong law enforcement partnerships and networking alliances we have cultivated with agencies nationwide, which played a crucial role in Zimmerman’s apprehension.”
North Carolina escaped prisoner: Escaped inmate convicted of murder captured in North Carolina hotel after dayslong manhunt
Authorities believe Joshua Zimmerman worked at Chicago restaurant
Zimmerman was an inmate at the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center when he escaped from the county’s courthouse on June 14. He was scheduled for a hearing over an attempted murder charge, among other charges.
Authorities said Zimmerman simply walked out of the building and with the help of a “good Samaritan,” received a ride to Memphis, where he disappeared for a time, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The U.S. Marshals Service described Zimmerman as “armed and dangerous.”
The U.S. Marshals Service, along with the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office, offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information that would lead to Zimmerman’s arrest.
On Tuesday, investigators with the U.S. Marshals Service located Zimmerman at a seafood restaurant in west Chicago. Authorities believe Zimmerman had been working at the restaurant.
During the arrest attempt, Zimmerman “retreated into the ceiling and barricaded himself,” according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Chicago police said Zimmerman is scheduled to be in court Thursday after he was charged with two counts of fleeing from law enforcement to avoid arrest or prosecution, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Court records show multiple felonies
Prior to Zimmerman’s escape in June, he was arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department with multiple felonies. DeSoto County court records show Zimmerman was arrested for armed robbery and attempted murder, among other charges, on Sept. 29, 2023, in Southaven, Mississippi.
According to the DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office, Zimmerman is also wanted for homicide in Texas and absconding in Connecticut.
The Houston Police Department charged Zimmerman with murder last October, KRIV reported. Police accused Zimmerman of fatally shooting shooting 23-year-old Keyanna Mercer on Sept. 2, 2023, inside a Houston motel room.
An investigation revealed that Mercer and Zimmerman, using the name Vincent Guerino Juliano, had rented the room, according to KTRK-TV. Witnesses told police they heard screaming from the room before hearing a gunshot.
Zimmerman was later seen leaving alone, KRIV and KTRK-TV reported. Authorities said Zimmerman was supposed to be extradited to Harris County, Texas, after he was arrested in Mississippi for separate felony charges.
Contributing: Jacob Wilt, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Mississippi
“Sheen” seen on Mississippi River under investigation, officials say
COON RAPIDS, Minn. — It may sound like something from an episode of “The X-Files,” but officials say there’s nothing to fear about a “sheen” floating down the Mississippi River.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said the sheen was first seen in Coon Rapids Tuesday afternoon and is traveling downstream.
“We continue to gather information about the extent of the sheen and estimated volume,” the agency said. “The type of substance is still unknown.”
The water in Minneapolis and St. Paul is safe to drink, the agency said. Crews diverted the sheen from the water intakes for both cities.
There was a second sheen spotted near West Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park on Wednesday. Both sheens are under investigation, and officials are not yet sure if they are connected.
The Minnesota Department of Health is analyzing samples of the sheen and multiple state agencies are monitoring it.
Mississippi
Vote for the Mississippi top offensive football player entering the 2024 MHSAA, MAIS season
Watch as Madison-Ridgeland Academy football wins season opener over Parklane Academy
Watch highlights from Madison-Ridgeland Academy’s first football game of the 2024 season, a 42-20 win over Parklane Academy Thursday night.
Week 1 of the 2024 MHSAA high school football season is approaching, and MAIS is entering its second week of games. In anticipation of this year, fans have voted on their best returning high school player at each position in Mississippi this season.
This week, you can choose your top offensive player in the state.
Vote for your choice of Mississippi’s top offensive player among 20 players. Vote now before the poll closes at 10 a.m. on Monday. Fans may vote in the poll below one time per hour per device. You can do the same for the top defensive player poll here.
Here are the 20 players in consideration:
Kendetryon Backstrom, Kemper County: Backstrom threw for 2,071 passing yards with 15 touchdowns on 11 completions. He also had 1,248 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns.
Jermarj Bell, Northside: The Central Arkansas commit had 1,775 all-purpose yards with 981 receiving yards on 56 receptions, 14 total touchdowns and two punt returns for scores.
Jeremiah Cole, Magee: Cole had 46 receptions with 1,012 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season, including 210 kick return yards.
Moses Cummings, Purvis: Cummings had 1,755 rushing yards with 20 touchdowns on 244 carries last season. He produced 100 yards or more rushing yards in none out 10 games played.
Caleb Cunningham, Choctaw County: The Alabama commit is the No. 1 prospect in Mississippi and the No. 2 wide receiver in the country. Last season, he set Choctaw’s season records for receptions with 48 and yards receiving with 1,138 and scored 14 touchdowns.
Akylin Dear, Quitman: Dear, the Alabama commit is the No. 3 prospect in the state and the No. 2 running back in the country.
Micah Jones, Madison Central: Jones, a Florida commit, is the No. 15 prospect in Mississippi and the No. 28 tight end nationally for the Class of 2025. Last season, Jones recorded 168 receiving yards with a touchdown and helped Madison Central go 8-5.
Tray Kinkle, Holly Springs: Kinkle, a three-star recruit, had 1,247 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns and 26 receptions for 452 yards with four touchdowns. Kinkle holds offers from Ole Miss, Florida State, Auburn and Florida.
TOP RETURNERS BY POSITION: QBs | RBs | WRs | OLs | ATH | DBs | LBs | DLs | K/P
Deuce Knight, George County: Knight, a Notre Dame commit, is the highest-rated quarterback in Mississippi’s 2025 class and No. 6 overall in the country. He passed for 1,420 yards with 15 touchdowns in seven games last season.
Anson Lewis, Oak Grove: Lewis is a four-star wideout and his offers include Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Missouri. Lewis has transferred to Oak Grove after spending the past two seasons at Columbia.
Xavier McDonald, Morton: McDonald, a four-star recruit and the No. 2 overall prospect in the state, had 56 receptions for 1,166 yards with 16 touchdowns. McDonald has offers from Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida State, Auburn and UCF.
Quincy Phillips Jr., Brandon: Phillips had 87 receptions for 1,027 yards with six touchdowns in 2023. His receptions broke the school’s season record held by NFL player Jonathan Mingo.
Royale Shelvy, Jefferson County: In 2023, Shelvy produced 1,098 receiving yards with 66 completions, 404 rushing yards with 47 carries, 17 total tackles, one interception and 20 total touchdowns.
Darrell Smith, Picayune: Smith had 1,087 rushing yards with 124 carries and 15 touchdowns, 194 receiving yards with three touchdowns and 14 tackles last season.
KaMario Taylor, Noxubee County: Taylor, a Mississippi State commit and the No. 11 recruit in the state, helped lead Noxubee County to the MHSAA 3A state title game. He threw for 3,282 yards with 45 touchdowns and rushed for 789 yards with 15 touchdowns.
Macaleb Taylor, Grenada: Taylor produced 1,825 rushing yards with 326 carries and 21 touchdowns while also having 204 receiving yards for five for five touchdowns.
Kenzy West, Hartfield Academy: West, a three-star recruit, helped lead Hartfield to a MAIS Class 6A state championship while recording 915 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns and 1,368 return yards. West also had 22 tackles with four interceptions.
George Wilcox, Leake Academy: The sophomore was second in MAIS in passing yards with 3,098 on 199 completions with 29 touchdowns, averaging 281 passing yards per game.
Gavin Wooley, Falkner: Wooley threw for 2,350 yards with 28 touchdowns on 131 completions. He also rushed for 457 yards with five touchdowns.
Case Thomas, Madison-Ridgeland Academy: Last season, Thomas produced 59 catches for 1,296 yards, which led MAIS, and recorded 17 touchdowns.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
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