Mississippi
Vote: Mississippi high school softball player of the week (5/20/2025)
The 2025 high school softball season in Mississippi has come to its end, and it was an exciting season from start to finish. The championship series’ delivered as promised, and it was a fitting end to the season that was. These 12 players that have been nominated for the final player of the week poll went above and beyond as they did everything they could to try and help their team close out the season with an exclamation point. As always, we ask you, the fans, to vote on who you think is the final High School on SI Mississippi softball player of the week for 2025.
Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll
Congratulations to last week’s winner: Abby Danis East Central
Voting will close on May 25 at 11:59 p.m.
Here are the nominations:
In the 10-3 and 10-6 losses to East Central, Eason still managed to have some productive at-bats. She finished with four hits, two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored.
In the two wins in game one and game three in the Class 3A state championship, Dearman pitched a complete game in both as she helped her team secure the championship. In game one, she allowed three hits, zero runs and 10 strikeouts in eight innings. In game three, she allowed two hits, zero runs with 10 strikeouts.
In the wins over Lafayette, Danis finished with four hits, one home run, four RBIs and two runs scored as she helped the Hornets secure the Class 5A state championship.
In three games in the Class 1A state championship versus Myrtle, Holifield finished with five hits, two home runs, one double, five RBIs and four runs scored as the Red Devils claimed the championship.
In the 10-0 and 12-1 wins over Pisgah in the Class 2A state championship, Johnson went 3-for-5 with two home runs, six RBIs and four runs scored.
In the 6-2 and 9-6 wins over Purvis in the Class 4A state championship, Owens finished with four hits, one double and one RBI. She also pitched 12.1 combined innings in the series. Owens allowed 13 hits, seven runs and struck out five batters.
Pipkins came up big from the plate in the Class 6A state championship that saw the Rebels emerge victorious in three games versus Neshoba Central. She finished the series with three hits, one home run, one double and four runs scored.
Slay is another member of the Rebels squad who had a successful showing from the plate in the 6A state championship series. She finished with five hits, one triple, five RBIs and three runs scored.
In the 8-3 and 9-0 wins over Hernando in the Class 7A state championship series, Smith finished with four hits, two doubles, two RBIs and five runs scored.
In the game two win over Hernando which secured the 7A state championship for the Cougars, Tubbs finished with three hits, two RBIs and one run scored.
In the wins over Myrtle, Townsend finished with three hits, two doubles, two RBIs, one stolen base and two runs scored.
In the 10-0 win over Pisgah, Cooper finished with two hits, one double, two RBIs and one run scored.
Mississippi
Mississippi First Congressional District Primary 2026: Live Election Results, Buck vs. Johnson
Mississippi
Mississippi Top Reads for week of March 15, 2026
Subscribe to Clarion Ledger: Local journalists covering local stories
Clarion Ledger journalists cover the important moments in Mississippi. Support local journalism by subscribing.
Staff
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House
2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books
3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday
4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House
5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press
6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday
7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House
8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company
9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House
10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead
Children and young adults
1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown
2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press
3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing
4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins
5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster
Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619
— Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).
Mississippi
Who finished No. 1 in Mississippi high school basketball Super 25 girls rankings?
The Mississippi girls high school basketball 2025-26 season has ended.
The MHSAA championships concluded March 7 at Mississippi Coliseum, while the MAIS overall tournament ended two weeks ago. Starkville finished as the No. 1 team in the final Clarion Ledger Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings.
Two teams enter the Super 25 final rankings as Louisville joins from MHSAA 4A and East Rankin Academy in MAIS 4A.
Mississippi high school girls basketball Super 25 rankings
1. Starkville (31-3)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 1. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.
2. Laurel (31-2)
MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 3. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.
3. Biloxi (30-2)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 2. Final game: Starkville 41, Biloxi 34 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.
4. Tishomingo County (28-2)
MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 4. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.
5. Olive Branch (23-7)
MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 8. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.
6. Harrison Central (26-7)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 7. Final game: Starkville 39, Harrison Central 22 in MHSAA 7A championship.
7. Neshoba Central (26-7)
MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 5. Final game: Olive Branch 58, Neshoba Central 57 in MHSAA 6A championship.
8. Madison Central (25-7)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 6. Final game: Harrison Central 56, Madison Central 40 in MHSAA 7A semifinals.
9. Booneville (24-4)
MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 9. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.
10. Canton (26-5)
MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: 10. Final game: Olive Branch 47, Canton 41 in MHSAA 6A quarterfinals.
11. Ingomar (33-2)
MHSAA Class 1A. Previous ranking: 12. Final game: Ingomar 65, Okolona 48 in MHSAA 1A championship.
12. Northwest Rankin (24-8)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 13. Final game: Harrison Central 45, Northwest Rankin 42 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.
13. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (36-5)
MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 14. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.
14. Pontotoc (23-9)
MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 16. Final game: Laurel 63, Pontotoc 38 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.
15. Brandon (23-8)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 17. Final game: Biloxi 55, Brandon 39 in MHSAA 7A quarterfinals.
16. Louisville (22-8)
MHSAA Class 6A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: Tishomingo County 64, Louisville 49 in MHSAA 4A championship.
17. Morton (27-3)
MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 11. Final game: Tishomingo County 65, Morton 40 in MHSAA 4A semifinals.
18. Choctaw Central (24-6)
MHSAA Class 4A. Previous ranking: 15. Final game: Morton 48, Choctaw Central 36 in MHSAA 4A quarterfinals.
19. Holmes County Central (22-12)
MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 23. Final game: Laurel 52, Holmes County Central 26 in MHSAA 5A championship.
20. Brookhaven (25-6)
MHSAA Class 5A. Previous ranking: 18. Final game: Holmes County Central 61, Brookhaven 55 in MHSAA 5A semifinals.
21. Belmont (24-7)
MHSAA Class 3A. Previous ranking: 19. Final game: Booneville 54, Belmont 31 in MHSAA 3A championship.
22. Simpson Academy (31-6)
MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: 21. Final game: MRA 37, Simpson Academy 25 in MAIS Overall championship.
23. West Harrison (24-5)
MHSAA Class 7A. Previous ranking: 22. Final game: Brandon 54, West Harrison 45 in MHSAA 7A first round.
24. East Union (30-2)
MHSAA Class 2A. Previous ranking: 24. Final game: East Union 57, New Site 38 in MHSAA 2A championship.
25. East Rankin Academy (31-7)
MAIS Class 4A. Previous ranking: Not ranked. Final game: MRA 57, East Rankin Academy 43 in MAIS Overall semifinals.
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.
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Pennsylvania6 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
Florida1 week agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Detroit, MI5 days agoU.S. Postal Service could run out of money within a year
-
Miami, FL6 days agoCity of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project
-
Sports6 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death
-
Virginia7 days agoGiants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia