Browsing: Sports

GULFPORT — What began as a father’s mission to create a place where his daughter could feel included has grown into a thriving nonprofit serving hundreds of individuals with special needs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

I remember the first photo I saw of Markel Bell standing next to my husband, Les George, during his time coaching at Holmes Community College. At 6-foot-9 and approximately 345 pounds, Markel’s size immediately stood out.

Students throughout Mississippi (somewhat reluctantly, for the most part) headed back to school this week, but before we know it, the 2025-2026 school year will officially come rushing to an end in just a few short months.

The “Greatest Show on Dirt” returns to Hattiesburg Feb. 6 and 7 for the 40th Annual Southern Miss Coca-Cola Classic Rodeo. The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Campus Recreation will host the event at The Center at Forrest County. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m.

The No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels have punched their ticket to the College Football Playoff Semifinals after taking down No. 3 Georgia 39-34, Thursday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Evan Phelps of Gautier recently participated in and earned three gold medals in the World Martial Arts Games Committee in Oslo, Norway. That in itself is impressive. What makes it even more impressive is that months earlier he had been seriously injured in a car accident and his participation in the Games seemed uncertain.

Chicago has its deep-dish pizza, and foodies flock to Philadelphia for Philly cheesesteaks. Down in New Orleans, the po-boy has a long and storied history. In Oxford, the iconic food most identified with the town is the humble chicken on a stick.

MOSS POINT—The sounds of roaring engines will fill the downtown area in Moss Point November 15 and 16 for the annual Roar on the River drag boat races.

Mississippi State University’s Club Pickleball team has earned a bid to the 2026 Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating, or DUPR, Collegiate…

So, we’re nearing the midway point of the football season, and it’s been an interesting one so far. Local colleges are rolling along quite well; local high schools, not so much. Maybe that has something to do with the nicknames/mascots—we’ll get into that in a minute.

The University of Southern Mississippi’s Union department will host its first-ever Esports Day Camps from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 7 and Oct. 9 in the R.C. Cook University Union on the Hattiesburg campus. Designed for students ages 11–14 or in grades fifth through eighth, the camps will introduce participants to the excitement of competitive gaming while developing skills, building camaraderie and learning from experienced esports coaches.

The 2025 CrossFit Games have concluded, crowning the Fittest Man and Woman on Earth. But the quest for the fittest in the world isn’t over. The Teenage CrossFit Games 2025 (athletes aged 14-17) will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from August 21-24, at the Columbus Convention Center, along with the Masters CrossFit Games (athletes aged 35 and older), organized by Legends. Mississippi will be sending an athlete in two categories to compete against athletes of their age from around the world. 

The St. Martin High School girls’ flag football team recently won the inaugural Mississippi High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state championship. They defeated George County High School in the final game, which was part of the first-ever MHSAA flag football season. The team, along with several of its seniors, has been recognized for its historic achievement and its impact on the sport in Mississippi. 

Tucked away in the rolling hills of North Mississippi, Grenada Lake stands as one of the true crown jewels of the Magnolia State’s outdoor destinations. Spanning an impressive 35,000 acres, this flood-control reservoir is not just the largest freshwater lake in Mississippi — it’s also one of the most beloved stops on the Mississippi Crappie Trail.

Bass fishing’s most prestigious tournament series is coming to Columbus, the only Mississippi stop on the 2026 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series schedule. From March 26–29, the nation’s top professional anglers will compete on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, marking only the second time the Elite Series has ever cast a line in Mississippi.

Congratulations to Landon Harmon, a recent graduate of of East Union Attendance Center, for being selected by the Washington Nationals as the overall #80 pick in the Major League Baseball draft.