Johnson’s passion propels him to Player of the Year award

When the 2011 baseball season gets underway next spring, it won’t be surprising if Water Valley Blue Devils head coach Doug Robbins has to make two lineup cards at the season opener. While standout shortstop/pitcher Josh Johnson will be in Senatobia playing for the Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers, having his name in the lineup won’t be easy thing for Robbins to erase.

Johnson has been a regular in the Blue Devils’ starting nine since he was in middle school and the impact he’s made in the program, starting with the 2006 season, has been huge. (June 23, 2010, Page 1B)

Three area players headed to all-star game

Lafyette’s Josh Mills and Jarrett Patton will join Oxford’s Luke Gibbs on this year’s District 2 All-Star team that will compete in the annual State Games of Mississippi next week.

The three area players were selected to join 15 other players from the Northwest Mississippi area after having a successful tryout on June 2 at NWCC.

The team will be coached by Olive Branch’s Chris Chambliss, while the annual tournament begins Thursday and runs through June 27 at Meridian Community College.

Joining Mills, Patton and Gibbs on this year’s team include: Mitchel Babb (South Panola), Lee Selfs (South Panola), Bobby Epps (South Panola), Garrett Blaylock (DeSoto Central), Mitchell Flowers (DeSoto Central), Cody Carson (Independence), Chase Clark (Bruce), Jay King (Bruce), Austin Gregory (Ingomar), Drew Milligan (DeSoto Central), Jared Thompson (DeSoto Central), Nick Reeves (Olive Branch), Nathan Vannortwick (Olive Branch), Cody Reed (Horn Lake). (June 18, 2010, Page 7A)

Commodores named to Division 2-4A team

Lafayette senior outfielder Luke McCullough led four other Commodores on the Division 2-4A baseball team that was released Wednesday. (more…) (May 13, 2010, Page 2B)

Amory eliminates LHS from 4A playoffs

As Amory second baseman Ryan Hill fielded a chopper cleanly off the bat of Lafayette pinch hitter Dylan Gossett and tossed it to first, the Commodores’ special season came to a disappointing end.

The Commodores were unable to overcome an early deficit on Monday, falling at Amory 5-1 in Game 3 of the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs.

The second round loss eliminated the Commodores (17-12 overall) from the postseason. (May 11, 2010, Page 9)

Lafayette still had season to remember

In the world of sports, more often than not success is measured in wins and losses, titles won and records set.

But in all honesty, there’s much more to sports than what goes in the scoreboard section of a newspaper and this season the Lafayette Commodores proved just that.

Sure, they didn’t make it out of the second round of the Class 4A MHSAA playoffs, but so what?

This season was one to remember for the Lafayette Commodores and their dedicated fans. (May 11, 2010, Page 9)

Stanley, Lafayette force Game 3 with close win on Saturday

Lafayette didn’t need any extra motivation to defeat Amory at home in the second game of the MHSAA’s Class 4A playoff series between the two Saturday night. Facing a must-win situation after losing 5-3 to the Panthers on the road Friday, the Commodores responded with a 4-3 victory to even the series and set up tonight’s elimination game at Amory at 7. (May 10, 2010, Page 1B)

REVISED: News and notes from Lafayette-Amory series

During my brief phone interview with Amory Panthers head baseball coach Chad Williams on Thursday (for this article regarding Will Cox) it was brought up how the Lafayette Commodores have shown a lot of character and grit this season.

(more…) (May 9, 2010)

Commodores ready for elimination game

SPORTS EDITOR BLOG — Lafayette’s Commodores made sure they got another bus trip to Amory by defeating the Panthers 4-3 Saturday night at W.V. Brewer Field. The win by LHS evened the best-of-three Class 4A second-round playoff series at 1-1 and set up the deciding Game 3 on Monday at Amory at 7 p.m. (more…) (May 9, 2010)

LHS falls just short at Amory

AMORY — Five runs in the first inning were all it took for the Amory Panthers to claim Game 1 of its Class 4A second round matchup against the Lafayette Commodores 5-3 on Friday.

(more…) (May 7, 2010)

Patton has emerged as top-flight pitcher

A confident, and consistent approach has helped the Lafayette Commodores win over a dozen games the last half of the season, but it’s also been a formula for success for one of the team’s top pitchers.

Junior right-hander Jarrett Patton has transformed himself from the Commodores’ starting shortstop into the team’s top starter by maintaining his laid-back attitude throughout the game as well as a consistent approach to getting batters out each inning. (May 6, 2010, Page 6)