Lawrence County High School head footballcoach Mike Davis will serve as emcee at tonight’s LCHS FootballAwards Banquet. It will be one of his final official duties as headcoach of the Cougars.

    Tonight’s celebration begins at 6 p.m. in the spacious ThamesCenter, located on the Copiah-Lincoln Community Collegecampus.  Over 200 folks areexpected to attend.

    Davis, 46, pays close attention to details and does his best tocover all the bases. Personally speaking, we have enjoyed workingwith him over the past eight years. Besides being a good footballcoach, Davis is a Christian gentleman who cares deeply about hisplayers.

    Building character in his players, helping them graduate and becomegood citizens always has rated priority with him. Davis likescoaching but the overall experience is what he enjoys the most.

    Friday night football games are special events in communitiesacross Mississippi, from Southaven to Pascagoula, from Natchez toMeridian  and all highschool gridirons in between. Over the years, the LCHS Cougars hadtheir ups and downs but they always played hard and gave a goodaccounting of themselves. Fans still flocked to the field locatedjust two miles from the Pearl River.

    Being competitive, even succeeding in Class 4A football, isdifficult at best. Davis coached 17 years at LCHS and was part ofthe Danny Adams staff that won the state title in 1999.

    Three seasons ago, the Cougars reached the third round of the stateplayoffs. Davis has coached a number of outstanding players overthe years but he never really had enough horses to power throughthe playoffs.

    Two recent LCHS graduates, running back Kendrick Hardy of SouthernMiss, and outside linebacker Matthew Wells of Mississippi State,are both doing well at the next level as starters for the GoldenEagles and Bulldogs.

    LCHS football banquets are well-planned. All the players arerecognized and their names are mentioned. Davis often sharesthoughtful comments about many of them.

    Near the end of the program, Davis calls on the senior members ofhis squad to come forward. They are asked to share their feelingsabout the season, their coaches and their teammates over an openmike. For sure, it can be an emotional scene. Laughs and a fewtears are evident, compliments of the players and the audience.

    Davis plans to remain close to the LCHS football program, servingas athletic director. He also will oversee the TransportationDepartment next school year after Mike Smith retires.

    Application deadline for the LCHS head football job was Feb. 18.Among those being mentioned for the job are current LCHS defensivecoordinator Jay Livingston and former assistant coach Eric Boothwho coached at Prentiss last season.

    

    After watching the Co-Lin softball team practice Tuesday afternoon,it’s safe to say the Lady Wolves will be swinging meaner bats thisseason. Offense  was ashortcoming last year when Coach Allen Kent’s team lost seven SouthDivision games by one or two-run margins.

    Kent has a strong group of freshman recruits from whom he isexpecting great things. He also has a solid unit of sophomores,among them veteran pitchers Sarah Anthony and Brooke Delaughter.Other returning starters are infielders Kacey Smith, Carrie Moakand Tammy Alford and outfielders Stevie Ann Wright, Bobbie Cochran,Emily Smith Ashley McCaffrey and Leah Britt.

    The Lady Wolves make an early debut, hosting Heartland, Ill. Mondayfor a noon doubleheader. Construction work continues on Co-Lin’slarge press box/concession stand, dressing room/rest room facilitybut it won’t be ready by Monday.

 

    Meanwhile Coach Keith Case’s Co-Lin baseball team went through anintrasquad game Wednesday on Sullivan Field. Their first officialtest of the 2012 campaign arrives Feb. 11, at East Mississippi inScooba. First home game for the Wolfpack is Feb. 17, versusMississippi Delta.

    Looking ahead, Brookhaven Academy hosts a preseason baseballjamboree Feb. 13-14, featuring Trinity, Parklane, ACCS, Sillimanand Trinity. Coach Casey Edwards believes his Cougars can be titlecontenders again, similar to the 2010 team that won the Class AAstate championship.

    The Ole Brook Panthers make their diamond debut Feb. 18, hosting ajamboree on Moyer Field. Entered are Clinton, Vicksburg andLawrence County. Coach Randy Spring has a strong class of BHSseniors so he is optimistic about the campaign.

    

     Contact sports editor Tom Goetzby Email: tgoetz@dailyleader.com