NATCHEZ — With a bow tied on 2015, Miss-Lou athletes, coaches and fans are quickly turning their attention to the New Year and what is to come in the sports world.

But, they shouldn’t be quick to forget the past year which featured three state champions in three different sports, a monumental comeback and even a recruiting surprise that shook a city.

Here is a look at some of the top sports stories from 2015.

 

Natchez girls repeat as state champions

They were down, but they weren’t out.

The Natchez High Lady Bulldogs were seeking their second straight Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state championship, but it was going to take some work to get it.

Down 24-6 after the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs erased the West Jones High School lead by putting together a huge run, going up 30-29.

Another West Jones run would put the Lady Bulldogs in a tough spot again, but once again, Natchez did what they had done all year, win.

Natchez prevailed in the contest, 74-66, and Skylar Morgan was named the most valuable player after scoring 15 points in the win.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the year 24-1 overall.

 

Cathedral baseball wins MHSAA Class 1A title

After cruising to a 13-1 win in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 1A state championship series against Smithville, the Cathedral Green Wave once again lifted the trophy following a 4-2 win in Game 2 of the series.

It was the first state championship for the Green Wave since 2004 and Cathedral finished the year with a 26-4 record.

In Game 1 of the series, the Green Wave pounded out 15 hits, with Andrew Beesley going 4-for-5 at the plate, and starting pitcher Quinton Logan was dominant on the mound pitching five and a third innings and striking out five.

In Game 2, the Green Wave used a strong combined pitching performance from Gabe Smith and Sam Parker to shut the door on Smithville.

 

WCCA wins MAIS Class A-AA state championship

In his first season as Wilkinson County Christian Academy head coach, Chris McGraw lifted a state championship trophy.

But earning it didn’t come without some dramatics.

WCCA faced the length of the field, 99 yards, on their final possession of the title game against Tri-County Academy.

The Rams managed to drive all the way to the Rebels’ 30-yard line, but faced a 4th-and-10 with next to no time remaining.

Eventual Natchez Democrat All-Metro Player of the Year Caleb Poole, WCCA’s quarterback, heaved a pass towards the end zone, which was reeled in by senior wide receiver Phillip Cutrer.

The Rams elected to go for the two-point conversion, and Poole rumbled in giving WCCA an 8-7 lead and state championship victory.

It was a magical year for the Rams who finished 12-2.

 

Rosenthal commits to Alabama

Ferriday’s Dare Rosenthal shook the recruiting world when he committed to play football at the University of Alabama as just a freshman.

The 6-foot-9-inch lineman began drawing interest from the Crimson Tide and was quick to jump when an offer was extended.

Rosenthal was a member of the Natchez Democrat All-Metro first team this past season as an offensive lineman.

 

Cathedral makes move to MAIS

Following a decision by the Mississippi High School Activities Association to ban all out of state students from participating in athletics, Cathedral High School made the switch to another association, the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools.

The switch made things even more interesting in Natchez, as the Green Wave entered the same district as cross-town foe Adams County Christian School.

In their first meeting as MAIS AAA foes on the gridiron, ACCS took down the Green Wave 27-17 in one of the biggest and most anticipated games of the season.

 

ACCS keeps streak alive with comeback

The game seemed all but over to everyone but Adams County Christian School players and coaches.

Down 13 with under two minutes to play, the Rebels were going to need some fireworks to preserve a perfect record.

ACCS quarterback Carlos Woods hit George Scott on one of the plays of the year, a fake spike call that resulted in a wide open touchdown pass, to pull ACCS within six.

However, with just 1:11 left, the Rebels were going to need another possession somehow.

Senior linebacker Chisum Mardis made it happen.

Mardis forced a fumble on the ensuing East Rankin drive, giving the Rebels the ball with just a minute left.

Woods would then hit Shavarick Williams on a 37-yard touchdown pass to win the game.

Woods finished the game with five touchdown passes.

 

Natchez men break state alligator record

Clay Gibson got to witness a state record, but it was in the form of a 822-pound alligator.

Gibson and his crew hauled in the 13-foot beast in late August on the Old River.

The fight with the alligator lasted 30 minutes and the animal was believed to be somewhere between 50 and 80 years old.

 

Alcorn takes home second straight SWAC title

The Alcorn State University Braves sat atop the Southwestern Athletic Conference once again as they downed Grambling State in the SWAC title game, 49-21, avenging a loss from earlier in the season.

With the win, the Braves advanced to the first Celebration Bowl, where they took on North Carolina A&T.

Alcorn finished the season with a 9-4 overall record, and 7-2 mark in the SWAC.