Vote now: Who should be this week’s SBLive Mississippi High School Athlete of the Week (May 16-22)?
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi High School Athlete of the Week for May 16-22 as nominated by fans, readers and SBLive’s staff. Read through the nominees and cast your vote at the bottom of the page. Voting will conclude on Monday at 11:59 p.m and the winner will be announced Tuesday, May 31st. If you would like to nominate an athlete, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com or tag us on Twitter or Instagram at @sblivems.
THIS WEEK’S MISSISSIPPI ATHLETE OF THE WEEK NOMINEES:
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
SOFTBALL
Natalie Herrington, Petal: Herrington was unstoppable in the circle in Petal's 6-1 win over Hernando - striking out nine, walking one and only allowing three hits. The victory gave the Petal program its first MHSAA 6A state softball championship in school history.
Anna Grace Whitehead, Kosciusko: Whitehead went the distance in the circle - tossing 111 pitches and giving up one run on six hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in Kosciusko's 4A state championship win over Sumrall. It was the second-straight state championship and third overall for the Whippets.
Hallie Burns, Booneville: The Ole Miss softball commit pitched a no-hitter in the circle and blasted a homer at the plate to lead Booneville to an 8-0 win over Enterprise-Clarke to capture the MHSAA Class 3A softball state championship.
Peyton Flora, East Webster: Flora went 3-for-3 with a triple and scored three runs in East Webster's 11-1 win over Lake to clinch the MHSAA 2A state softball championship. With the victory, the Wolverines bagged the program's eighth state championship by sweeping Lake in back-to-back 10-run rule games.
Emma Rankin, Taylorsville: Rankin pitched all 21 innings of the 1A state championship series against Vardaman. In Taylorsville's 9-5 series clinching win, she gave up five runs on eight hits and a walk with three strikeouts. That alone was enough for her to earn series MVP honors, but she also went 6-for-8 at the plate with three walks.
BASEBALL
Hollis Porter, East Central: Porter had two hits - including a home run - to lead East Central to a 5A South State Championship with a 10-0 game three win over Vancleave.
Ryan Musselwhite, DeSoto Central: Musselwhite hit a grand slam to send the Jaguars back to the MHSAA 6A state championship series with an 8-2 win over Oxford.
Max Miller, Vancleave: Miller tossed a complete-game, allowing only two hits and striking out seven in a 4-1 win over East Central in game two of the South State Championship.
Ethan Ball, Pontotoc: Ball had three hits to lead Pontotoc to a 6-0 victory over West Lauderdale in the MHSAA 4A state semifinals.
Graham Busbea, Jackson Prep: Busbea hit a solo home run and recorded the win on the mound with five strikeouts to lead Jackson Prep to their fifth-straight MAIS state championship with a 12-2 win over MRA.
