Writer’s block and a ticking clock combine to mock. So instead of gloats that the word count bloats, this week I offer you poetry, thoughts and notes.

Enjoy.

• Of the eight classes inducted into the Vicksburg Warren School District Athletic Hall of Fame, 2023 might be the best yet from top to bottom.

Vicksburg’s Michael Myers and Warren Central’s Larry Warner were both college All-Americans and two of the best football players to come through Warren County in the past 30 years. WC basketball player Alisa Scott and Vicksburg soccer player Kristin Chapman are two of the best and most accomplished female athletes to ever play their sport here.

Alonzo Stevens was everything you’d want a football coach to be during more than 30 years with Vicksburg High. Kelli Campbell, Joseph Johnson, Harold Pickett and Roosevelt Smith were quite accomplished as well. The Class of 2023 was inducted Thursday night, and it’ll be a long time before a group that renowned takes the stage together again. Congratulations to all.

• The football teams at Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss all have open dates on Saturday. It feels like when everyone at work shows up wearing the same color shirt, and then you wonder if they had a secret meeting about it the night before.

• Speaking of Southern Miss, their Saturday off is because they’re playing on Tuesday night at South Alabama. It’s part of the Sun Belt Conference TV package that features Tuesday games throughout October.
USM is also off next Saturday for its real open date.

• We had a possum hop into our garbage can Tuesday morning and sleep the day away in there. It looked cute and happy, snoozing its cares away in a safe place. Then it found out it’s easier to climb into a garbage can than out and had to be freed (or, in this case, unceremoniously dumped onto the neighbor’s lawn).

The possum waddled off into the night. I’d never seen a possum move for any length of time. Had no idea they waddled.

• Vicksburg High and Warren Central both bowed out in the first round of the MHSAA Class 6A volleyball playoffs on Tuesday. Vicksburg lost 3-0 to Lake Cormorant, and Warren Central lost 3-0 to Center Hill. It was an unfortunate end to an otherwise good season for both teams.

• Halloween is coming up fast. A column of favorite Halloween candy, costumes and traditions could be its own thing, but for now I will offer this tip — offer brand name candy only. Don’t cheap out with dollar store knockoffs or nonsense like those weird rock-hard peanut butter candies in waxy orange and black wrappers. Putting razor blades in candy is less evil than handing those out.

• In the past 18 years, our four Warren County high school football teams have combined to win four district championships. There could be two this year, with Porter’s Chapel needing a win next to clinch the MAIS District 3-2A title; and Warren Central and Vicksburg being contenders in MHSAA Region 2-6A.

Along with a number of players reaching career milestones and setting records, this is becoming a season to remember for a lot of our local teams and players. Let’s keep it up and finish strong.

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Ernest Bowker is the sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at ernest.bowker@vicksburgpost.com