Aug. 2, 2025 – Our Lady Academy (OLA) defeated Brandon 2-0 to win the Gold Bracket at the Mississippi Volleyball Invitational tournament at the Jackson Convention Center on Saturday. Meanwhile, Oak Grove defeated Hancock 2-0 to win the Silver Bracket title.
After Friday’s pool play, the top two teams in each pool advanced to the Gold Bracket and the other two teams in the four-team pool were placed in the Silver Bracket for Saturday’s action.
Four DeSoto County teams took part in the opening tournament of the high school volleyball season. Brandon defeated Lewisburg 2-1 in the semifinals of the Gold Bracket after the Lady Patriots had gone through pool play without losing a set.
Credit: MHSAA
Lake Cormorant finished Friday’s pool play with a 2-1 record, losing to Gulfport but rallying to beat Clinton and Alcorn Central, each in three sets. On Saturday, the Lady Gators lost a three-set match to Madison Central in Saturday’s bracket action, but recovered with a 2-0 win in consolation action to Tupelo.
DeSoto Central on Saturday defeated George County 2-0 but lost to eventual Gold Bracket champion OLA 2-0.
Hernando lost to Ocean Springs to open the tournament but finished with three straight wins, straight set victories over Starkville, Warren Central and Tupelo, before losing to Madison Central 2-0.
Elsewhere in other volleyball action, Olive Branch defeated Walnut 2-0 but lost to Pontotoc 2-0.
JORDAN UNVEILED IN REDBIRDS ACTION: Blaze Jordan, recently traded to the St. Louis Cardinals by the Boston Red Sox, played his first game in a Memphis Redbirds uniform Saturday at Norfolk against the Tides.
Jordan was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the third round (89th overall) of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, starting his pro baseball career after a high school career that included a MHSAA 6A state championship in 2019 with DeSoto Central.
He was traded to the Cardinals from the Red Sox on July 31. The Cardinals received Jordan in exchange for left-handed pitcher Steven Matz and assigned Jordan to the Redbirds.
Saturday night, batting fifth and playing third base, Jordan went 0-for-4 with an RBI on a fielder’s choice groundout in the fourth inning. Jordan was also hit by a pitch.
The Redbirds lost to the Tides 9-8 in 10 innings and the series ends in Norfolk on Sunday. Jordan’s first game at home could be Tuesday night when the Redbirds start a week-long series with Durham at AutoZone Park, starting at 7:05 p.m.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
