Tuesday sports: Trio of Trojans sign baseball, volleyball commitments
Photo: From left, Northpoint Christian School baseball players Seth Giamportone and Jace Robinson, along with volleyball player Sailor Cole, sign college commitments for next season. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
It was signing day for three Northpoint Christian School athletes who have been on the big stage as far as Tennessee high school baseball and volleyball are concerned. Now, Seth Giamportone, Jace Robinson, and Sailor Cole will take their academic and athletic talents to another level, competing in the tough Mississippi Association of Community College Conference.
Giamportone and Robinson have helped the baseball Trojans to the championship round of the TSSAA Division II-A state tournament the past three years and last spring were part of the team that crossed the finish line with a state championship. Cole was the back row anchor and setter as libero for a Lady Trojan volleyball that earlier this fall reached the state Division II-A state tournament for the third time in school history and first since 2021.
Robinson and Cole will be heading to Senatobia and Northwest Mississippi Community College. Giamportone will head a bit further, heading to play at Jones College in Ellisville.
Robinson, a pitcher, was a dominating hurler for the Trojans. Fashioning a 2.47 earned run average, Robinson averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. Opponents struggled to hit off Robinson, as the opponents batting average with Robinson on the mound was .081. He threw a no-hitter against North Panola.
Many of those strikes were thrown to Giamportone, a mainstay at catcher for Northpoint. An all-district selection last season, Giamportone has allowed only 11 passed balls in 42 games behind the plate. He took care of a pitching staff that fashioned a sub-2.00 ERA and at the plate himself, Giamportone hit .318 with six doubles.
Cole, Northpoint’s team captain this past season, has amassed some impressive statistics during her time on the court. This year, Cole passed career marks at the 850 kill and 900 dig level, finishing with 908 digs for the Lady Trojans. Sailor also has served 73 aces and made 116 assists for the Northpoint volleyball team that reached the state Final Four at Middle Tennessee Christian School in Murfreesboro.
Cole’s achievements also include being named two-time Team Best Defensive Player and twice being named to the all-district West Region team. This fall, Cole was nominated for the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American and Phenom watchlists.
SCOREBOARD
Monday, Nov. 27
Prep boys basketball
Northpoint Christian 65, Tupelo Christian Prep 51
- Ayden Kelly scored 24 points for Northpoint in the victory.
Prep girls soccer
Hernando 4, Tupelo 0
- Lily Jones scored two goals for Hernando.
JUCO men’s basketball
East Mississippi CC 74, Northwest CC 59
JUCO women’s basketball
East Mississippi CC 54, Northwest CC 49
Tuesday, Nov. 28
Prep boys basketball
DeSoto Central 61, Tupelo 47
Lewisburg 54, Independence 51
- Josiah Nelson led the Patriots with 19 points.
Southaven 54, Center Hill 49
Horn Lake 60, North Panola 58
- Jordan Simmons scored 20 points to lead Horn Lake.
Magnolia Heights 70, Marshall Academy 33
Prep girls basketball
Bartlett, Tenn. 56, Olive Branch 38
Lake Cormorant 56, Tunica Rosa Fort 19
Lewisburg 52, Independence 36
- Lewisburg’s Allison Irby and Allie Carroll each had a game high 15 points. Irby pulled down 13 rebounds and Carroll followed with 8.
Center Hill 66, Southaven 43
- Zarria Shipp scored 24 points to lead Center Hill.
North Panola 41, Horn Lake 30
- Kalia Pernell led Horn Lake with 11 points.
Magnolia Heights 36, Marshall Academy 30
NBA G League basketball
Austin Spurs 130, Memphis Hustle 101
Prep boys soccer
DeSoto Central 2, North Pontotoc 0
Center Hill 5, Lake Cormorant 2
Olive Branch 5, South Panola 1
Prep girls soccer
DeSoto Central 8, North Pontotoc 1
Olive Branch 7, South Panola 0
Center Hill 6, Lake Cormorant 0
Prep wrestling
Lewisburg 51, Saltillo 21
SPORTS ETC.: Olive Branch boys’ basketball is ranked third in Mississippi according to the first Mississippi Hoop Report Power 15 rankings that includes all classes of high school basketball. Unbeaten Canton (1) and Yazoo City (2) were ranked ahead of Olive Branch.
