Kinkle's football recruitment gaining steam
For the past several weeks, Kentravian Kinkle’s mind has been on track and field.
The junior from Holly Springs recently won the North state 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes. Kinkle enters the state meet in Pearl as the defending Class 3A champion in the 200 and the defending runner-up in the 400.
However, shortly after setting a personal record in the 100 in March, Kinkle was offered by the UTSA and Southern Miss football programs. He followed up with a short drive to Ole Miss for a visit, and things have taken off ever since.
“I have a good day and then I get an offer. I get my first SEC offer,” he said. “It started to kind of blow up a little bit.”
Kinkle, a running back and strong safety in football, now holds offers from 10 FBS schools. In his junior year, he led the Hawks with 1,247 yards and 12 touchdowns on 150 carries. He was also the team’s leading receiver with 452 yards and four touchdowns on 26 catches.
Kinkle’s most recent stop on the recruiting trail was Mississippi State on Monday.
“It was just a tour of Mississippi State,” he said. “Of the academic rooms, learning rooms, things of that nature.”
As he continues to work on his fundamentals, Kinkle hopes to be among the state’s leaders in rushing yards next season.
“I want to get to the top of that,” he said. “Get to the 3,000-yard and above mark.”
Bass tournament
The inaugural Chris Lucius Memorial Foundation Bass Tournament is set for May 11 at Bay Springs Marina in New Site.
The entry fee is $200 per boat or $100 per person. The first-place prize is $10,000, while second place receives $3,000 and third place $2,000. The lunker will fetch a $1,000 prize. There is a five-fish limit.
The tournament is in honor of Chris Lucius, the former East Union assistant baseball coach who died of cancer last year. For more information, visit the memorial foundation’s Facebook page or send an email to ChrisLuciusMemorialFoundation@gmail.com.
Hoops hires
A couple of basketball coaching vacancies have been filled in Tippah County.
Walnut boys coach Matt Wilbanks will now also coach the girls. He replaces Chad Brown, who left to take the Kossuth girls job.
Blue Mountain has promoted assistant coach Britt Lindley to boys head coach. He takes over for Joe Dan Roberts, who was recently hired as New Site’s boys coach.
