[6/30/03]Warren Central reached the championship game of the State Games on Sunday, but lost in the final to a speedy Choctaw Central team.

WC, which also won the silver medal in 1994, took home the second-place prize again this year.

“No one really gave us a chance to win our pool when you looked at who we were matched up with,” Warren Central coach Donny Fuller said. “I was really pleased with our kids’ effort.”

Carla Latham scored 15 points, Saleda Montgomery netted 11 and Brittany Willis scored eight in the 55-43 title game loss. WC trailed 33-16 at the half, but cut the lead to as few as 10 in the second half.

“We’re down 17 at the half and we could have folded the tent and lost by 30,” Fuller said.

Warren Central, which went 4-0 in pool play, beat Newton County 46-32 in the first game Sunday morning.

Cookie Johnson scored a team-high 16 points, Montgomery netted 10 and Latham had eight points.

The Lady Vikes (18-6 in the summer) were scheduled to play Jefferson County today in the first-round of the Central Mississippi Summer League Tournament, but the threat of Tropical Storm Bill led to Jefferson County canceling.

In other State Games events, Chris Kelly of Vicksburg won the 242-275-pound powerlifting class gold medal, while John Stauts, also of Vicksburg, won the 275-pound class.

Utica’s Charnell Stokes took third in the women’s 11-12-year-olds’ 100-meter dash. Utica’s Charles Stokes took third in the 100 dash for 15-16-year-olds.

Shanita Hodge of Edwards won the 13-14-year-olds’ 100 hurdles, the 200 dash and the 400 dash. Charles Stokes of Utica took third in the 200 dash in the 15-16-year-olds’ division.

Patricia Fultz of Edwards won the 15-16-year-olds’ discus division, while Vicksburg’s Andrea Fairchild won the discus, long jump and shot put in the 25-29-year-olds’ division.

Kala Battle took the 11-12-year-olds’ high jump title, while Fultz finished second in the shot put. Fultz also took second in the triple jump.