[10/12/2004] As the clock struck midnight Sunday leading into Monday, the Warren Central Lady Vikes began defense of their Division 6-5A championship.

The Lady Vikes hosted a Midnight Madness at the school’s alternate gym, practiced for nearly two hours and cooked hamburgers and ate cake afterward.

“After that, it was kind of a lock-down,” WC coach Donny Fuller said Monday morning. “I still have nine in the gym sleeping.”

Prep basketball teams from across the state were able to practice full time starting on Monday.

While Fuller and the Lady Vikes took an early approach because of the Columbus Day holiday, most practiced Monday morning or afternoon.

“We went full speed,” Vicksburg girls coach Mike Coleman said. “It was a good workout. We’re not ready for the season yet, but it was a good practice.”

Coleman returns three starters from last season and had 13 players at practice. Tiffany Hubbard was the lone senior to graduate last season. Erica Woodson, who started last season, is no longer with the team.

The Missy Gators, who went 15-15 last season, will look to the inside game of sophomore Rachel Jenkins and junior Kristin Ellis. The team opens the season against Newton County at the Choctaw Classic on Nov. 6 in Philadelphia.

“The attitude and atmosphere was very good,” Coleman said. “We didn’t have any problems.”

The Missy Gators will be battling the Lady Vikes, Natchez and Forest Hill in the division.

WC won the division last season, finished second in South State and advanced to the Mississippi Coliseum, where it lost to Murrah in the opening round.

Fuller’s team returns seven seniors and one junior, and is led by two-time defending player of the year Cookie Johnson. Johnson averaged double figures in both rebounds and points last season.

“I think the offense is behind a bit, but that is to be expected,” Fuller said.

Warren Central’s boys team practiced on Monday afternoon, also in the alternate gym. A heavy rain and wind storm in July tore the roof off the WC gym. A new floor is being put down, and should be ready by the opening games.

WC will start on Nov. 9 against Jefferson County in the Warren County Coca-Cola Classic.

Vicksburg’s boys also took to the court on Monday afternoon. The Gators failed to advance out of the division after winning the 2003 state championship.

The Gators went 13-16 last season and were eliminated by Warren Central in the division tournament.

The Vikings advanced to the playoffs, but were beaten in the first round by Moss Point.