By CURTIS ROCKWELL

Item Sports Editor

POPLARVILLE — Pop-larville added one last jewel to its state championship crown recently.

The Lady Hornets were honored with the number one overall ranking in the state, as selected by The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson which publishes the only statewide softball poll.

Poplarville won the Class 4A state championship.

The Lady Hornets finished 28-2 overall, the same mark as Class 3A state champion Nettleton which finished second in the poll.

Lady Hornets head coach Jonathan Ray gave credit for the team’s success to leadership provided by his five seniors, Alyssa Graeter, Janessa Dedeaux, Kayla Fendlason, Kayla Ross and Kelly Ladner.

“They set a goal for the team and accomplished it,” Ray said.

The Lady Hornets went 8-1 in the playoffs ans swept Newton County in the finals.

Graeter was named the team’s Most Valuable Player at the Lady Hornets’ awards banquet Monday night.

Graeter was also the team leader on the field, pacing the Lady Hornets in most offensive categories and going 27-1 on the mound. She batted .679 with 24 doubles, 3 triples, 3 homers, 42 RBIs and 53 runs scored.

Junior Paige Miller batted .489 with 27 RBIs, Dedeaux .485 with 29 RBIs, Ross .484 with 27 RBIs and Fendlason .442 with 29 RBIs.