Farmer, Lady Warriors open with Choctaw Classic

Kyla Farmer will be the Choctaw Central Lady Warriors’ only returning starter when they open the 2021-2022 season on Oct. 30 against Quitman in the annual Choctaw Central Classic on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Farmer said she is ready to go.

“In June, we spend a lot of time together, playing together and getting used to playing together,” Farmer said. “At the end of the month, we had started clicking and seeing who plays well together.

“The younger girls haven’t experienced playing on the varsity team but they are starting to get the hang of it. We will probably struggle early but once we get the hang of it, we’ll be OK.”

Six games will be played this year at the Classic. Here is the lineup:

• 9 a.m. Union girls vs. Kemper County;

• 10:30 a.m. Southeast Lauderdale girls vs. Scott Central;

• Noon St. Martin girls vs. Northeast Lauderdale;

• 1:30 p.m. South Pontotoc girls vs. Northwest Rankin;

• 3 p.m. Choctaw Central girls vs. Quitman;

• 4:30 p.m. Choctaw Central boys vs. South Pontotoc.

The Lady Warriors are coming off a 25-4 season which saw them make it to the finals of the Class 4A state championship tournament where they lost a 55-52 decision to Pontotoc. Choctaw Central went cold in the third quarter and trailed by 10. They battled back and were a 3-point shot away from tying the game.

“There were a lot of emotions after that loss,” Farmer said. “It was hard on the previous players who aren’t coming back.

“The loss made me want it more this year,” Farmer said. “We want to go back. Some of our players were on the bench and some were JV players who are moving up this year.”

Farmer said has been playing basketball all of her life.

“I really started focusing on basketball in the seventh grade,” Farmer said. “I love this sport and I want to get better. It was a lot of pushing myself. You can’t go out one day and say I did good and that’s it. You have to work and steadily improve.”

After the Classic, the Lady Warriors open the regular season at home on Nov. 2 against Neshoba Central.