With Christmas now over and 2008 drawing to a close, it’s time to sit back and reflect on the year that was.

And what a year it was. It was my first full year of covering sports in the Miss-Lou, and I was treated to many great team and individual performances.

The year kicked off with some great basketball action.

Several area schools kept their stronghold on hardcourt greatness while others were experiencing unexpected success.

In boys basketball, Trinity Episcopal won their district in the first year in MPSA Class AA and finished runner-up in the State tournament.

The Saints advanced to the Overall Tournament at Mississippi College before falling in the quarterfinals.

Ferriday went one step further. The Trojans advanced to the state championship game for the first time in almost 20 years. Even though the Trojans didn’t win, it was a great accomplishment just to make it to Lafayette.

Jefferson County’s boys also made a run to the MHSAA state tourney in Jackson before falling in the semifinals.

While those three schools are used to basketball success, Cathedral experienced its best season ever.

The Green Wave won their region tournament and advanced to the South State Tournament for the first time in memory.

In girls basketball, the Franklin County Lady Bulldogs were the standard bearer for the Miss-Lou.

They advanced all the way to the state championship game before falling to an outstanding Southeast Lauderdale team.

Once basketball was over, baseball took center stage.

Several teams had good seasons, with Trinity, Adams County Christian, Franklin County and Natchez High all making the playoffs.

However, Cathedral outdid the rest.

The cardiac Wave kept rallying for close win after close win in the playoffs all the way to the South State finals.

The miracles finally ran out in the third and deciding game of the series, as they lost a controversial 3-2 decision to East Webster that ended their season one victory short of the state championship series.

After a summer break that seemed to take forever, football season finally came.

This year’s football season featured some great milestones.

Centreville coach Bill Hurst won his 300th career game, becoming only the third coach in the history of Mississippi high school football to do so.

Hurst would then cap his season with Centreville’s second consecutive state championship.

Natchez High advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1997 and won their first round playoff game, a 25-21 upset over Petal on the road.

Eight Miss-Lou football teams made the playoffs and all but two advanced past the first round.

It was a fitting end to a great year of high school sports in 2008.

It was a year of great teams and great players, and I am just happy I was able to bring it to you from the best seat in the house.

Jeff Edwards is the sports editor for The Democrat. He can be reached at jeff.edwards@natchezdemocrat.com.