The Poplarville school board on Monday recognized boys high school Hornet head basketball coach Chareck Cable, who has been named District 8-4A Coach of the Year by a poll of district basketball coaches. Cable produced a major turnaround in the Hornet basketball program in his first year at the helm.

Cable got the Hornets into the first round of the South State and almost won the district championship, losing to St. Stanislaus.

Cable came to Poplarville from Vicksburg’s Warren Central.

Said athletic director Jonathan Ray, “We only won a few games last year, so it was a great first-year performance by the team under Coach Cable’s leadership. It was a major turnaround for us.”

In another recognition matter, the board recognized Poplarville High School’s National Ocean Sciences Bowl team, named the Fish Fighters, which on Feb. 23 won the regional competition at Ocean Springs. The competition is a quiz bowl-style competition that is nationally recognized and highly acclaimed by educators.

The group won its fifth Hurricane Bowl in Ocean Springs. The game is part of a national, high-profile competition called the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The five wins make PHS the winningest team in the regional competition. Poplarville first entered the competition in 2001. The contests feature tough mental challenges.

Winning the Hurricane Bowl means the PHS team will travel to represent the region in the national competition April 18-21 at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. The Southern region includes Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. More than 300 schools and 2,000 students compete in the competitions nationwide.

By winning the regional competition at Ocean Springs, Poplarville High School now moves to face 24 other regional champions in Milwaukee.

“The purpose of the competition is to enrich science teaching and learning across the U.S.,” said Mel Hall, faculty coach.

“The Fish Fighters have a tradition of costuming for competition, and this year they went as characters from Star Wars,” said Hall. “There were storm troopers, Darth Vader, rebel soldiers, Princess Leia and Queen Amidala.”

Members of the team are Capt. Stephen Mitchell, Capt. John Michael Bellamy, Brittany Breaux, David Davis, Jesse Evans, Ben Jones, Rob Merrell, Harlie Pounds, Alex Reid, Austin Stampley, DeeAnna Stevens, Kaelyn Trapp, Jason Gegenheimer, Matthew Merrell and Jordan Silvio.

In other matters, the board:

— Approved to let Supt. Carl Merritt “move forward” on a number of summer renovation projects throughout the district.

— Approved the GABE policy, Title 1 Compatibility.

— Approved school board policies.

— Approved a dyslexia policy.

— Approved to advertise for bids on psychological services, on horse therapy, on occupational therapy and on physical therapy.

— Approved personnel resignations, recommendations and technology dept. job descriptions.

— Approved the following 16th section matters: return of performance bonds, acceptance of bid for a Section 16-3-16 hunting and fishing lease, and acceptance of bid for timber sale on Section 16-3-16.

— Approved the following consent agenda: special services travel contract, out-of-district travel, sole source purchase, disposal of equipment, claim docket, payroll, financial statement, activity fund receipts and minutes of Feb. 18 regular board meeting.

— Adjourned to April 8.