The Mississippi State women’s baseball and basketball teams were big national stories. They competed at the highest levels in the sport. Joe Moorhead’s inaugural State football team won a bowl bid after overcoming a slow start. They finished 8-4. Today’s task will be to tell Mississippi’s top sporting stories, which includes the fact that Mississippians can legally place a wager at casino sportsbooks for the first time ever in state history. This is one man’s opinion about the Magnolia State’s top sporting stories of 2018. Also, huge stories: Brandon’s Gardner Minshew wins Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for his outstanding senior season. … Victoria Vivians is awarded the unprecedented fourth consecutive C Spire Gillom Trophy. Quinndarry Weatherspoon is awarded the Howell Trophy. Conerly Trophy won by Jeffery Simmons. Nick Sandlin, Southern Miss All America pitcher, wins the Ferriss. Braden Thornberry is the No. 1 golfer in the world. After the most productive college golf career in Mississippi’s history, 1 amateur turns pro. … Jackson State fires Tony Hughes as football coach and hires John Hendrick, a veteran assistant. Hughes, one the most respected Mississippi recruiters, returns to the Mississippi State staff.