Football Preview 2012 by Hattiesburg Publishing, Inc.

from the sports editor... s it really football season already? It feels like just yesterday that I was in Jackson watching the greatest football game I’ve ever seen in person — the 2011 MHSAA Class 6A State Championship. As you can tell from these pages, it’s time to get back to school — and back to football. While I was anxious to get my first taste of Pine Belt football a year ago, this time around I’m excited to have some context to put it all in. I know who the players are to watch out for, allowing me to appreciate it all the more when they accomplish great things; and when unexpected individuals do the same. As usual, there are so many questions going into a new season: Can Petal even come close to what it did last year, espcially considering a certain someone is not in a Panther uniform anymore? Is this the year PCS shocks a Jackson school? Can Sumrall reach a milestone and get back to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in school history? On the other hand, can Oak Grove avoid missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons — something that’s unheard of in west Hattiesburg? And is Purvis really going to throw the ball this year? Last year’s magazine was so successful, we were thrilled to get a chance to get to work on a new version that we hope is bigger and, more importantly, better. But how do you top the magazine that was chosen as the top football preview and top special section in the state by the MIssisisippi Press Association? I’m not sure I have an exact answer for that, other than getting back to work. And that’s what we did. We’re excited to announce that we’ve expanded the magazine’s coverage in 2012, bringing in two other schools that are always a constant presence in the Hub City area — Hattiesburg and North Forrest. Not only did we hear calls for the pair’s inclusion, but we also felt both fit in with what we’re trying to do and they are right at home in our Pine Belt football family. As usual, there are so many people responsible for making this magazine possible. Publisher David Gustafson and Art Director Bill Benge put in countless hours beside me to make the product a reality. Oak Grove High School Principal Helen Price and Lamar County Transportation Director Wayne Folkes were gracious in humoring us and providing what we needed for our work. All eight high school coaches were extremely cooperative in getting me information and providing players for our photo shoot, again artfully done by Artie Rawls. We also brought in another member of the PineBeltSPORTS.com family, photographer Matt Bush, to help orchestrate the shoot, and we couldn’t have hoped for better results. Finally, thanks to all the players — without you we wouldn’t have anything to write about — for patiently working with us for the photos on these pages. Sorry we didn’t get to set anything on fire this time, guys. But maybe you learned a little something by spending a couple of extra hours at school.

I hope you enjoy the 2012 magazine and, most of all, the 2012 football season.

Josh Mlot PineBeltSPORTS.com

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

PineBeltSPORTS.com The online home of The Lamar Times and The Petal News

PURVIS TEAM PREVIEW

59 63 SUMRALL TEAM PREVIEW 66 LUMBERTON TEAM PREVIEW NORTH FORREST TEAM PREVIEW 70 74 PCS TEAM PREVIEW 78 PRCC TEAM PREVIEW 80 JCJC TEAM PREVIEW 82 SOUTHERN MISS TEAM PREVIEW 84 FUTURE WATCH Tornadoes working toward high goals

Bobcats chase back-to-back postseasons

7 LINKED LEADERS

Two friends and rivals walking a similar path

11 THAMAZ TIME PRESEASON ALL-AREA TEAM 15 OAK GROVE TEAM PREVIEW 17 21 PETAL TEAM PREVIEW 26 HATTIESBURG TEAM PREVIEW 30-54 TEAM CAPSULES

Purvis running back ready to star again Area athletes poised for big things in 2012 Warriors younger than ever before Panthers ready to bury perception Tigers tackle higher expectations

All the data you need as a fan of your team

Panthers hope for best with youth

Eagles angle for excellent season

Bobcats keep on working, building

Wildcats want back into the playoffs Bobcats boast speed under Perkins

Eagles look to fill holes after banner year The next generation of Pine Belt stars

JOSH MLOT Sports Editor

DAVID GUSTAFSON Editor/Publisher

BILL BENGE Art Director

EMILY HALL Graphic Artist

MISSY PICKERING Advertising Manager

JESSICA WALLACE Advertising Sales

SHANNON FIELDER Advertising Sales

JENNIFER MAY Advertising Sales

BETH BUNCH Managing Editor

DANA GOWER Staff Writer

SONYA JAMES Office Manager

HATTIESBURG PUBLISHING, INC. 103 N. 40th Ave. • Hattiesburg

(601) 268-2331 www.HubCitySPOKES.com Special Thanks: Nevil Barr, Marcus Boyles, Joey Hawkins, Shannon White, Perry Wheat, Brian Ford, Dan Nowell and Ken Carter. Also Guy Posey, King Photography, Bruckner’s Photography, Artie Rawls Photography, Matt Bush Photography, and Lee Cave of C Studio.

Pictured on this year’s cover and here, in front, from left, is Jalen Haskin (North Forrest), Picasso Nelson Jr. (Oak Grove) and Will Nobles (Sumrall). In back is Micah Griffin (PCS), Tony Bridges (Hattiesburg), Cole Morrow (Purvis), Keshod Willis (Lumberton) and Larson Barkurn (Petal). Photos taken by Artie Rawls.

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

Head of the Class Photo by Artie Rawls

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already star athletes. Now they try to fill some big shoes at QB.

By JOSH MLOT

Photo by Artie Rawls

arson Barkurn and Kirk McCarty are not doing their part to perpetuate one of the area’s best rivalries. As the flash bulbs are popping, they can’t look at each other and keep a straight face. One’s mouth quivers before contorting into a smile, and the other responds by bursting into laughter. They are supposed to be enemies, or at least indifferent parties. Instead, they reveal the truth underlying many crosstown rivalries — it’s quite often that kids cross enemy lines and make friends. These two — Barkurn and McCarty — have downright glowing things to say about each other. The duo certainly has plenty to bond over heading into the 2012 football season, as they face very similar situations at Oak Grove and Petal — both are looking to step into starting roles at quarterback for their respective teams, following in the footsteps of some very successful athletes. Whether they realized it or not, Barkurn and McCarty have been on parallel paths for a couple of years now. As a sophomore, Barkurn won a state championship in baseball as Petal’s starting third baseman. As a junior he became one of the area’s best hitters, and shouldered the responsibility of becoming the ace for a pitching staff ripped apart by graduation. He went 10-0 on the mound this past spring, including two wins against McCarty’s Warriors, who only lost three games all season. As a freshman, McCarty was an all-star right fielder and pitcher for Oak Grove. As a sophomore this past spring he elevated his game on the mound and led his team to a state

championship. He dominated and pitched a one-hitter in Game 1 of the title series. Last year Barkurn served as the Panthers’ backup QB, getting spot time throughout the season. McCarty played the same role for Oak Grove, playing some in mop-up duty and making one late-season start due to injury. Both of their teams faced a unique kind of heartbreak to end 2011. Neither is your typical first-time starter.

Photo by Matt Bush

arson Barkurn understands what he’s facing — he is Anthony Alford’s successor. “I definitely can’t fill his shoes from an athletic standpoint,” Barkurn said. “He’s the best quarterback I’ve ever seen in high school football. I’ve just got to worry about playing my game and making the right reads. Doing all that, I don’t think there’s a lot of pressure, I really don’t. I think the team will help me out and we’ll have a good year.” Petal has a lot to prove. Everyone will be watching to see if last year’s state runner-up finish was a fluke; whether the Panthers pack any punch without Alford running the show. But Barkurn is no stranger to expectations — they just come with the territory as an athlete at Petal. Barkurn is not Anthony Alford. He’ll run a very similar offense, but he’s a completely different type of player. He’ll rely more on his arm and be more of a manager and a distributer as he tries to get the football into the hands of the best playmakers on the team. Alford was his team’s best playmaker. Barkurn can run, but he’s not likely to make many guys miss. He may, however, run them over. Those looking for another Alford will be disappointed. Those looking for a quarterback who can find ways to win may be pleasantly surprised. “He knows he’s not Anthony Alford,” Petal head coach Marcus Boyles said. “Anthony’s one of the best quarterbacks to play in Mississippi in a long time. … He could score with his feet from anywhere. Larson’s a great runner, but

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

he doesn’t quite have that ability. But I think people are going to be real happy with what he can do at quarterback. He can get the ball to guys that can make the plays. He’s very smart about the game … and I think people will see that.” As to be expected from an athlete that’s so seasoned — even if not as a starter on the football field — Barkurn brings maturity to the position. He’s a senior who has bided his time, and has proven on the baseball field that he can handle whatever is thrown at him. Boyles acknowledges that it is hard to express just how important it was for his signal caller to get playing time a year ago, or to be asked to do so much on the diamond. He also understands, though, that a new starter at quarterback is bound to make some mistakes. “The thing with Larson is he’s so competitive that he gets down on himself when things aren’t going good for him,” Boyles said. “I think he understands he can’t let that happen, but he’s a perfectionist that’s used to being successful. I think you want that out of your quarterback. “I think as he gets more games under his belt you’ll see him really grow. I really believe there will be a big difference from the guy we see at the beginning to the guy playing at the end of the season.” The Panthers had never won a playoff game before last year, when they seemingly couldn’t lose in the playoffs. That is, until a penalty flag against the opposition inexplicably cost them a state title. Barkurn explains that there’s no way the team could make it as far as it did with only one player, and he expects the squad to prove that this year. He says his goals this year are to win, and as long as Petal is doing that he doesn’t care about yards or touchdowns. He would like to complete about 70 percent of his passes, but he frames it within the context of helping his team move down the field. “I don’t know if we have something to prove,” Barkurn said. “We’re going to take it one game The Lamar Times

irk McCarty was the obvious heir apparent. Steven Swindle spent two quality years leading a prolific Warrior offense, and McCarty was next in line. In his two seasons as starter, Swindle threw for 2,788 yards and 38 touchdowns while winning 14 games. If he hadn’t been injured versus Hattiesburg, those numbers would be bigger and Oak Grove might have been a playoff team. They’re not Anthony Alford numbers, but they’re quality ones for a quality program. They are shoes to fill. But it’s not a straight and unhindered road to starter for McCarty anymore. The offseason saw the emergence of sophomore J.C. Keys at the position, as well as the incoming transfer of Cameron Myers. Keys may not have the experience that McCarty has, but Myers started nearly a full season as a freshman at Hattiesburg last year, leading the Tigers to the postseason — ironically, by keeping the Warriors out of the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The staff has already alluded that should Myers not start under center, his athleticism will play in some other role. “I think we’re really good at that position,” Oak Grove head coach Nevil Barr said. “We’ve got a lot of talent. That’s three really good quarterbacks. Kirk started that last game for us (last year) and did a great job. There’s a lot of competition, but we’re definitely blessed at the quarterback position.” Assistant coach Zane Thomas said that all three QB candidates were taking equal reps during preseason practice, but he also said the staff has every intention of naming one player the starter, rather than trying to work out a convoluted rotation. “Our outlook right now is to find that guy,” Thomas said. “If our second or third guy can benefit us in anyway, we’ll go from there. But we want one guy.” Even with the new faces making the quarterback picture a little more complicated, McCarty is still front and center when it The Petal News

comes to the next guy in line. He’s a wellrounded player with strong mobility, a solid arm and intelligence. Last year in his start against Natchez in the season finale, McCarty threw for over 300 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed approximately 70 percent of his throws on the season. It says a lot about the junior that his baseball coach, who trusted him in the biggest of situations, calls him a senior in an underclassman’s body. The football staff gets a similar impression. “He’s competitive,” Thomas said. “Either way we go, whether there were no other (candidates) or like it is now, he’s going to give us that leadership edge and athletic edge to push the competition and make everyone around him better. “(He’s good at) handling those guys in the huddle, getting them dispersed, relaying information to them. He is the sparkplug that we have to have to make our offense go. He’s very smooth and very good at it and it comes to him with ease.” McCarty’s natural poise as a competitor has put him in a great place to not only win the quarterback battle, but to succeed once he’s on the field. On a team that’s going to be as absurdly young as Oak Grove will be this fall (four returning starters), it’s just that kind of stability and mental edge that could serve the offense very well. “It’s something I’ve always wanted,” McCarty said of the starting position. “I’m excited and ready for the season to get here. “I want to be a leader as much as I can. I think it’s important for the quarterback to have a leadership role.” Unlike the other two QBs, McCarty knows firsthand what it felt like to miss the playoffs last year, and that knowledge feeds his effort and goals going forward. He also said that he learned a lot from his role on the baseball team, and is drawing on the experience of getting varsity playing time. “I’d heard from everyone how it’s such a faster pace than ninth grade or jayvee,” McCarty said, “but I’d never quite understood it. But when I got in the Hattiesburg game, I saw. That helped so much — knowing what you can do in game situations. “(Swindle) was a great quarterback. He helped me out a lot last year as far as how to handle being ‘the guy’ and how to handle the pressure; how to control the offense and learn the reads.” Thomas said that as the QB goes, so goes the Warrior offense. McCarty might just be the most reliable with the keys in his hands.

cCarty and Barkurn scribble nicknames for

Photo by Chuck Lick

at a time, but we definitely want to get back to Jackson. We got the taste of a win for what, 15 seconds? There’s going to be a hole there until we fill it. I think we’re going to be hungrier as a team.” Boyles says that as long as his new quarterback plays within himself, he’ll be just fine; there are no doubts about the offense’s ability to continue going strong. For all the pressure that the ghost of Alford could leave pressing down on Barkurn, his former teammate taught him plenty of lessons about how to be successful. “The dude’s obviously more talented than everyone,” Barkurn said of Alford, “but I honestly don’t remember him taking a day off. His expectations for himself were a lot higher than the coaches. You’ve got to set personal goals and work every day.” That playoff run? Barkurn says he thinks they can do it again.

each other on the classroom whiteboard. The former is “Sunshine,” the latter is “Tebow.” Both are perfect monikers — McCarty, blond hair and all, is like an explosion of upbeat energy; Barkurn’s style of play might just remind people of a certain Heisman winner. The two are both familiar and comfortable. “Me and Larson are good friends,” McCarty said. “I know if there’s a guy filling shoes, it’s him. It’s cool seeing how he works and pushing each other. I’m looking forward to getting to face off with him in some pretty big games.” If there’s anyone that understands what they’re going through, it’s one another. Petal and Oak Grove expect nothing less than wins, and these two guys are being tasked with delivering them. Two of the best athletes the Pine Belt has to offer continue to parallel each other, along opposite sides. “Obviously I don’t want to lose to him and he doesn’t want to lose to me,” Barkurn said. “We don’t really talk about it much, but it’s kind of funny that (it’s worked out like this). … There’s a little bit of a rivalry there, I’m not going to lie, but it’s fun. “He’s probably faster than me and the dude’s got an arm, so I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do on the football field. And he’s a smart kid too. He’s set up to have a big year as much as anyone in the area. I don’t know if he has to fill as big shoes as Anthony’s, but he’s set up to have a big year.” The feeling is mutual. “I haven’t seen him fail in anything yet,” McCarty said. “I don’t think this is the one thing. Pretty much anything he says he wants to do, he does, so I think he’ll be good. I just hope he’s off whenever we play.” Then, as if to satisfy those who think a Petal-Oak Grove love fest might be a sign that the world is wildly spinning off kilter, things normalize a bit. The flash bulbs stop popping, the photos are done, and McCarty smiles and says, “You know, I taught him everything he knows.” Barkurn pauses for a second, looks at his counterpart and says, “What’s my record against you?” Both quarterbacks are ready to do their part. PineBeltSPORTS.com

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

A Lesson in Anti-Philosphy

By JOSH MLOT

Photos by Artie Rawls

o one could ever accuse Thamaz Taylor of overthinking the game of football. He is not a philosopher. In fact, his attitude toward the game is downright Forrest Gumpian. “I keep doing the same thing — running,” Taylor said. Purvis sure hopes he keeps doing the same thing in his final year in Tornado purple. Last year, as a junior, Taylor had one of the top breakout seasons in the state of Mississippi, going from a part-time role as a fullback to a full-time one as a tailback and go-to guy. In 2011 Taylor rushed the ball 263 times for 1,961 yards and 27 touchdowns while earning nods on the PineBeltSPORTS.com All-Area team and as Region 7-4A Offensive Player of the Year. In the process, he gained notoriety among fans, colleges and opposing defenses. “He wasn’t really much of a surprise,” said Purvis quarterback Nathan Roseberry, “because he’s played since he was a freshman. We knew what he was capable of; we didn’t know he’d have a season like he did, but we knew he’d be pretty good.” The Tornadoes certainly know what they have now — the type of player that doesn’t come around every year. “He’s a really good player,” Purvis head coach Perry Wheat said. “He can do a lot of things. He can run inside real tough and he can run outside. He’s capable of scoring from anywhere on the field. He’s a special player. “I think as long as he stays hungry, he’s going to keep getting better. He’s not a very big guy, so he’s got to stay hungry and work hard to be successful. … But he’s a special player and we’re real pleased with his leadership and attitude this fall.” Taylor wasn’t just critical to a functioning Purvis attack last season, he was the Purvis attack. He scored 27 — that’s 73 percent — of the team’s 37 touchdowns. His influence was by design. The team lost all of its main skill players from a season before, and with a talented offensive line a The Petal News

conservative game plan was the best one for the Tornadoes. Throw in the fact that a strong running game is an inexperienced QB’s best friend — Roseberry was starting as a freshman — and the end result wasn’t rocket science. “It was real helpful,” Roseberry said. “You could always count on him to get four to seven yards every handoff. He’s real tough and he took a lot of the load off of the job that I needed to do. He always knows where he’s going, he always makes good pockets for a handoff and he’s always in the right spot. “He’s very important. He touches the ball a lot and it’s real important that he takes care of it. He’s real important to what we’re trying to do.”

on’t let appearances deceive you. One look at Taylor and you might assume he’s just a defensive back — which he is — or maybe a receiver. Somewhere that doesn’t require you to get smacked in the mouth every play. At 5-foot-10 — maybe in cleats — and 170 pounds, there’s probably been a linebacker or two that stood across the line of scrimmage from Taylor and smiled. That would have been their first mistake. Taylor doesn’t avoid the areas of the field where you get smacked

in the mouth; in fact, he does the smacking. While he is very capable of breaking a big play, he’s equally capable of grinding the offense down the field. There is no place that Taylor cannot and will not go. That’s because of his dedication in the weight room, an area he focused on starting around the eighth grade. He even qualified for the state tournament in powerlifting, though, by his account, “it didn’t work out too good.” “He’s really powerful,” Roseberry said. “I remember one morning we were lifting and I think it was Louisiana Tech came in and looked at him and he was just squatting like it was nothing. I tried to tackle him in drills the other day and he really surprises you when he hits you. He’s the toughest player I’ve ever played with and he plays bigger than he is.”

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

Roseberry should know, seeing as he is no bigger than Taylor. It’s not what you would consider a powerhouse backfield. That is, until the runaway train hits you. “He’s not very big,” Wheat said, “but he’s really strong in his legs. He can squat 500 pounds and he’s got real good explosion. He’s a tough-minded individual. If he gets a bump and a bruise, that’s not going to stop him. I think that’s what you’ve got to have as a running back.” Sorry, Coach, you are wrong about one thing. Last time Taylor racked up his weights, he squatted 615 pounds. That’s the equivalent of three or four defenders jumping on for a ride that just keeps rolling. “When my legs start going, it’s hard to stop me,” Taylor said with a smile. That strength, combined with

teammate and all the guys love him. He just loves football and he’s a gamer. He doesn’t ever like to lose and that’s a good quality.”

ll those things are great, but Taylor doesn’t just want to achieve them again. He’s got bigger things in mind. Asked what his goals are for 2012, he lifted his head back and smiled. “Oooh, they’re high,” he said. Taylor would like to eclipse his 27-touchdown mark, and in the process he wants the Tornadoes to make a deep run in the playoffs, something he says is definitely possible with hard work. Of course, that is easier said than done, especially when defenses can throw all their eggs in one basket and swarm the running back. Purvis hopes that’s exactly what happens. “Hopefully by being balanced, if they commit to stopping Thamaz like some did last year, we’ll be able to do some things and make some big plays,” Wheat said. “All that’s yet to be seen. … We do it pretty good in shorts, but pads is a whole different game.” Wheat swears that his team will be more balanced this year, and with more experience at quarterback and wide receiver, there’s no reason that shouldn’t be possible. That’s not to say Taylor won’t be just as important — you don’t stop giving the ball to your best player. But his role may change a little bit, and just the threat of having him taking the handoff should keep defenses honest. “I think it’s going to be great,” Roseberry said. “I think we’re going to pass the ball a lot more and he’s going to be called on to catch the ball a lot more. I think we’re going to do more things to get the ball to our playmakers in space. Last year they’d key on him and there was really nothing we could do when they played eight men in the box.” Taylor has focused heavily on improving his hands and catching ability this offseason. Not only will it help his team, but it will help his football future as well. After last year’s efforts earned him interest from colleges it’s become clear that he’ll need to diversify his game to maintain that interest. He may be strong for his size, but at the Division I level teams will still likely want to use him as a receiver out of the slot at least some of the time. (He’d like to play football at Southern Miss next year, the school he says tops his list, and said the Golden Eagles told him they would give him a scholarship offer, though he hasn’t received one yet.) Even after it would seem that Taylor doesn’t have much to prove, it’s clear that he still does.

T conditioning, creates Taylor’s signature style of running. He’ll take a hit and he’ll give a hit, and as the game wears on he tends to do more of the latter. On more than one occasion in 2011 he tortured exhausted defenses late in games, taking one handoff after another, with the other side surely hoping and praying that someone else would get the ball. Taylor profiles as the type of running back who seems to get stronger as a game wears on, mostly because he’s going at the same pace he always does while the defense is gasping for air. Ask Sumrall, which hung with the Tornadoes as long as it could last year before succumbing to a 35-carry effort from Taylor. He finished the night with 225 yards and a score. Or check with St. Stanislaus, which he destroyed for 330 yards and five touchdowns during a threegame, mid-season stretch in which he never scored less than four times. He twice found the end zone five times in a game and eclipsed 200 yards in six out of 11 games. Even when everyone in the stadium knew who was getting the ball and eight or nine defenders stacked themselves in the box, Taylor just went to work. “He’s very tough,” Roseberry said. “He refuses to lose. He’s a great

aylor is just fine with adapting. He doesn’t care what he’s doing, he just wants to win football games. One in particular — the Class 4A State Championship — is especially appealing. If the Tornadoes are going to dream of such heights, it’s clear that Taylor will be leading the way. Even when he doesn’t have the ball, he understands the impact he has on the football field. “I’ve got to help my team however I can,” Taylor said. “I know that if I go somewhere (on the field), a whole bunch of people (on defense) are going to slide over there and open up space for other people.” He also knows that as a senior and the team’s star player, he has to lead by example. So far, that has been no problem. Wheat, a coach who puts hard work ahead of just about all else, speaks highly of his running back’s attitude and the effect that can have on the entire roster. “He’s just a real positive kid,” Wheat said. “He tries to keep the guys going and he’s an unselfish player as well. He understands that his success individually is related to how well we play up front. He’s got a good approach to that. “Most of all, it’s leadership. Yesterday when we ran our gassers, he was the first guy across, and that’s not uncommon. He understands that he’s going to have a target on his back and he’s got to do an extra good job of preparation.” Ask Taylor about it and he’d agree. But he also wouldn’t worry about it too much. Thinking too hard about what needs to be done isn’t really his style — he’d rather just go out and do it. He’d rather just take the ball and run. “I don’t know,” Taylor said when asked about what has led to his success. “I just go out there and run the ball.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

PineBeltSPORTS.com QB — Larson

Barkurn (Sr.), Petal

RB — Thamaz RB — Tyus

Taylor (Sr.), Purvis

Raine (Jr.), Petal

Preseason All-Area Team

DL — Matt

DL — Logan

Dearman (Sr.), Purvis

DL — Haydn

Lott (Sr.), Petal

WR — Picasso Nelson Jr. (Jr.), Oak Grove DL — Joey WR — Jamarcus

Revies (Sr.), Petal

Emerson (Sr.), Sumrall

Arnau (Sr.), Oak Grove

LB — Micah

Griffin (Sr.), PCS

WR — Austin

Watts (Sr.), Sumrall

LB — Jatarrin Clark (Jr.), Lumberton

OL — Tanner

McGowen (Sr.), PCS

LB — Trevor

OL — Javon OL — Thad

Roberts (So.), Petal

OL — Renzy OL — Joe

Patterson (So.), Petal

Davis (Sr.), Purvis

Edwards (Sr.), Lumberton

Williams (Sr.), Petal

LB — Clay Touchstone (Jr.), Sumrall DB — John Addison Ford (Sr.), Oak Grove DB — Jalen

Boney (Jr.), Petal

DB — Stephen

Jones (Sr.), PCS

ATH — Johnathan McNair (Sr.), Oak Grove DB — Shane McLendon (Sr.), Oak Grove K — Troy

Waites (Jr.), PCS

ATH — Devontae

Watts (Sr.), Sumrall

Best of the rest... Our PineBeltSPORTS.com Preseason All-Area Team honors players from the six teams in the regular coverage area of The Lamar Times and The Petal News. We didn’t, however, want to overlook worthy individuals from the new additions to our magazine — Hattiesburg and North Forrest. Here are some Tigers and Eagles to keep an eye on, as they’ll surely be receiving recognition before the season is said and done... Hattiesburg

North Forrest

QB — Jamal Hatten (Sr.) WR — Tony Bridges (Sr.) WR — Brandon Acker (Sr.) DL — Jamal Posey (Sr.) DB — Emory Ireland (Jr.)

QB — Jalen Haskin (Sr.) WR — Denver Magee (Jr.) OL/DL — Dallas Carter (Sr.) OL/DL — Chris Schneider (Sr.) RB/DB — Brandon Howlett (Sr.)

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

Photo by Artie Rawls

The words “no playoffs” sound like Greek to people around the Oak Grove football program. But those folks were forced to brush up on their foreign language last season. This year, the roster is younger and more inexperienced than any the coaches have ever witnessed, yet Johnathan McNair, Kirk McCarty, Picasso Nelson Jr. (left to right) and the rest of the 2012 Warriors are tasked with trying to avoid a second straight postseason miss

Oak Grove

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

2012 Outlook

Photos by Artie Rawls

issing the playoffs a season ago was bad enough. Oak Grove football fans would have no idea how to swallow back-toback postseason absences. Yet 2012 presents some very unique challenges for a program that has been devastated by graduation. The Warriors bring back only two returning starters on each side of the ball. Head coach Nevil Barr has seen a lot of things in a long, successful career, but this much inexperience is not something he’s familiar with. “Not at Oak Grove,” Barr said. “Even that first year we were here (Barr’s in his 12th season in West Hattiesburg), we had some guys that started the first year before. This is probably one of the younger teams. But it’s also a talented team and a team with a lot of potential with a good future ahead of it.” The question that everyone will be asking is — is the future now? Ask defensive coordinator Casey Cain that question, and he repeats the same thing like a mantra — “We don’t really know yet.” In a deep and talented Region 3-6A that assistant coach Zane Thomas calls “the SEC of high school football,” there’s not a whole lot of room

for error, so the learning curve will have to be high for Oak Grove. As the squad heads into the regular season, a couple of weeks of practice haven’t been enough to know what to expect. “I feel like we’re very athletic,” Barr said. “I feel like we’ve got some speed and quickness. And I think our attitude is a positive. They’ve got confidence in each other. I think we’re a close-knit team. I feel good about it, but we’re just young. “They know we’re a young team. Most of these guys have not played much in varsity games, but they know every day they’re coming out they’re going to keep getting better.” Cain knows all about that lack of varsity experience, saying there are about three guys on the defensive side of the ball who have taken a varsity snap. The leader of that group will undoubtedly be senior safety John Addison Ford, one of the returning starters. Ford

had a breakout campaign as a junior in his first season as a starter, and will quarterback the defense. Oak Grove is also going to need to see leadership out of Taylor Braley, who is coming off an injury suffered during baseball but should transfer his experience from the diamond — where as only a sophomore he was already considered a strong leader. Now a junior, Braley will step into a linebacker spot and must contribute heavily. How soon he’s up to full speed, however, is another question. Joining Braley in the linebacking corps will be players like senior Blake Crawford and junior Devin Tatum. As far as what to expect from the group that must replace star Cort Brinson, again, the coaching staff ’s not sure. “They play hard, they’re just young and haven’t played a whole lot,” Cain said. “There’s no substitute for experience. I think football is a lot like math. You’ve just got to practice, practice, practice. It’s difficult to say what’s what (right now). “We’ve just got some young guys. We don’t really know (what to expect) yet. We’ll find out. You don’t know until you get there.” The safety spot next to Ford is an unknown, but the cornerback spots will rely heavily on senior Shane McLendon and junior Picasso Nelson Jr. Nelson was a PineBeltSPORTS

Photo by Matt Bush

CATCH THIS — Junior wide receiver Picasso Nelson Jr. is one of very few returning starters for Oak Grove this year.

All-Area pick at wide receiver last year — a role he’ll reprise — but doesn’t have game experience as a defender. The wait-and-see attitude applies on the defensive line as well, where returning starter Joey Arnau anchors things at end. Beyond him, however, the team hopes to find buried treasure among a host of youthful bodies. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the offense isn’t in much better shape. The offensive line was completely wiped clean, and in its place will be a group of green lineman that features only one senior. The rest of the rotations will use juniors and sophomores. “As far as ability, they’ve got exactly what we want,” Thomas said. “We’re still grooming them and they don’t have that game experience, but it’s about finding that (ability) and getting it out of them. Only time will tell once the bullets start flying.” Thomas repeated that statement for the entire offense, as a bevy of inexperience will try to settle in to the offense of highly-publicized coaching addition Brett Favre. The former NFL MVP has long been a fixture on the sidelines, but will take on a more intensive role as the team’s offensive coordinator. Fans however, shouldn’t expect to see a noticeable difference from the spread attack of the past. Who will run that offense, however, will be someone both

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2012 Outlook

Oak Grove

“Obviously, coming down and making that decision, the nucleus of your offense, the guy that runs the show, the decision has to be right,” Thomas said. “We’ve been giving equal reps to everyone and we’ve been seeing what they’re good at and what they have problems with. As a staff, we’re figuring out what do we do best with them in the offense. We told them that they will choose.” The expectation is to select “the guy,” not go through the season with a rotation under center, though that’s not to say that whoever loses out may not find the field in some fashion. Junior Kirk McCarty started one game last year after two-year starter Steven Swindle was lost to injury, and has otherwise seen some garbage time. He has, however, carried a heavy load for the baseball team, and is no stranger to a pressure role. Considered by some as the favorite for the job, he’s an all-around athlete that is smart, can throw the ball and is mobile. The transfer of Cameron Myers from Hattiesburg this summer complicated things. Myers was a starter for the Tigers as just a freshman, and helped them to the playoffs. He’s athletic and threw the ball more than he ran it in his old offense. Whoever ends up under center will have a couple of weapons at his disposal. Running back Johnathan McNair was not a full-time starter last year, but got plenty of playing time. The senior speedster isn’t big, but is hard to tackle in the open field. He has good hands as well, and is likely to see a good amount of reps split out wide as a receiver. He has the type of talent to break open games. McNair finished last season as the second-leading rusher with 306 yards. He also had 293 through the air. “McNair’s going to be the go-to guy,” Thomas said. “He’s our senior with experience. We’re telling our offense, ‘Get the ball to McNair.’ He can have three guys around him and he’ll make them miss. We’ll use him anywhere. I like to think we could line him up at guard and he’d get it done.” The Petal News

Lining up at the more traditional “B”-back role behind the quarterback will be a group of players who have much less experience than McNair. Juniors Donald Winding and Ty Harris and seniors Jay Jordan and Schyller Dieuveille will try to combine to fill the shoes of All-Area pick Jordan Woods, not to mention Shawn Anderson, who graduated after missing much of last season due to injury. “We’re going to have anywhere from three to five backs who are good, solid backs. They’re not back there just because. They can compete with anyone. Up to this point they haven’t had their time to shine, but they’ll get it this year.” Nelson will be the top wide receiver, finishing second in a stacked wide receiver group with 535 yards last year. But his cohorts are all gone, and he’ll need to rise to the occasion to keep the offense rolling. “His athleticism is bar none to anyone we have,” Thomas said. “What we’re going to ask him to do is going to be tough … but I think he can do it. It’s not going to be overly complicated. He’s the same as McNair — we’re going to try to involve him as much as we can.” Joining him will be senior Floyd Terry, junior Jordan Mitchell and sophomore Peter Harper. The coaching staff likes all of them, but understands they need to gain experience. “We have some young guys who it might be a few games before they find their niche,” Thomas said, “but I think they’re going to make a name for themselves, hopefully this year.” The bottom line is that it is going to be tough for the offense to be as proficient as it was a year ago, when it averaged nearly 35 points per game. What will they be capable of? It’s the same motto that applies to all of the Warriors in 2012 — wait and see. Regardless, the program refuses to lower its goals or settle for less. A year after missing the playoffs in a shock result, Oak Grove has its work cut out for it to avoid making it two years in a row. That won’t prevent the team from working toward its goals though. “Our goal is like always — we play one game at a time and we’re going to try to do our best to win every one of those games,” Barr said. “I think that, to me, that’s how I’ve always approached it. “I think we’ll definitely be better as we gain experience out there. Every time we play we’ll get better. … It’s tough, but we’re looking forward to it and we’re looking forward to the challenge of knocking some people off that we’re not supposed to knock off and we want to get back to the playoffs.” But, as Barr said, it’s one step at a time. PineBeltSPORTS.com

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new and undecided as of halfway through preseason practice. It’s a three-way battle between junior Kirk McCarty, sophomore Cameron Myers and sophomore J.C. Keys, and the coaches swear it’s neck-and-neck, with all three taking equal reps in practice.

SAFETY VALVE — Safety John Addison Ford found his footing with a strong junior season in 2011, his first as a starter. Now he is one of only two returning starters on the Warrior defense.

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Petal

2012 Outlook

Petal earned a degree in winning last season, finishing as state runner-up. Despite its personnel losses — and the outside perception of said losses — the Panthers are poised to continue their success, as Larson Barkurn (left) and Trevor Williams (right) are out to prove that it takes more than just one to make a work of art.

he end of the 2011 season took an awful lot out of the Petal football team — they lost their head coach, they lost their star quarterback and, as new QB Larson Barkurn puts it best, “We won the state championship for what, 15 seconds?” But don’t think for a second that the

The Petal News

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Panthers are down and out. They replaced head coach Steve Buckley with one of the most respected leaders in Mississippi in five-time state champion Marcus Boyles and return some critical players on both sides of the ball. Of course, many think Petal was a one-man show last year with now-

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Petal

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Southern Miss quarterback Anthony Alford. The mission in 2012 will be to prove that perception wrong. “I think there is (that perception),” Boyles said. “(Alford) was such a big part of the offense last year. I think there are some question marks there outside our team. People wonder who can take over that load. It’s not going to be one person, it’s going to have to be a combination of a few kids.” The offense returns three starters, beginning with top playmaker Jamarcus Revies at wideout. The senior burner made his presence known last year, earning a PineBeltSPORTS All-Area nod while catching balls for over 720 yards and eight touchdowns and showing off his big-play ability with a 26.7 yards-per-catch average. He also scored two rushing touchdowns and two kick return TDs, and the plan is to once again utilize Revies in a variety of roles — whatever it takes to get the ball in his hands. “We’ve got to be really creative,” Boyles said. “He’s our best playmaker on offense. We can’t let him set up at receiver and let teams double team him all the time. So we’ve got to be creative. Special teams is one way to get him the ball, but also having him in the backfield and some things like that.” The man who will be getting the ball to Revies and taking on the unenviable task of replacing Alford is Larson Barkurn. He may not be a returning

starter, but he has long played a critical role in Petal athletics. Last year he made a number of timely plays stepping into the lineup as Alford’s backup, and he was also utilized as the team’s long snapper and at times at running back. On the baseball field he’s already cemented himself as a star. So Barkurn is no stranger to the spotlight or to the playing field. “I think Larson’s going to be a really good quarterback for us and get the ball to those guys that can make plays,” Boyles said, “and at the same time I think he’s going to make plays for us.” Barkurn does not have the speed or shiftiness that the previous signal caller did, but not many do. He will rely more on making the right reads and throwing the ball well, and he is mobile enough to get out of the pocket. He’s also been known to run a defender or two over — while the opposition may have wished they could get a hand on Alford, they may regret doing so with Barkurn. It will be critical, however, for Barkurn to stay healthy after he missed a chunk of 2011 due to injury. The senior QB will also be throwing the ball to Jesse Jackson, who may have not been atop the depth chart last season but does have a good amount of game experience; he earned praise from the previous coaching regime heading into last season. Jackson’s junior year is now his time

2012 Outlook

to shine. With Alford gone and the loss of Terrance Payne to graduation, the running game will have a new face this season. Poplarville transfer Tyus Raine will be the go-to guy out of the backfield after rushing for 1,168 yards and 19 touchdowns for the Hornets a year ago. Just a junior, he’ll add a powerful punch and try to make sure the Panther running game doesn’t lose a step. Backing up Raine will be senior John Windham, a player who has gotten practice reps at running back in the past but no game time. He focused on the defensive side of things as a junior. So while there were some losses at the skill positions, it would appear that Petal is restocked and ready to go as it enters the year. The talent is certainly there. “I think the biggest thing is the experience,” Boyles said. “We do the drills and seven on seven but there’s nothing like 11 on 11. I think the more time we compete in that environment, the better we’ll see them get. I think that’s been evident through (practice).” As much as any unit, that statement stands for the offensive line. That group was a strong point a year ago, but three starters were lost to graduation. Still, it looked like perhaps the two most talented of the group would be back — until Cade Camp moved Photo by Matt Bush

TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER — New Petal head coach Marcus Boyles is no stranger to winning or state championships, and will look to bring both to a Panther program that already reached unprecedented heights in 2011.

The Petal News

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——— “I think they’re hungry to prove last year wasn’t a fluke; and that confidence factor is strong. They got a taste of it and they kind of liked it.” ———

out of the area. That leaves only sophomore Javon Patterson back, though he is a rock upon which a strong foundation can be built. It may take some time for the offensive line to find its footing, but when it does it bodes well for the future. Boyles also spoke highly of center Thad Roberts, Patterson’s sophomore classmate. “I think the offensive line is going to be the key,” the head coach said. “If they can open up some holes for our running backs we’ve got some kids that can do a good job. And if they can pass protect, Larson’s going to get the ball to our playmakers. “I think that group is getting better each day. Again, they need that experience. There’s nothing like Friday nights, so I think it’ll be a work in progress. The kids are working extremely hard and I think that group’s going to be fine, but it’s not going to be a great offensive line in the first game. Maybe by the end of the season.” While there are some new pieces, the offensive scheme remains the same, as virtually all of the assistant coaching staff returns intact. The same holds true for the defensive side of the ball, which returns six starters The Petal News

from a group that made some big plays in 2011. Boyles said he expects the same this campaign — big plays and turnovers. Though there is talent at every level, the strength of the defense may be a secondary that brings back a lot of experience and speed. Safeties Jalen Boney (a 2011 All-Area selection) and Johna Myers were pleasant surprises last year, and the junior duo is more experienced in 2012. Two-way standouts Jackson and Revies will see plenty of time at cornerback to help with the athleticism in the unit, two roles they filled a year ago as well. And Revies is just as explosive on the defensive side of the ball too — see his 40-yard sprint to strip a ball on the goal line and save a touchdown against Meridian in South State last fall. “Those kids are very active back there,” Boyles said, “whether it’s providing run support or playing real good pass defense. They’re always around the ball. This first week (of practice), if Larson doesn’t get it out quickly, they’re doing a great job of knocking the ball down or intercepting it. With the two outside linebackers and the secondary, that’s the strength of our defense this year.”

That linebacking group begins with Trevor Williams and Slade Buckley. The latter, a junior, got some experience off the bench last year, while the former is the heart of the Panther defense. And in a new twist, both will see some snaps on the offensive side of the ball as well. “I think Trevor’s one of our best football players on the team,” Boyles said. “He returns punts, he’s going to play some offense and is one of, if not the best defensive player we’ve got. “Slade’s always where he’s supposed to be and handles his responsibilities. He’s going to be in a position to make plays. We’ve got three kids in the middle that have looked good in the spring and fall despite not a lot of playing time. So I think we’re fine there.” Some others that will be in the mix are senior Garren Berry, who’s coming off an injury, and newcomer Dwayne McIntyre, who, despite coming out for the first time as a senior, has impressed the coaching staff. “He’s a guy that’s just all around the football,” Boyles said. “Every time, he’s just all over the field. I think he has a chance to make a big impact for us on

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defense.” The line has some bodies to replace, including All-Stater and All-Area selection Ge’monee Brown, but brings back All-Area choice Haydn Lott. Joining him will be some players that may have some experience, even if it’s not as a starter. Senior Jamon Butler and juniors Chris Knight and Jarron Guy will be asked to make plays in the trenches for a group that is still building depth. In the end, Boyles knows what it takes to win, and he certainly thinks that this group has some important characteristics shared with his past championship squads. There are playmakers on both sides of the ball, and the group would have good reason to want to get back to where they were a year ago — seconds from a state championship. “I think they’re hungry to prove last year wasn’t a fluke,” Boyles said. “And that confidence factor is strong. They got a taste of it and they kind of liked it. “I see that with these kids. It’s a long season and a tough road, but I think if we can stay healthy we’ll have a chance to have a good football team by the end of the year.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

Photo by Matt Bush

Thanks to some plug-and-play — new coach, new QB — Hattiesburg is all systems go as it shoots for a second straight playoff berth behind Tony Bridges (3), Jamal Hatten (6) and Brandon Acker (11)

hen new head coach Trey Dickerson arrived in Hattiesburg a year ago, he brought with him bright hopes for a Hattiesburg program looking to return to consistent success. When he led the Tigers back to the postseason despite a tough region, the future looked bright. But then Dickerson jumped ship, heading back to South Panola. Now the question becomes: Where does that leave Hattiesburg? The answer is: As a team facing some changes, but one that isn’t expecting to lose much ground. In Dickerson’s place, Dan Nowell steps in to lead the Tigers. Nowell has been with the program since 2008, both as offensive and defensive coordinator (the position he held in 2011), and has been coaching for 42 years. Don’t expect many sweeping changes in the Hub City this season — there are only three new faces on the coaching staff. “Having been here four years I’m real famil-

iar with the program,” Nowell said. “It was an easy transition for me. This is not my first rodeo. Being able to keep most of the coaches on staff — and making some really good hires — has been good. And we’ve got some good kids coming back.” So what is changing? Well, the offense, for one. Under the watch of new offensive coordinator Terry Underwood, a longtime coach at rival Oak Grove, Hattiesburg will move away from the two-back, downhill running that comprised much of the team’s attack last season. Instead, the Tigers will go with a one-back, spread option look, running a lot of the scheme out of the shotgun. It might look a little different on the field, but Nowell says the overall offense hasn’t been altered much. “Really it’s not that much difference,” the head coach said. “The blocking schemes are pretty much the same. We’re just not going to hang our hat on the two-back power offense. …

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That’s because we want to utilize the ability of our quarterback, because he is a playmaker. And that’s more of what I’ve done in the past anyway.” That quarterback is one of the changes as well. Although multiple QBs took snaps last season, it was freshman Cameron Myers who appeared to be the future of the position, taking over the bulk of the work. But the young signal caller transferred to Oak Grove over the summer, leaving the Tigers with a major hole. That is, until they got a transfer of their own. Sylacauga (Ala.) transfer Jamal Hatten will take over under center, and should bring an explosive presence to the position. While Myers was known for the potential in his arm, Hatten’s feet will do a lot of talking for the 6foot, 185-pound senior QB. “We were real fortunate to get a quarterback to move in here,” Nowell said. “He’s got a lot of experience. … He stepped in here and he’s operating our offense as well as anyone I’ve The Lamar Times

Hattiesburg had.” The goal of the offense, Nowell said, is that of any spread offense — get the ball in the hands of the teams best players in space. Hattiesburg, it would seem, has a number of those types of athletes, especially with Hatten joining the fold. The versatile Tony Bridges, a senior, will be one of those, along with fellow receiver Brandon Acker, arguably one of the best wideouts in the state. The 6-3 senior caught 45 passes for 840 yards and six touchdowns last year and is quickly earning interest from FBS colleges. “We want our quarterback to have the ball because he’s the best playmaker, and we want to get it in the hands of Bridges and Acker,” Nowell said. “We’re going to try to spread it around and utilize our talent. “We’re going to try to be more consistent. Last year if we had scored two or three more touchdowns, we would have won some more games. We’ve got to get more consistent on offense and put more points on the board, and I really believe we’re going to be able to do that.” Acker suffered a hairline fracture in his ankle while playing baseball in July, but is expected back for the season. His head coach says there is no reason the wideout can’t have a big year. “Brandon Acker is probably one of the best receivers in the area,” Nowell said. “He’s smart and he has a really good knowledge of football, playing receiver and running routes. He’s got great hands and knows how to get in position. He knows what to do after the catch. He’s not quite the athlete Tony Bridges is, but he’s just a good receiver.” Part of building offensive consistency will come in finding to someone to step up running out of the backfield. Eight different players had at least 19 carries last year, but returning leading rusher Lee Jackson (678 yards, 6 TDs) is the top back heading into the season. There will need to be other contributers however, especially after Jackson, a senior, dislocated his ankle in the spring. It’s possible he’ll miss the beginning of the season. Of course, all of it will be for naught if the offensive line doesn’t do its job. There is a good chunk of returning experience at the position, so Nowell has no problem asking the group to take another step forward. “We challenged our offensive line,” the head coach said. “We should be as good or better than what we had last year. If we’re going to be as good as we can be with the skill players, it starts up front. The success of the offense is pretty much on their shoulders.” But Hattiesburg will really hang its hat, as Nowell likes to say, on its defense, much as it did a season ago. The head coach says that group, which returns seven starters, is the strength of this squad. “The best leadership we have is on the defensive side of the ball,” Nowell said. “Last year we were pretty good on defense, and we get several of those guys back. There’s no reason we can’t be as good or better. I hope our offense will be better, but I’m looking for our defense to carry us, particularly early in the season.” The Tigers allowed 16.4 points per game last campaign, including two shutouts. The coaching staff feels good about a defensive front that returns some experience lining up in a three down-linemen scheme based around senior noseguard Jamal Posey. The two ends will be Bradford Moore and Aikeem Coleman. Behind them are some experienced linebackers, including middle ’backer Anthony Keyes. The senior was the team’s leading tackler a season ago. “He’s not very big and he doesn’t look imposing,” Nowell said, “but if you don’t get on him he’ll make every tackle.” Nowell feels good about the experience in his secondary as well, The Petal News

2012 Outlook starting with cornerback Emory Ireland. The defensive back was a starter last year as a sophomore, and stands to be even better this season. He’ll be joined by Bridges, who will be utilized at safety to take advantage of his athleticism. If the defense is the strong point of this team, Nowell considers special teams an area of great improvement. That could be critical for building consistency — last year special teams gaffes proved especially costly against Petal. And if the Tigers can continue to advance their passing game, the offense could become a dynamic complement to the rest of the team. “I’m an old-time traditional coach,” Nowell said, “and I believe that the way you rank your success is defense, special teams and then offense. That’s always the order I’d put them in.” The biggest adjustment, though, may need to come in the team’s attitude. If the program wants to grow into one that is successful year in and year out, it needs to develop the expectations that it will be successful year in and year out. Simply settling for a good year may have cost Hattiesburg dearly in a first-round playoff loss to Biloxi last fall. “We’ve been preaching to this team, I want these guys to set their goals higher,” Nowell said. “We’ve got expectations and we need to set their goals higher and try to reach those. For example, I think we’ve beaten Oak Grove two out of the last four years, and each time that’s the last game we won the rest of the season. These guys have got to be able to handle success. And if we are successful, set goals higher and do whatever it takes to achieve those. “We’ve put up goals: advancing further than we have previously. I hope we’re getting that across to them. I didn’t feel like we played very well at all at Biloxi. To be honest, we played like we were ready to go home — to pack it in for the year. If we make it to postseason play, I want them to be hungry.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

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Purvis

2012 Outlook

Purvis wants to finish 2012 at the head of the class, and Logan Dearman, Renzy Davis, Cole Morrow and Thamaz Taylor (left to right) hope to write the book on winning in Class 4A

urvis head coach Perry Wheat is generally rather understated when it comes to talking about his team, so when he says that the group has a chance to meet some very high expectations, it is really saying something. A year ago, the Tornadoes faced all sorts of questions at the skill positions. What a difference a season can make. In 2012 it won’t be about finding the right players, it will be about finding out how good those players can be. Everything on offense begins with tailThe Petal News

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back Thamaz Taylor, a senior who was a breakout star in 2011, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and scoring 27 touchdowns. He continued to churn up ground even as defenses honed in on him. Wheat acknowledges that he has a special player in the small but powerful Taylor, but he wants to make sure his team doesn’t become too predictable. That might be possible this year due to the development of sophomore quarterback Nathan Roseberry. After starting for much of his freshman year, Roseberry

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——— “I think our kids really have their sights set pretty high. Our feeling is that anybody on our schedule could beat us, but we can beat anybody on our schedule.” ——— should be much more settled in with his rookie jitters out of the way. “Were’ going to ask a little more of him in terms of what he has to do,” Wheat said. “He did a good job last year, but we were mostly run oriented. So we hope to be more balanced this year.” Don’t expect Taylor to be scaled back too much, but the plan is certainly to put the ball in the air more than the 40 times Purvis did so last campaign. The direct beneficiary will be the wideouts, which will be led by returning starter Markell Pack, a junior. He was the team’s leading receiver from a year ago and could become a playmaker for the Tornadoes. “We’ll be somewhat of a different style of offense and hopefully our passing game will be there. We’ve got a couple of good receivers and the line, we think, is pretty solid. We hope to take more of what the defense gives us and not have to force the run all the time. “Everybody wants the ball, so to speak. Last year they didn’t get an awful lot of catches because we didn’t put it up that much. I think they’ll have more of an opportunity to get the ball and be playmakers, but they need to still do a good job blocking downfield.” That comment hints that Taylor will remain heavily involved carrying the ball, but he’ll also be expected to catch the ball out of the backfield, something that hasn’t happened much in the past. The tailback has worked in the offseason on improving his hands in order to split out

The Petal News

Purvis

wide in the slot in certain packages. The offensive line will set the tone for it all, and it will be forced to replace a couple of strong players in the departed Jaime Stuart and Gunnar Garza. Still, the coaching staff likes the group it has assembled, led by seniors Cole Morrow (tackle) and Renzy Davis (guard). “Those are two returning starters and we think they’re pretty good high school football players. But we feel like those (other) kids just need to get some playing experience. We feel like they’re strong enough and aggressive enough. We just need to get them experience and let them work through the mistakes.” Flipping to the defensive side of the ball, the questions are in similar areas — in the front seven. Jamahl Tatum and Keoni Davis are gone after anchoring a solid defensive front and the leadership now falls to returning senior Logan Dearman. He’ll lead younger contributors Eric Turner and Damian Minor, both juniors who have had a positive offseason. Wheat expects the style of play on the defensive line to be a little bit different, trying to make the most out of a unit that is smaller but a little quicker. The Tornadoes should attack more and try to get into the opposing backfield. Linebacker was hit by graduation as well, as Purvis must somehow replace PineBeltSPORTS.com AllArea selection and Region 74A Defensive Player of the Year Cory Breazeale (129 tackles, 22 TFL). The group

is admittedly less experienced, but there are some encouraging prospects as senior Preston Pitfield, senior Gabe Sones and sophomore Stephen Curtis will need to step up. “We did lose some really good players there and it

2012 Outlook

may take a few games to recover,” Wheat said. “The linebackers need to play. We have some guys that are aggressive and have worked hard developing themselves.” The returning skill players on offense also bolster the secondary for Purvis. Photo by Artie Rawls

2012 Outlook Roseberry, Taylor and Pack will play both ways, albeit with a close watch on their snap count, and senior Timmy Thomas saw significant playing time a year ago. “I think our secondary will be talented,” Wheat said. “We’re going to have to have a rotation and get them some rest. They’ve got some playing experience. They’ve done a good job this summer working on pass coverage in 7-on-7. What remains to be seen is how good we’ll be as tacklers.” Wheat also feels good about the team’s intangibles. A year ago this group got Purvis back to the playoffs — despite the preseason questions — and now should know what it takes to get back. Even with some major losses to graduation, the leadership still seems to be in place to repeat the success that seems to be an annual tradition at Purvis under Wheat. “I don’t think leadership’s going to be a problem,” Wheat said. “I think we’ve got great character on our team and we’ve got some seniors that have been here and work hard and love to play football.

Purvis “I think they have a great work ethic and we’ve got some talented kids, we just don’t have a lot of depth. As long as we can be fortunate and stay healthy, I think we can be competitive. Of course we’ve got a bruiser of a schedule, and we could be pretty good and still lose some games.” Don’t let that fool you into thinking Purvis has tempered expectations. Just because they know the road ahead won’t be easy doesn’t mean that the Tornadoes aren’t hoping to prove themselves as among the best that Class 4A has to offer. “I think our kids really have their sights set pretty high,” Wheat said. “Our feeling is that anybody on our schedule could beat us, but we can beat anybody on our schedule. We’re going to try to take them one at a time and do a good job preparing and go out and play hard. I think we’ve got a chance to really accomplish something, but it’s going to be a tough task.” A task that Purvis may just be up to tackling. PineBeltSPORTS.com

Photo by Matt Bush

SHOULDERING MORE — The plan is to loosen the reins on sophomore quarterback Nathan Roseberry and create balance for a Purvis offense that has already proven it can run the ball.

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The Lamar Times

Photo by Richard Thompson

RECEIVERS — James Jackson is a member of a receiving corps that head coach Shannon White calls as good as any he’s ever had.

began last year as the starting quarterback, but an early injury ended his season and left the team looking for a signal caller. Simon is now back — a strong performance during the baseball season would indicate his injury is a thing of the past — and will finally get a chance to show what he can do under center. “(Simon) is a hundred times better than he was at this time last year,” White said. “Unfortunately he got hurt and missed ballgames. Mentally and physically he’s a completely different quarterback. He’s a lot more mature, knows our offense and is a better leader. He’s really grown up.” The offensive line is the biggest question mark, and it’s a risky one that could slow down a highoctane offense. But while the group lacks much experience, the coaches do like the potential. It may take a few games for the unit to show what it is capable of. “They’re pretty athletic,” White said, “and we’ve got a decent amount of size, which we don’t need to have in this offense. I think we’ve got eight or nine guys that can play up there.” On the opposite side of the ball, the defensive line will need to

Photo by Mary Alice Truitt

——— “We better not go 3-9 again. I don’t put much value on wins and losses, but 3-9 would be a disappointment for us.” ———

replace some experience as well. But it has a good foundation to build on, starting with senior noseguard Matt Emerson, who White calls a part of the heart of the defense. At 6-foot-3, 295 pounds, Emerson’s not a bad piece to start with. Behind Emerson lies the strength of the Bobcat defense. Junior linebacker Clay Touchstone looked like he would be a breakout star in 2011, but an injury robbed him of a large chunk of the season. He is back and healthy and will pace the defensive effort. Joining him in the linebacking corps will be junior Taylor McNeese, who finished seventh on the team in tackles a season ago. Safety Will Nobles joins Touchstone as a leader on the defensive side of the ball, after finishing second on the team with 89 tackles as a junior. “We’ve got some good leaders on defense and that’s kind of the big three (Emerson, Touchstone, Nobles),” White said. “Those are three guys that don’t come off the field very much. “We’ll be better defensively, if for more other reason than we’re stronger, which makes you a more physical team. I think these kids are going to be physical players. We’re a little bit young up front and that’s a concern, but our linebackers and secondary are seasoned players and run well.” The rest of the secondary will feature a good amount of rotation and two-way play, but that also means the team’s best athletes will be there boasting their experience. That group will include the Watts cousins and Jackson. For all the areas of improvement at Sumrall — strength,

toughness, game experience, speed, an exciting offensive scheme — White says it is the leadership of the senior class that bolsters this team. A large group that already understands what its head coach demands, the upperclassmen are poised to help the program take the next step forward. “They’re just a good group,” White said. “They’re close-knit and they get along. As a group they show great leadership and they’re determined to win every game they play. That’s what you want in your seniors, and there are a lot of them. They are to our football team what seniors are supposed to be. Some are great players, some don’t hit the field, but every one of them helps our team.” For the first time in a long time there is a bit of a buzz surrounding Sumrall football this fall. Nobody expects the Bobcats to be world-beaters, but the team and its fans are clamoring for more. This is the year, White says, that the strings are cut — there is no more hand-holding. But when asked about what it’s going to take for the program to continue to progress this season, White isn’t quite sure what to say. “I don’t know how to answer that,” he said. “You just go out and try to win every Friday night. We talk about the defense getting the football and the offense scoring points. … and that’s what we talk about all the time. What do we do to win? This is the goal. It’s real simple. “I don’t think they need me to motivate them. They haven’t had a winning season in 16 years; we don’t have to talk about that, everybody knows that.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

NOBLE EFFORT — Senior Will Nobles (24) will be part of a core of leaders on the defense for Sumrall.

Lumberton

2012 Outlook

Lumberton’s going to have to hit the books in 2012 if they want to improve on their results from a year ago. Joe Edwards (50) and Keshod Willis (9) will be responsible for educating their younger, less experienced teammates on how to win.

Photos by Matt Bush

umberton’s state title defense was a mixed bag of up and down, good and bad. Now the target is off its back, and the question is: where do the Panthers go from here? Last season’s 6-6 record was a little deceiving. With four losses of a touchdown or less — and three of those by two points or less — one could argue that Lumberton was a few bounces away from being 10-2. Normally that would set the Panthers up for improvement in 2012, but there are still plenty of question marks heading into the season. The squad returns just three starters on offense and four on defense, plus a roster that’s smaller than it was a year ago. That mean’s the coaching staff will have to get the most out of everyone, including some young and inexperienced players. “The biggest thing is we’re not going to quit on a kid because he’s young or not performing well,” head coach Brian Ford said. “We’re going to keep coaching them. As long as they don’t quit on us, they’ll improve and develop. From year to year you just try to coach them up and watch them improve and develop. At a small school, that’s something you’ll deal with every year.” The good news for the Panthers is that, at least on offense, there is some experience beyond the returning starters. And the attack should get a bit of a jumpstart from a year ago thanks to two returning players at quarterback. Both Kion Willis, a junior, and Joe Arnold, a sophomore, got starts under center last season, and now both are back. Willis missed spring practice due to an injury, but Arnold has put in work throughout the offseason. Bringing what they know to preseason camp should allow the entire offense to get a head start on where it was at this time last year. “I think it helps us having two guys that have experience,” Ford said, “and we’re hoping to be able to utilize both those guys.” The Panthers are always a run-first team, though, and if Lumberton can hang its hat on anything, it’s a return-

ing group of its top four rushers from 2011. Senior Keshod Willis leads the way both on and off the field after running for 683 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing the last few games of the season. He’ll be looking to get back to his 2010 form, when he nearly touched 1,000 yards. Behind him will be junior Jatarrin Clark who rushed for 645 yards and four TDs in significant time as a sophomore. Backup DeMario Hughes (198 yards) is also back. The team will expect more from all three running backs. “Keshod will be a senior and we’re expecting big things out of him,” Ford said. “Jatarrin is another guy we’re expecting to step up. They’ll both have to play both ways, so we’re going to have to utilize their skills and manage them in the right way.” Where the questions come on offense are on the offensive line and at wide receiver. Gone are players like PineBeltSPORTS.com All-Area lineman Cody Fairchild, and after the front five was a strength for the team last campaign, new faces will need to fill in the gaps. Ford hopes that starts with senior Joe Edwards and junior Matt Gay, who are no strangers to playing time. Junior Bernard White has also impressed during the offseason. “There’s a lot of a different look,” Ford said. “We don’t have nearly the size or experience up front, but I feel like they’ve made improvement and their athleticism will make up for some of their lack of experience.” Wide receiver is a slightly different story, with virtually no experience to speak of. The top two wideouts (and only targets of significance) from 2011 are gone, including All-Area selection and Jones County Junior College signee Vic Jenkins. It’s unlikely the new group will immediately prove as dangerous a threat, but even solid play from new contributors like sophomores Noel Mitchell and Javier Chavis would go a long way in giving the offense a boost. The defense faces some of the same question as the offense. The defensive line will have to build some depth

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around Edwards, who will be expected to set the tone as a down lineman. “No doubt, Joe, he’s kind of our anchor,” Ford said. “He’ll be a senior and he’s a good athlete. So we’re looking for his leadership on both sides of the ball.” The strength of the stopping unit will undoubtedly be the linebackers, which feature a good collection of experience. Clark, who tied for the team lead in tackles in 2011, and sophomore Blake Ford will man the middle spots to provide a strong core. Ford had an excellent debut as a freshman with 49 tackles. The outside linebackers will be a pair of Willises, with Keshod and Kion lining up. “Jatarrin and Blake were in our top tacklers from last year,” coach Ford said, “so we feel good about our strength there. Kion and Keshod are real physical type players, so we look for them to do a good job on defense as well.” The secondary, however, is another story. Much like last year, the defensive backs were wiped clean by graduation, and a whole new starting group must be cobbled together. It’s a tough challenge for Lumberton, which once again fails to maintain any stability or conti-

The Petal News

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Photo by Matt Bush

2012 Outlook

North Forrest

North Forrest isn’t without its holes to fill, but with a potentially explosive option offense under new head coach and Eagles lifer Ken Carter, the bus will be rolling again thanks to Dallas Carter, Chris Schneider, Jalen Haskin and Brandon Howlett (clockwise from top left)

ure, there’s some change at North Forrest this season, but that doesn’t mean the Eagle faithful aren’t expecting more of the same. After a year that saw the squad finish 8-5 and fall in the first round to eventual Class 2A state runner-up East Marion, the red, white and blue are aiming for continued success. “Our goal is we want to be competitive in every game,” North Forrest head coach Ken Carter said. “With the schedule we play, eight out of the 10 teams made the

playoffs and four made it to South State and one to State. There are no slouches. Our goal is to be competitive and when people walk off the field we want them to say, ‘North Forrest hit us in the mouth.’ ” Carter is in his first year as head man at the school, but that doesn’t mean he’s not familiar. He started his career as a student coach at North Forrest in 1985, and has had many a stint there as an assistant, including the past few years. He spent time as Sumrall’s head coach from

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2002 to 2006. “We’re trying to make the playoffs, obviously,” Carter said. “Our ultimate goal is to win the district and go from there. That’s not an easy goal to achieve.” If they are to do it, the Eagles will lean heavily on group of returning starters that features six men back on each side of the ball. There were some significant losses to graduation, but that doesn’t mean the players coming back aren’t significant as well. The Lamar Times

The Petal News

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The Lamar Times

North Forrest

2012 Outlook THE LEADER — As a fourth-year starter at quarterback, Jalen Haskin will make the offense tick for North Forrest, utilizing his arm and his legs.

Photos by Matt Bush

SWOOPING IN — Junior lineman Julian Chaney will be critical on both sides of the ball for the Eagles, as the lines will be asked to contribute a great deal in 2012.

Perhaps the most important is quarterback Jalen Haskin, who will make the double wing, Georgia Tech style option attack hum. The senior is entering his fourth year as a starter, giving Carter a QB he should be able to count on to lead the team. Haskin passed for 1,110 yards and nine touchdowns a year ago and added 575 and 7 TDs on the ground. “It’s always nice to have an experience signal caller in there,” Carter said. “(Other teams) think they’re going to have to stack the box, but we’ve got a couple of receivers that can make things happen. “I depend on (Haskin) as much as I do my offensive line. He’s in charge of it all and I expect him to be a leader and make our offense go.” Carter also said he’s counting on experienced junior fullback Hunter Leui to step up as both a performer and a leader. Leui is coming off a season in which he rushed for 392 yards and five touchdowns. He’ll have to help make up for the loss of the team’s top two runners. Also running out of the backfield from the wing spots are Brandon Howlett and Jeremiah Nobles, along with “a host of other guys” that are pushing for playing time. Of course, the offense can only operate effectively if the offensive line does its job, and in the case of North Forrest, that should be nothing but good news. The Petal News

There are three starters back in the unit, with seniors Chris Schneider (center) and Dallas Carter (left guard) and junior John Brown (right guard). The two tackles are underclassmen in Rasheem Moses and Kamron Carter. “I think we’re in a real good place,” coach Carter said. “We probably average 280 (pounds) across the front, so we’re counting heavily on them. They’re not just fat bodies, they’re strong and athletic. We’re putting a lot of pressure on them and they know it and they’re stepping up to the challenge.” When the Eagles do take flight and go to the air, Haskin has a top target in junior Denver Magee, who comes in at over six feet tall. He was the team’s leading pass catcher in 2011, racking up 459 yards and four TDs. Sophomore Traquan Shelton will lineup on the other side. “When you run the ball as much as we do,” Carter said, “every-

body’s going to stack the box and try to shut down the run. You’ve got to be able to throw the ball over the top, and those receivers help.” While the offense looks to be strong, there are more questions on a defense that wasn’t just shredded by graduation quantitywise, but also quality-wise. That leaves the defensive line as the anchor for the Eagles. Dallas Carter, Chaney and Brown feature prominently, with Kamron Carter and Allen Fayles rushing off the ends. Behind the line is a mixed bag of experience and lack thereof. The linebackers, perhaps the team’s strength last season, are now completely green. The Eagles will rely on two sophomores — Pat Walker and Keontez Everett — who have potential but will need game time. The secondary starts at the safety positions, where Howlett moves in from linebacker and brings experience. Haskin will run

both ways as he fills in at free safety. Jeremiah Nobles has started in the past at cornerback, while less experienced players like Andre Bowden and Ty Curry will also fill in at defensive back. North Forrest will have to improve on its tackling, something the squad has focused on since spring practice. But Carter feels good that those things will come around thanks to a tight-knit group that is doing things the right way. “These kids are out there working hard,” the head coach said. “They’ve done it all spring and summer. They’re holding each other accountable for their work ethic. They’re really just like a 40man band of brothers. Just like brothers, they have their arguments, but they get over it and move on.” And Carter might be just the right man to lead them on their way. He said he hopes fans will see a hardnosed, hard-working group of kids of high moral character. And who are invested in North Forrest as much as he is. Despite the fact that Carter has bounced around to seven different places since his career started as a student coach, he and his wife have lived half a mile from the school the entire time. “It meant the world to me (to get this job),” Carter said. “I consider myself North Forrest through and through, red, white and blue.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

Photo by Matt Bush

2012 Outlook

PCS

So far, the Presbyterian Christian football program has aced the test, coming extrordinarily far in its short lifespan. But after the graduation of the core group that lifted the Bobcats to new heights, Tanner McGowen, Stephen Jones and Micah Griffin (left to right) are hungry for more

resbyterian Christian head coach Joey Hawkins has a saying — make each day a championship type day. That’s been the mantra for the Bobcats and it continues to be heading into the 2012 season. PCS has proven it’s a second-tier program in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools, stuck behind the elite Jackson schools, but Hawkins says the only way his program can continue to be successful is to repeat that mantra and worry about the things it can control.

“You just try to take it one day at a time really and try to have a championship type day,” Hawkins said. “If you can build enough of those you can win. We’re the youngest school in the MAIS and we’ve grown so fast. It’s been quite remarkable.” A year after a breakout campaign in 2010, last season PCS showed its staying power, getting back to the playoffs and going 8-4. That’s where the expectations will stand again this season. It’s also a critical year because the Bobcats will

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have to show that it can maintain its success after saying goodbye to the core group of players that lifted the program to new heights. In order to continue that progress, the Bobcats will again face a tough schedule, including an opening pair of games against Jackson Academy and Simpson Academy. That schedule led to an 0-2 start to last season before Presbyterian Christian bounced back. “We’re excited,” Hawkins said. “We wanted to play the toughest schedule as The Lamar Times

The Petal News

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early as we could. We also play Germantown, which is a public school. We’re trying to play enough good teams to continue to improve.” PCS has featured a mostly balanced attack in recent years, but expect the offense to begin with the run in 2012. A new quarterback plus a talented stable of running backs will ensure that the Bobcats will keep the ball on the ground a good amount. Mainstay Blake Graves is gone, but last year witnessed the breakout of Lee Sigrest, a 195-pound junior, who reached the 1,000-yard mark. He should be able to step into the void left by Graves in the backfield as a workhorse who can get the tough yards. Add in senior Stephen Jones as a big-play threat and new addition Fate Eiland, a sophomore, and things look good for the Bobcats on the ground. Eiland drew rave reviews from his head coach, who praised his speed and vision and called him the best sophomore back in the league. Micah Griffin, Hunter Norton and Tyler Young may also play a role at the position. That group goes a long way in producing a team that Hawkins calls the fastest he’s ever had in Hattiesburg. “We’ve got a lot of speed,” Hawkins said. “Our backs are the best we’ll ever have here. All these guys can make something happen with the ball. We feel good about our backs. We’ve just got to keep building on the line and be able to stay with blocks.” That offensive line will need to prove itself. After the unit has showed continued improvement under Hawkins, the team will have to replace some experience in the trenches. PineBeltSPORTS.com AllArea lineman Tanner McGowen, a senior three-year starter at right tackle, will lead the group. The starting guards will be junior twins Winston and Reid Hudson, while junior Matthew Stevens steps in at center. Left tackle will feature a rotation of seniors Logan McBride and Adam Winford and sophomore Zach Bufkin, a 6-foot-4, 275-pounder who has shown a lot of potential. “Offensively, it’s going to come down to how good our offensive line is,” Hawkins said. “They’re working hard. We’ve got a big sense of urgency right now.” That urgency comes because the line will need to not only block for the running backs, but for an inexperienced quarterback. Brandon Sullivan graduated along with his years of starting experience, and the Bobcats are left trying to fill the void. That responsibility will fall to two seniors, Daniel Patterson and Robbie Broadhead. Neither has seen much game time at the position. Hawkins called the race between the two “neck and neck” and said that, halfway through preseason practice, both players deserved to play.

Photos by Matt Bush

——— “We’re the youngest school in the MAIS and we’ve grown so fast. It’s been quite remarkable.” ———

“We’re probably going to play two quarterbacks early,” the head coach said. “Robbie can do some things with his feet and Daniel can throw the ball in some great spots for us. We feel good about the position. “We want to establish the run. That’s the most important thing in our league — you’ve got to be able to control the ball and run the clock. But we want to mix it up. We’ve got great speed. We feel like if we can get downfield a little bit or out in space, we’ve got the weapons to really make something happen.” Like the running backs, the wide receivers should be able to make plays if they get the ball in space. Senior Chris Addison started every game for the Bobcats a year ago, and Young has experience catching the ball as well. Juniors Rand Henderson, Robert Upton and Jonathan Burks will also factor into a rotation that will keep the unit fresh. The loss of do-it-all tight end Hunter Hawkins will hurt, but an injury that shortened his season also opened up playing time for Robbie Morgan, now a senior, to get some playing experience. The defense will have to play up to recent levels for PCS to continue to enjoy success, and there are pieces in place to do that. The defensive line, however, will be a work in progress. Much like its offensive counterpart, there is not a lot of experience up front. Expect the Bobcats to continue to feel out the position, rotating and searching for the right pieces, especially with Hawkins saying he’d like to shy away from playing guys both ways during the heat of the early season. There are six starters back on defense though, and the back seven

WORKHORSE — Lee Sigrest broke out for 1,000 yards rushing a year ago. This year, as a junior, he’ll lead an extremly talented stable of running backs at PCS.

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL 2012

The Lamar Times

should be reliable for Presbyterian Christian. Graves, the team’s defensive engine, is gone, but two talented linebackers return for the Bobcats in Griffin and Dakota Harvey. “Micah’s a three-year starter there,” Hawkins said of Griffin. “He got injured a little bit last year, but we’re expecting him to have a great year. He’s a 6-3, 200-pound guy that can run. He’s got to make a lot of tackles for us to be successful on defense.” The secondary is led by Jones, a long-time starter, and Addison. After the defensive backfield was a question mark heading into last season, the unit should now be one of the team’s strengths. “We think with the talent level we’ve got, we can be really good,” Hawkins said. “Stephen Jones has started back there for three years and is one of the better players in the league, without a doubt. We’re hoping to go two deep (on the depth chart in the secondary).” Special teams could also be an area of strength for PCS, as junior kicker Troy Waites returns

The Petal News

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and is growing into what his coach calls the best kicker in the league. Presbyterian Christian is certainly set up to again be one of the better teams in the MAIS. It will continue to chase Jackson Academy and control what it can — playing at a consistently high level. After the Raiders won a blowout in last season’s opener, the Bobcats nearly beat the powerhouse in the first round of the playoffs. PCS could get hung up on its inability to bust through that obstacle — of being second fiddle — but instead it uses the situation to alleviate pressure; Hawkins said his team wasn’t even “in the same zip code” as Jackson Academy when he took over. The Bobcats are having fun playing the up-and-coming underdog. “We feel like we outplayed JA last year,” Hawkins said. “We physically controlled the game. We were close to … winning the game. We’re ready and we’re excited about it. We’re talking about a school that started football 10 years ago versus 40 years. This is fun for us.” PineBeltSPORTS.com

Photo by Mitch Deaver

2012 Outlook hen Pearl River head coach Tim Hatten opens the 2012 season against the reigning MACJC and NJCAA champion East Mississippi Lions Aug. 30 in Scooba, it will be on very unfamiliar turf. You see, in Hatten’s 25-year coaching career — 20 as a high school and junior college head coach and five as a prep assistant — he has never entered a season off a losing campaign. But that’s not the case this go around. A year ago, his talented squad suffered through a 4-5 record, marking the first losing

PRCC mark of his career and the first for The River since 2000. “Last year, we had some unforeseen shortcomings, but it was really no different than any other year,” Hatten explained. “We lost to Northwest (56-55) and (MACJC runner-up) Gulf Coast (17-10) on the last plays of those two. No excuses, but we just didn’t make the plays at the end of games, plus we didn’t get the breaks when we needed them. “If we had gotten a break here and a break there, we could’ve easily been on the winning side and in the playoffs.”

Despite missing the post-season for the third straight year, the 2011 River offense still generated 4,185 total yards — the thirdhighest mark in school history — behind 2004's 12-game state and national championship season (5,202 yards) and 2005's ninegame (season cut by two games due to Hurricane Katrina) state title year (4,370 yards). “We had the offensive punch to win them all,” Hatten said, “but we weren’t up to snuff on the defensive side, which wasn’t on the level we’ve come accustomed to in the past.”

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By MITCH DEAVER River partisans will get a solid indication of their Wildcats’ prowess right off the bat when they open at East Mississippi. “That’s going to be a gigantic game for both sides,” said Hatten, who boasts a 77-24 win-loss mark over the last decade. “We’ll be mighty young in spots, but mighty talented.” Heading into preseason drills, talented incoming freshman Joe Kirkland of Moss Point High is making huge strides and could be pushing for the starting quarterback job, while 2011 backup Darius Holder of Lumberton High The Lamar Times

is also in the mix. Holder, who will also see action at wide receiver, played in four games at QB as a freshman last season. “We’re going to be fine at the quarterback position. We’ve got lots of talent and football smarts there,” Hatten said. “Darius had a great spring and with his athleticism, he’s going to be fine. If the situation arises, he can still take some snaps (at quarterback) for us if needed.” The remaining receiver spots will see virtually all new faces with the exception of Kris Riley of Orange Park, Fla., who saw limited playing time a year ago. Hatten is particular keen on Alcorn State sophomore transfer Chris Perkins, a 6-foot-5, 225 pounder from Hazlehurst. Incoming receivers that drew Hatten’s praise include Tysean Norris of Southaven, Akeem Pollard of Petal, Jorrell Thurman of Florence, and Jordan Woods of Oak Grove. “All four of those guys are very talented athletes,” Hatten said. “Akeem has been a pleasant surprise all summer. ... Jordan was a running back at Oak Grove, but he’s developing into a solid slot receiver. They all possess excellent speed and great hands. “Christian Chauvin (Oak Grove) is also on board and will play some slot and return punts and kickoffs.” Sophomore Cheeto Johnson of Forrest County AHS returns as the Wildcats’ key running back, while Jamaal Hall and Scottie Merrill, both out of Picayune, will see plenty of action.

The Petal News

Returning for second seasons on the offensive line are Cody Conkle, Levi Freeman, and Tanner Phillips, all of Petal; and Michael Muli of North Forrest and Jordan Sutherland of Bay. Conkle, Freeman, and Sutherland started all nine games last year. New faces with plenty of promise include Dyron Hart of Poplarville High, Colby Hegwood of Northwest Rankin High, and Carson Miller of West Point. Defensive coordinator Jim Nowell returns for his second year with the Wildcats and expects plenty of improvement. “Mainly, we’re going to be a lot deeper,” Nowell said. “We had decent players last year, but our depth wasn’t nearly where it should’ve been. ... We’ll be playing a lot more guys this time around.” Back on the line from last season are E.J. Pearson of Forrest County AHS, Marcus Hosey of Bassfield, and Maurice (Mo) Jones of Picayune; but the new blood definitely puts a gleam in Nowell’s eye. That group includes Ge’monee Brown of Petal. “Those (new) guys have lots of inside ability. Some will wind up starters, but all will make a huge difference when it comes to depth,” Nowell said. On the ends, Carl Green of McComb, Martez Simpson and Jordan Parkerof Madison Central, Josiah Smith of George County are all strong candidates for starting berths. The only returner at linebacker is Carvey Magee of Bassfield, who has bulked up from

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220 to 240 pounds in the last year. Talented newcomers include Carlton Burger and Jared Smith out of Petal, Jeff Cameron out of Callaway in Hoganville, Ga., Troy Egana of Picayune, Jamal Taylor of Lumberton and Bo Thomasson of Northwest Rankin. “Cameron should become a big time player,” said Nowell. “Bo is a solid player and Carlton committed to South Alabama out of high school, but opted for us. We’re tickled to have them both.” In the secondary, the only returning players are Leon Carlton of Hoover, Ala., and Marino Daggon of Bassfield; Joe Klein, a redshirt sophomore who prepped at St. Stanislaus, has been moved from wide receiver to safety. “We lost all our starters from last year, but Carlton and Marino both saw lots of playing time,” said Nowell. “We’ll have a lot of inexperience in the secondary, but lots of talented players.” Newcomers include Shauntez Ball of Madison Central, D’Andre Dartez of Cicilia, La.; South Alabama transfer Jeff Dyson of Thomasville, Ga.; Travonte Fenton and Terrell Ivy of Oak Grove, Fred Murray of Murrah , Keithrick Thompson of McComb, and Southeastern Louisiana transfer Emmanuel Ray of Lumberton. Since Hatten arrived on campus in the summer of 2002, he has guided The River to four (2003 through 2006) of its unprecedented 19 state championships and an NJCAA national title in 2004. PineBeltSPORTS.com

2012 Outlook

JCJC

peed can be a determining factor in most every sporting event. If that’s the case, then Jones County Junior College could enjoy a successful 2012 season. “Offensively, we’ve added some guys with some speed,” said firstyear JCJC head coach Ray Perkins. “Overall, I think our offensive team speed will definitely be a plus for us. That is whether you talk about tight ends, wide receivers or backs. We’ve got really good speed.” The Bobcats have several standouts returning on offense, including quarterback Ben Stevens (6-foot-2, 195 pounds). The West Jones sophomore completed 188of-306 passes for 2,078 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman. Backing up Stevens will be freshman Ethan Hamilton (6-2, 220) of Noxapater. In the backfield with Stevens, Florence sophomore Jovontae Thurman (5-7, 160) returns, while Mt. Olive sophomore Rueben Ducksworth (5-11, 210) has transferred back to Jones from Alcorn State University and Foley, Ala., freshman Kalif Koen (5-11, 187) will also see action. Up front, the Bobcats have experience, led by sophomores Fred Moore (6-5, 325) of Heidelberg, J.T. Myers (6-2, 310) of Perry Central, Justin Booth (62, 320) of Taylorsville, Anthony Benjamin (6-0, 315) of Greene County and Levell Hartfield (6-1, 285) of Moss Point. Freshmen in the mix include Jaryd Whitman (6-3, 295) of Petal and Corey Starcher (6-1, 270) and Joshua Thigpen (6-2, 280) of West Jones. At the receiver slots, the Bobcats have plenty of talent. Quitman sophomore Quartez Cooks (6-2, 180), Purvis sophomore Stephanio McNair (6-1, 193), Petal sophomore Taylor Higgason (6-1, 200) and Taylorsville sophomore Martez Nixon (5-11, 174) provide the speed Perkins mentioned. Higgason is a transfer from Mississippi State University.

Freshmen wideouts include Roderick Harris (6-2, 190) of Livingston, Ala., Dylan Bossier (62, 180) of Lafayette, La., and Lazarus Shelby (6-3, 235) of Collins. Perkins believes the Bobcats can be solid defensively. “I am hoping that our defense will be a strength,” he said. “I am hoping that we will have a defense that really understands the importance of going to the ball, or swarming to the ball, as I like to call it.” On defense, the Bobcats will be led by several sophomores, including Amite County linebacker Damien Wilson (6-3, 250), a transfer from Alcorn State, Wayne County linebacker Marion Chapman (6-1, 218) and Mize end Chavez Sims (6-2, 237). Collins defensive back Michael McLaurin, West Jones strong safety Devontay Barnett, Taylorsville free safety Deon Fairley, Laurel linebacker Anthony McGilberry and Collins defensive back Michael McLaurin will get playing time. Laurel sophomore Felton Collins (6-4, 250), who played tight end last year, is seeing action as a defensive end this year. Quitman freshman Fred McGruder (6-4, 357) lines up at a tackle slot. Providing depth in the defensive line will be sophomore transfer Julian Boochie of Northeast Jones and a host of freshmen – Jamarcus Blanks of South Jones, Steven Eddings of Memphis, Tenn., and Ryan Myrick of Oak Grove. Freshmen linebackers include Adarrius Perkins (6-2, 225) of Forrest County AHS and LaKelvin Newell (5-9, 230) of Southeast Lauderdale. Perkins is a Mississippi State transfer. Playing in the secondary will be Wayne County freshman Sam Howard (6-1, 181), Lawrence Hopkins (5-11, 180) of North Forrest, Bre Gavin (6-0, 185) of Stringer, and Victor Jenkins (5-10, 170) of Lumberton. Freshman Grant McLaurin (6-0,

Photo by Shawn Wansley

By SHAWN WANSLEY

152) of Forrest County AHS is the kicker, while Jamie Stuart (6-0, 265) of Purvis is the deep snapper and backs up Myers at center. The fact that Perkins is the head coach of the Bobcats is quite a story in itself. Eddie Pierce resigned after six years as head coach following a 63 mark last season. Perkins, who had not coached in a paid capacity since 2000 with the Cleveland Browns, was hired on Dec. 20, 2011, as his replacement. He had volunteered as an assistant at Hattiesburg’s Presbyterian Christian School the previous two years. Perkins had served as head coach of the New York Giants from 1979-82, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide from 1983-

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86 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1987-90. The current Petal resident and former Alabama All-American wide receiver is thrilled to be back on the sidelines. “I’m just happy and pleased that Jones County Junior College gave me this opportunity to be involved with them at this time,” he said. “It’s been great so far.” The JCJC assistant coaches this season will be Steve Boyd (defensive coordinator/defensive backs), David Thornton (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Ron Brewer (offensive line), Anthony Maddox (defensive line), Lacon Sheppard (running backs/kickers), Donavan Baucum (linebackers), Melvin Tart (wide receivers) and Brad Reynolds (tight ends). PineBeltSPORTS.com

The Lamar Times

2012 Outlook ow do you follow up the best season in program history? Southern Miss football is going to have to try to figure out the answer to that question in 2012. After a 12-2 record, a best-ever 9-1 start to the season, a Conference USA Championship win over Houston and a Hawaii Bowl victory over Nevada, the Golden Eagles must replace a head coach, their all-time leading passer and 12 starters. It doesn’t look to be an easy task, but USM hopes to surprise. “I’m not a big goals guy,” new head coach Ellis Johnson said. “Like Coach (Steve) Spurrier always said, ‘If you’re going to play in a conference, the first thing you’re supposed to do is win the conference.’ And that’s what we need to be worried about. We need to win Conference USA and we need to go to bowl games. If we can do that on a consistent basis then we’re successful. We can be

Southern Miss successful without achieving those, but that’s what we need to shoot for.” Johnson comes to Hattiesburg from Spurrier’s staff at South Carolina, and he brings with him a reputation as a quality defensive coach. After making a significant step forward on the defensive side of the ball a year ago, Johnson and defensive coordinator Tommy West will try to keep the unit playing to a high standard. USM will need to replace a number of critical starters on that side of the line of scrimmage, but there are some important individuals back to lead the way. “I think we’re athletic,” Johnson said. “We’re very pleased right now on where we are in the ability to make big plays and some of the things that athleticism brings to the table. ... We’re probably going to have to play a few ballgames before we know how tough we are. “But I really like our team speed. I think we’ll make some big

plays and get some turnovers and do some things that will give us an opportunity to be a good football team. But our offense has not challenged our defense, and has not come close to challenging them right now in the physicality that we’re going to be tested by some opponents.” If the team is looking for big plays, big-play machine Jamie Collins is just the man. Playing the hybrid end/linebacker “banner” position, Collins showed his freakish athletic ability last year. Now, as a junior, he’ll have to be the leader of the defense as the squad’s leading returning tackler (98 tackles, 6.5 sacks in 2011). The loss of long-time stalwart defensive end Cordarro Law, an all-conference player last year, will undoubtedly be felt, as will the departure of Terrance Pope. But Khyri Thornton, who had nine tackles for a loss while starting seven games a year ago, should be an impact player on the inside of

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the line. Khalid Wilson, Rakeem NunezRoches and Joel Ross will all play in the mix on the defensive front. Junior college transfer Adam Williams has made the move from end to the inside of the line, but will miss the first half of the season due to injury. The linebacking corps was hit harder than any other area of the team. The Golden Eagles say goodbye to leading tackler and AllCUSA selection Ronnie Thornton (111 tackles), as well as starters Korey Williams and Jeremy Snowden. Without much experience, the leadership role will fall on junior middle linebacker Alan Howze. Junior college transfer Dylan Reda and redshirt freshman Terrick Wright are battling for the opportunity to start next to Howze. Sophomore Ta’Dren Kennedy and true frosh Lelland Ducksworth provide some depth — what little there is. Ducksworth, a North The Lamar Times

LAMP LIGHTER — Senior Tracey Lampley returns in a versatile role as the Eagles’ most dangerous playmaker.

The Petal News

Big sophomore Chris Briggs (6-4, 210) showed flashes of his potential late last year and could be a candidate for a breakout season if he works on his consistency. Also playing a role in the wideout group is Markese Triplett, Tray Becton-Martin and Justin Sims. Then there is Tracy Lampley, the team’s best and most important playmaker. Originally a running back, the senior has filled more and more of a receiver role for the Golden Eagles. A year ago he rushed for 489 yards and caught for another 574. He’s actually the team’s leading returning receiver. Not big at 5-9, 168 pounds, Lampley is explosive in space and Southern Miss will do everything it can to get the ball in his hands as much as possible. A dangerous threat on both kickoff and punt returns, Lampley was named to the Paul Hornung Award watchlist, given to the country’s most versatile player. If he stays healthy, Lampley will become the first Golden Eagle ever to amass 1,000 yards rushing, receiving, returning kicks and returning punts. On special teams, USM will have to hope that Corey Acosta can replace some of the producation of departed Lou Groza Award finalist Danny Hrapmann. Southern Miss opens its season on Sept. 1 with a tough road game at Nebraska. A Sept 15 game opens the CUSA schedule; the road to another conference title was made a little easier when Central Florida, the East favorite, was declared ineligible for postseason play.

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Photos by Matt Bush

Forrest prep, originally committed to Mississippi State before choosing USM. The Southern Miss secondary was excellent in 2011, but will have to replace all-conference starter Marquese Wheaton and strong safety Kendrick Presley. The good news is that junior cornerback Deron Wilson is back in his third year as a starter, and Jacorious Cotton brings experience to the free safety position after finishing third on the team in tackles a season ago. Wilson had 13 pass breakups and four interceptions in 2011 and should be one of the best cornerbacks in Conference USA. “He’s a guy who loves the game,” Johnson said. “He loves to do the things he has to do to make himself better physically and mentally. I wish some of the others had the desire to learn and his enthusiasm about the game, the way he prepares himself physically and the pride he takes in every area of getting better, and it shows up on the field.” The offense has more experience back, but it has a huge question mark at perhaps the most important position — quarterback. Austin Davis set just about every passing record in USM history, and it’s unlikely the Eagles find a successor that will come close to his output. But the hope is that one of a number of QBs in the mix can settle into the role. Four guys have been taking significant reps in the preaseason. Junior Chris Campbell, who did not attempt a pass in game action last year, appears to be the favorite to win the job as the season approaches. The 6-foot-4, 215 pounder from Tennessee has been the most consistent during the spring and fall practices. “He seems to be the most consistent in making the right reads,” Johnson said. “He doesn’t have the speed that some of the other guys have to turn a good running play into a big running play. But, he has done a good job of reading the option.” True freshman Anthony Alford, a star out of nearby Petal, might be the biggest recruit the Golden Eagles have ever roped in, and seems likely to play some role, even if he doesn’t start from the get-go. Alford is the most athletic of the quarterback candidates, is the biggest running threat and has a strong arm. He split time over the summer between football and baseball after agreeing to a pro contract with the Toronto Blue Jays that allows him to continue to play football at USM. Redshirt freshman Ricky Lloyd, true freshman Kyle Sloter and sophomore Arsenio Favor fill out the QB group. Favor saw limited playing time in 2011, but has lost ground in the QB picture and is still working his way back from an MCL injury suffered in the spring. Whoever starts under center should get quality protection. Southern Miss must replace All-CUSA tackle Lamar Holmes, who was a draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons, but otherwise return a line that includes center Austin Quattrochi, guards Darius Barnes and Joe Duhon and tackle Jason Weaver. All are seniors and should form one of the conference’s best offensive fronts. They’ll make holes for a talented group of running backs that did an outstanding job in 2011, averaging 5.2 yards per carry as a team. Last year’s breakout back Jamal Woodyard is out for the year after suffering a spring injury, but the team does return all of the rest of its backfield from last season. Kendrick Hardy was lost for the year just a third of the way through 2011, and should provide a major boost this season. He averaged 5.9 ypc for 426 yards in just four and a half games. Desmond Johnson and Jeremy Hester are both back after seeing significant playing time, and welcome in a pair of true freshman in Jalen Richard and Tyre Bracken. The receiving corps features some talent, but must find a way to replace its top two producers from 2011 — Ryan Balentine and Kelvin Bolden. Dominique Sullivan (461 yards, two touchdowns) is the top returning receiver, and Francisco Llanos and Quentin Pierce will be expected to step up.

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FUTURE WATCH Oak Grove Warriors

Lumberton

Jordan Mitchell (Jr.) WR

Joe Arnold (So.) QB/DB

With such a young team, there are countless Warriors worth watching for the future. But coaches say Mitchell, a junior, is a big kid with good hands who is “very smooth.” He’ll start at the flanker spot this year ... and Oak Grove hopes his contributions start immediately.

The Panthers are so young this year that this sophomore could be considered experienced. A solid athlete who has already shown growth under center, he’ll be critical going both ways for a thin squad, and will have a good chance to make a name for himself.

Petal Panthers

PCS

Bryant McDuffie (Jr.) TE

Fate Eiland (So.) RB

The Panthers need to find some more offensive weapons to complement their big playmakers. The 5-foot10, 200-pound McDuffie could be one, as head coach Marcus Boyles calls him a “great weapon” and praises both his hands and his blocking ability.

It’s easy to remember a name like that. Head coach Joey Hawkins called the 5-9, 170-pound Eiland “the best sophomore back in the league.” A well-rounded piece of a talented backfield, Eiland is the face of the future for the Bobcats and maybe MAIS.

Purvis Stephen Curtis (So.) LB

Aikeem Coleman (Jr.) DL

There are some holes at linebacker for the Tornadoes, and this sophomore is slated to pick up some of that slack immediately. Head coach Perry Wheat describes him as an athletic kid that gets to the ball — just what Purvis’ defense needs. He should become a well-known name soon.

Defense was the Tigers’ strength a year ago and stands to be again in 2012. Coleman has caught the attention of new head coach — and former defensive coordinator — Dan Nowell, who says the junior is already drawing outside attention. That could grow after this season.

Sumrall

Hattiesburg

North Forrest

Seth Holloway (So.) LB

Pat Walker (So.) LB

The Bobcats have some talented linebackers, so it would be easy to overlook Holloway’s finish among their top 10 in tackles per game as just a freshman. Sumrall may not need him just yet — not only are the LBs good, but also young — but he’ll likely make an impact before all is said and done.

Walker is one of a group of young players that first-year head coach Ken Carter said has earned playing time. Just a sophomore, Walker will have to start this year, helping to replace an immensley talented departed group of linebackers. Ready or not, he’ll be forged by the fires of game action.

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The Lamar Times