2011 Football Review by Hattiesburg Publishing, Inc.

13 PETAL TEAM REVIEW 18 OAK GROVE TEAM REVIEW 22 PURVIS TEAM REVIEW 28 SUMRALL TEAM REVIEW 32 LUMBERTON TEAM REVIEW 36 PCS TEAM REVIEW 40 SOUTHERN MISS PHOTO REVIEW 42 2011 TOP MEMORIES 44 LOOK AHEAD Panthers orchestrate year to remember Warriors struggle down the stretch

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

DAVID GUSTAFSON Editor/Publisher

JOSH MLOT Sports Editor

BILL BENGE

Tornadoes find way to get it done

4 FROM THE SPORTS EDITOR... 5 PLAYER OF THE YEAR 7 COACH OF THE YEAR 8 2011 ALL-AREA TEAM 10 BREAKOUT...BREAKDOWN 12 STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

Petal’s Alford makes lasting memories Buckley gets Panthers to believe The year’s best are honored

Two top backs face different fates

A brief look at some top numbers

Bobcats build in White’s first year Panthers regret close calls

Bobcats erase one-hit wonder tag

A photographic look at historic USM season

A choice top 10 of gridiron moments

What might 2012 hold for area squads?

Art Director

EMILY HALL Graphic Artist

MISSY PICKERING Account Executive

JESSICA WALLACE Account Executive

BETH BUNCH Managing Editor

DANA GOWER Staff Writer

SONYA JAMES Office Manager

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(601) 268-2331 www.HubCitySPOKES.com Special Thanks: Nevil Barr, Steve Buckley, Joey Hawkins, Shannon White, Perry Wheat, and Brian Ford. Also King Photography, Bruckner’s Photography, Artie Rawls Photography, Lee Cave of C Studio and Sandie Brock.

About the cover

Photographer Matt Bush was able to capture an iconic moment during the 2011 MHSAA Class 6A State Championship, as Petal quarterback, and our Player of the Year, Anthony Alford hurdled two Olive Branch defenders and landed in the end zone for a touchdown. Photo by Artie Rawls

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

from the sports editor... epending on how you look at it, the 2011 football season either flew by or was a never-ending journey. It seems that, all at once, the start of the season was ages ago, while the games flew by until, suddenly, there were none left to be played. But, regardless, the weeks in between were filled with intrigue, surprises, let downs and standout performances. It was exactly how a football season should unfold, even if you couldn’t predict who would do what or what would happen to whom. Nobody could have seen Oak Grove failing to qualify for the postseason, few could have imagined the run that Petal would pull off and there weren’t many betting men (or women) that would have put Sumrall in the playoffs. One team — Lumberton — learned just how special its 2010 season had been when it found out how hard it is to defend a championship. Purvis continued as the picture of consistency, despite a lot of preseason questions, and Presbyterian Christian showed that it’s working toward that type of consistency with its second consecutive playoff berth. There were breakout performers, big numbers and devastating injuries; some had major ramifications. All of it, however, came down to one thing — there was football. My expectations were high for my first football season in the Pine Belt, and nearly all of them were met or exceeded. Thank you to all the coaches and players that I got to know just a little bit and who made my job easier. I hope this Football 2011 Review magazine is in some small way a celebration of the season — of its players, its moments and its atmosphere. You’ll find some of the area’s finest on our PineBeltSPORTS.com All-Area team, and more in-depth looks at some of the year’s achievements. There are also recaps of what each of our schools did — or did not — achieve this fall, and maybe a quick glance into what the future might hold for each.

Enjoy the publication, until next time…

Josh Mlot PineBeltSPORTS.com

Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com

The Lamar Times

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Petal News

Alford secures legacy in magical season By JOSH MLOT emories. In the end, it’s all we really have and it’s who we are. When we are gone, it’s how we continue to exist. It’s how greatness stands the test of time. When Petal senior quarterback Anthony Alford walked off a high school football field for the final time ever this season, it was the harshest of moments — the bittersweetness of having an apparent state championship ripped from his team’s grasp. But Alford didn’t let it tarnish the memory of the season.

“It was a special moment,” Alford said, “whether we won or lost, we played for the state title, so it was special.” It’s those magical moments and memories, as much as any of the numbers he put up this season — 2,058 passing yards, 1,731 rushing yards, 44 total touchdowns — that are why Alford has been named the PineBeltSPORTS.com Player of the Year. Long after people can no longer recite his stat line, they will still recount the tales of slipped tackles, dodged bullets, captivating comebacks and tantalizing touchdowns. Oh, and that smile. “I think they’ll remember him — the ones that know him — for his big smile,” said now former Petal head coach Steve Buckley, “his positive attitude, the unbelievable work ethic. The people that didn’t know him as well will remember him as a dynamic player that could change a football game in a blink of an eye.” And change games he did. In the season opener against Wayne County, he busted loose for a 55yard touchdown run that signaled that yes, the Legend of Double-A would continue to grow in 2011. The loudest statement seemed to come midway through the season, against rival Oak Grove. Trying to spark a turnaround in the second half of the season, the Panthers faced a 23-12 deficit to the previously undefeated Warriors at halftime. Then there were two quick plays. First, Alford — the player naysayers said couldn’t throw the ball, yet threw for more yardage than anyone in the area — hit

wide receiver Jesse Jackson on a 43-yard deep ball down the right sideline. Two plays later, the QB matched that yardage with his feet on what might have been the most impressive run of the year by anyone. Alford broke two tackles near the line of scrimmage and headed down field, where he lowered his shoulder and bulled through a third tackler. When the fourth tackler came, he gracefully spun away, then danced the rest of the way to the end zone. It was signature Alford, a superb athlete who’s quick but never looks that fast. He simply strides through the defense, sliding through defenders as if performing a ballet in a minefield. And when someone finally tackles him, Alford hits him just as much as vice versa. But most importantly, those plays inspired his teammates. That was just one touchdown, and it didn’t give the Panthers the lead, but they went on to score 35 unanswered points, putting away their archrival and swinging the season in a whole new direction. hen it was all said and done, Alford helped put his team in the position to win a Class 6A State Championship — one ref’s whistle away, in fact — and that’s all that can be asked. “The whole time we still believed in each other and stayed focused,” Alford said. “We prac-

ticed even harder on the week off and kept our eyes on the prize. We just mainly got in a rhythm and gained confidence. “I feel like I just wanted to make a run in the playoffs, and we did that, so I feel like I reached my goal.” And he did it by showing the way. “Whether outsiders or people on the team want to admit it, (it’s) a true statement,” Buckley said. “They feed off Anthony. From the fans to the teammates to the coaching staff.

“I go back to when Anthony was hurt at Natchez in the second quarter two years ago. The whole demeanor of our football team and our fans changed that night. We were driving to go up 21-0 in the second quarter, he tore his meniscus and the demeanor of our football team changed.” As a player that was already a highly sought-after recruit — he just announced his verbal commitment to Southern Miss — and a reigning Gatorade Mississippi Player of the Year — the only junior to ever earn that honor — there was little more to accomplish individually, but he did it. Those strides came largely in his growth as a leader, something that Buckley said comes naturally to the senior, even if he’s not a fiery, outspoken individual. “I think Anthony matured as a leader vocally this year. Sometimes it’s hard for an underclassman to be vocal. I think there are two different types of leaders: vocal leaders and leaders by example. He’s always taken a backseat to the senior class as a respect thing, I think. So I think if there was one aspect that he changed in his game this

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Lamar Times

FINAL HURRAH — Alford saved his best for last, leading the Panthers on an unprecedented run in his senior year and putting on a classic performance in his final high school game in the state championship.

xcept that on the field he does things that the other guys can’t. Some attribute it to his speed, some to his strength, some to his vision and some to his never-wavering level-headedness. When Petal faced deficits in impossible-to-win places like Meridian or impossible-to-top situations like a minute left in a title game, Alford simply strapped up his helmet and moved the offense down the field. The pressure was there, he just never felt it. It should have been crushing before the season ever began, but he shrugged it off. As one of the best athletes the program had ever seen, it was do or die — could he bring Petal its first ever playoff win in his final year? “I really didn’t feel any pressure, to be honest,” Alford said. “The only pressure is the pressure you put on yourself.” “That’s what separates Anthony from everybody else,” Buckley said. “It’s not his talent, because there are a lot of talented kids in the world, but it’s the way he’s made up. Obviously his parents have done a tremendous job rearing

the kid. It’s just his general makeup — the character and humble attitude.” Without those things it’s likely Alford would have crumbled, not just from the expectations, but from the challenges. In a first-round postseason loss to Oak Grove in 2010 Alford suffered an ACL tear — not the first knee injury of his career. All he did was come back this season stronger than ever. And the coaching staff had enough faith in him that they never felt the need to give him any extra protection. “The injuries were never an issue,” Buckley said. “At the same time, a guy that carries it 200 times a year, there’s a physical aspect that you’ve got to be careful of. We tried to coach smart because we knew it was going to be a long season if we made a run. There were some games where we tried to protect him as much as possible. “I think that’s just common sense. We’re not a stats team. We could have boosted Anthony’s stats to heights unknown, but we chose not to do that. … He didn’t play for about three and a half games this year. He may have been on the field, but we didn’t turn him loose. We kept him handcuffed. And he understood that.” When they needed him, however, the handcuffs were off. See: the MHSAA Class 6A

Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com

year, it was his leadership. “I think it comes very naturally to him. Anthony is a quiet, humble kid until you get to know him. The humility is still there, but he’s just one of the guys.”

State Championship. In the first quarter Alford took a crunching blow that left his ribs rattled and in pain the rest of the way. That didn’t stop him from leaving the ground three yards outside the end zone, sailing over two Olive Branch defenders and crashing down over the goal line. Or from orchestrating a near game-winning drive with a minute left on the clock. “I’m definitely going to remember it,” Alford said. “From never winning a playoff game to winning one and going to a state championship … my senior season, I can’t forget it.” Neither will anyone that witnessed it. Which begs the question, how does Anthony Alford want to be remembered, as he inevitably will be, as a part of Petal lore? “I want to be remembered by my athletic ability and my character, the way I carry myself and my smile.” Always that smile. “I know there have been some great players that have played here,” Buckley said. “I don’t know stats, I just know what he’s done for us in this era. “The ones that

don’t understand what they just saw develop in front of their eyes are the ones that are afraid to admit it. They’ll wake up in about three years and say, ‘Wow.’ ” In the wake of Alford’s title game effort — perfect through the air, over 200 yards on the ground, three touchdowns — after the dust had settled, Buckley said of his quarterback, “Anthony was Anthony.” The numbers will be forgotten, but what will always be remembered is that Anthony was Anthony.

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

Chuck Lick/click-images

Buckley gets Panthers to buy in By JOSH MLOT

ots of teams had high levels of success this season. But few had as much as the Petal Panthers. Many teams faced obstacles this season. But few overcame as many as the Petal Panthers.

Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com

For that reason — now former — Petal Panther head man Steve Buckley has been named the PineBeltSPORTS.com Coach of the Year. Sure, he had talent at his disposal — see Player of the Year Anthony Alford — and his squad has been far from a doormat in the past, but it was clearly evident that Buckley made his team believe in what the coaching staff

preached, and that is what made this season so special for Petal. “It’s probably one of the most memorable years I’ve ever had in coaching,” Buckley said. “I’ve coached in three or four (college) bowl games, been a part of some championship teams … But I think what stands out to me is this football team was a never-say-die football team. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team buy into our philosophy as a coaching staff like that. “It was, really, probably one of my favorite seasons ever.” Buckley and his staff firmly believed that a tough road was the one that would lead to success. When the team stood at 1-3 after hitting some bumps in that tough road, Buckley never blinked. And because of that, neither did his players. That steely reserve served well a team that has long heard whispers about an inability to win in the playoffs. Not only did the team win in the playoffs, but it won a road game against powerhouse Meridian — something that hadn’t been done in five years — and reeled off multiple second-half comebacks not just in the regular season, but in the postseason as well. Of course, a 10-5 record without a state championship leaves room for error, and Buckley won’t deny regrets, even if they weren’t necessarily things in his control. “I think you can always look back,” Buckley said. “I’m never going to be one to question what we do, but I regret how the state championship game ended. I regret that we lost a dear friend in Robert Burgess. I regret that we didn’t win the ballgame, because I thought that we put ourselves into a position to win the ballgame. But

that’s life. There’s lessons to be learned from this — that things can be here one minute and gone the next — and I think that’s a valuable lesson to learn early in life. “My kids and my coaching staff may not understand that right now, but I know this — every person that experienced that game, some day in their life they’re going to look back and draw something positive from it. “Is the word regret right? Probably so. I don’t regret anything that we did. I always go back and question a call I made here or there; I had two calls in the state championship game I wish I had back. That’s just being honest. But did it affect the outcome of the game? Who knows?” But even the most heartbreaking end didn’t keep the year from being one of Buckley’s most satisfying. The head coach announced recently that he has stepped down from his position at Petal and is moving on to the football staff at Southern Miss. With him he will take a boatload of memories and joys. “It’s a great feeling. It’s an unbelievable feeling to see kids succeed,” Buckley said. “A lot of times as a coach you know you’re doing the right thing, but the kids never experience the fruits of their labor. One of the greatest things that I can have as a coach is to see kids succeed on Friday night.” When plenty of people were saying the Petal Panthers couldn’t, Steve Buckley told them they could.

PineBeltSPORTS.comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Lamar Times

Player of the Year

Coach of the Year

QB - Anthony Alford Petal

Steve Buckley Petal

QB - Steven Swindle Oak Grove

RB - Thamaz Taylor Purvis

RB - Jordan Woods Oak Grove

WR - Akeem Pollard Petal

WR - Wesley Smith Oak Grove

WR - Picasso Nelson Oak Grove

TE - Hunter Hawkins PCS

OL - Tony Holmes Oak Grove

OL - Gunnar Garza Purvis

OL - Diamonte Venson Oak Grove

OL - Tanner McGowen PCS

OL - Cade Camp Petal

OL - Fairchild Lumberton

OL - Madden Rodrigue Petal

DL - Nick Jordan Oak Grove

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Petal News

DL - Meshaq Oatis Sumrall

DL - Ge’monee Brown Petal

LB - Blake Graves PCS

LB - Jared Smith Petal

DB - Vic Jenkins Lumberton

ATH - Jamarcus Revies Petal

DL - Haydn Lott Petal

DB - Austin Watts Sumrall

ATH - Devontae Watts Sumrall

LB - Cort Brinson Oak Grove

DB - Demetrius Fairley Oak Grove

K - Evan Sobiesk Oak Grove

LB - Cory Breazeale Purvis

DB - Jalen Boney Petal

P - Tanner Peavey Sumrall

HONORABLE MENTION Lumberton James Carr (OL) Jatarrin Clark (RB/LB) Keshod Willis (RB) Oak Grove Luke Burnham (LS) Christian Chauvin (WR) Allen Cummins (OL) Robert Ducksworth (DB) John Addison Ford (DB) Isaiah Williams (LB)

Petal Jesse Jackson (WR/DB) Hunter Linton (LB) Johna Myers (DB) Javon Patterson (OL) Blake Roberts (WR) Trevor Williams (LB) Presbyterian Christian Preston Bell (DB) Micah Griffin (LB) Lee Sigrest (RB) Brandon Sullivan (QB)

Purvis Keoni Davis (DL) Chase Madden (TE/LB) Markel Pack (WR) Jaime Stuart (OL) Jamahl Tatum (DL) Sumrall Blake Miley (TE) Will Nobles (DB) Julius SIms (RB/DB)

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Lamar Times

aybe Purvis head coach Perry Wheat didn’t know exactly what he had when the season started, or maybe he had a really good poker face. The Tornadoes came into the year with skill players that were a virtual unknown, and came out of the year with a burgeoning star in the backfield. Junior tailback Thamaz Taylor was easily the area’s breakout player of 2011, going from a slightly-used fullback to one of the state’s best tailbacks while rushing for 1,961 yards and 28 touchdowns to finish eighth in the state in rushing yards, while averaging more yards per game than all but one of the runners that finished ahead of him. Taylor was, literally, a one-man wrecking crew. “He’s just a really outstanding athlete,” Wheat said. “He’s a good blend of speed and power. He’s not real big, but he’s strong. He gave us a lot of big plays. Once he gets into the secondary with his speed (he’s hard to catch).” After carrying the ball only 13 times in the season opener against North Forrest, the Tornadoes realized they had something special. Against a powerful 6A Oak Grove, Taylor kept his squad in the game, rushing for 116 yards. And that was in the first half alone. Fate kept Taylor from positing even more impressive numbers — and possibly leading a remarkable upset — when his helmet popped off on one of the first plays of the third quarter and led to an injury that kept him out the rest of the evening. That was about the only thing that slowed Taylor down. In a unique mark

of a talented back, the junior seemed to get stronger as games went on, relishing a heavy workload even when the defense knew exactly who was getting the football. Just ask Sumrall, which couldn’t figure out how to contain Taylor as he ran 35 times for 225 yards in Week 3. “I’ve had some good kids,” Wheat said, “but he’s pretty unique. He’s a lot stronger than he looks. He’s not real big, but he’s strong. He struggled a little bit early when it was really hot and we tried to play him some both sides of the game. But after a few weeks we could give it to him when we needed it. He’s become the workhorse.” In fact, Taylor breached the 200-yard mark six times, including a 330-yard, five-touchdown effort against St. Stanislaus. “They told me I was going to have to play a lot more on offense than defense,” said Taylor, who also saw time at defensive back. “They told me I was going to have the ball a whole bunch. “I just got in shape at practice. They told me I was going to have to get in shape and work real hard. I knew it was going to come down to that.” Going from a virtual unknown to a

player that every opponent gameplans for can be a nice ego boost. What does Taylor think of his eye-popping numbers? “Nothing really. I’m just helping my team out and did what I had to do. They gave me the ball and I just ran.” What does Taylor want to do for an encore when he returns as a senior next fall? Winning a state championship would be nice, he says, and is something he thinks the Tornadoes are capable of. He’s also focused on doing a better job of holding on to the football and limiting his turnovers, something that seems inevitable when you carry the ball 250 times a season. Now that everyone knows who Thamaz Taylor is, they want to see more — the standard has been set. “We expect him to be even better next year,” Wheat said. “We’re expecting big things from him.” —Josh Mlot

Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com

BREAK...OUT

t would be easy to predict that Shawn Anderson would be on the pages of this magazine, but this isn’t the way it was supposed to happen. The Oak Grove senior running back had all the makings of an all-star talent and one of the top backs in the area. As part of an explosive Warrior offense it was a given that his numbers would be impressive and he would help carry his

team to success. But this season did not go as planned. The Warriors were 3-0, coming off a strong road win over Laurel and on their way to a victory over a highly-ranked Gulfport team. But against the Admirals Anderson took a handoff from quarterback Steven Swindle and cut back twice against the defense. “Then I stumbled and was falling,” Anderson said, “and someone fell across the back

of my ankle and it just went numb. I got up and tried to run a couple more plays, but then I fell when I tried to take a step.” Suddenly things weren’t going as planned. The athletic trainer pulled Anderson to the sideline and told him if he could run 20 yards with little to no limp, he could go back in the game. The running back took two steps and fell backward. He

Chuck Lick/click-images

BREAK...DOWN

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

11 Chuck Lick/click-images

doesn’t remember much more than that. The weekend through, Anderson went to the doctor to get an x-ray on Monday, and the results showed torn ligaments stretched around the bones in his foot. It was not a good diagnosis — two screws would need to be inserted into the foot and Anderson would miss the rest of the Warriors’ season. “They took me back in the casting room,” Anderson said, “and when they told me I had to have surgery … it took a big emotional toll and I shed a few tears that day.” Anderson returned to Oak Grove to break the news to the coaches and a few of his teammates. The team’s dynamic attack would become decidedly less so. “It hurt us this year because when we lost him,” Oak Grove head coach Nevil Barr said, “we lost a big part of our inside running game. (Fellow RB) Jordan Woods can do a lot of things, especially on the outside, but when you have Shawn to pound inside there … He was a great short-yardage back and was so strong on his dives, plus the speed and quickness to get up in there. He was such a good blocker — he was a devastating blocker, especially on pass protection. “You lost a heck of a player when you lost Shawn Anderson.” There would be no glorious senior farewell for Anderson, and there would be no playoffs for the Warriors, who went 3-4 without him. If the missed time wasn’t hard enough for Anderson, he had to watch his team struggle, and he had to hear constant reminders of his absence. Maybe things would be different if he were on the field. “Every loss we had I had that feeling in my head,” Anderson said. “Like the Petal game, I thought about last year in the playoffs and it was hard for them to tackle up the middle. And that’s where I can make a difference. I saw the look in some players’ eyes after the Petal and Meridian games. I had people coming up to me at school and saying, ‘If we had you on the field we could have made it. If only you were on the field we’d still be playing right now.’ ” Anderson’s recovery has continued. He went from a soft cast, to a hard cast to a boot. His screws got removed, and just two weeks ago his stitches were cut out. The boot remains, but the future holds a bootless rehab and a return to physical work. Even though he says his foot feels fine right now, he understands the doctors have told him to stay off of it; that there is a lot of work left to do. Even knowing that there is an end in

sight — that his foot will heal and he’ll be able to return to life as normal — doesn’t put a damper on the pain of what he didn’t get to experience. “Before every game I just sat on the field,” Anderson said, “and thought about the fact it’s my senior year and a bunch of the players I’ve been playing with since I first moved to Oak Grove … I thought about how I wasn’t going to be able to finish out the year as we wanted. Sometimes I just sit around and think about that.” The injury puts a kink in Anderson’s future as well. With his physical attributes and skill set, it’s likely that a Division I school of some sort would have come knocking for his services. Those things aren’t out of the question now, but it’s a much more winding road. “Shawn Anderson, I think,” Barr said, “would have been one of the top backs in the state. You’re talking about a guy that’s 205 pounds and runs a 4.4 40. There’s no question he’ll play down the road. I think without the injury he would have had a lot of options. “He’s got a lot of potential and a lot of upside. He’s just got to rehab, which he will. He’s a hard worker and really wants to be a great football player. I think he’ll reach his original goal, he just had a little road block. I’m real proud of how hard he’s worked to get back.” Anderson says his mind isn’t on the future, it’s on the present. It’s quite possible he ends up at Pearl River Community College, Jones County Junior College or any number of two-year schools where he can get back up to speed, prove himself and draw attention from a bigger program. But right now his focus is a little bit closer to home. “Right now the thing in my head is,” Anderson said, “before I think about going to college and playing football, I want to get my foot back to where it was and recondition my body. I want to do all that

before I think about college football. And right along with that, to make sure I just keep my head on straight with everything else.” It doesn’t sound like that last thing will be a problem. Between his unfortunate injury and his time in an Oak Grove program that places high value on character, Anderson seems to be able to keep it all in perspective. “I tell (my teammates) never take anything for granted,” Anderson said. “I never thought I would be injured. It hurt to not be able to help my team on the field. “The years I spent at Oak Grove, the one thing I will always take with me is a strong work ethic. … They always stayed on us about working hard, keeping our heads on straight and staying humble. That’s one thing I’ll always take with me. Working hard and knowing to have fun with it and never lose the love of the game.” An injury took away Shawn Anderson’s season, but it may have made his love for football even stronger. —Josh Mlot

PineBeltSPORTS.comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Lamar Times

Cory Breazeale (LB/RB - Purvis) 7-4A Co-Defensive Player of the Year 129 tackles, 22 TFL, 5 sacks 98 rushes, 508 yds.

Nick Jordan (DE - Oak Grove) 8 sacks

Thamaz Taylor (RB - Purvis) 263 rushes, 1,961 yards, 28 TDs 7-4A Offensive Player of the Year

2011 Statistical Standouts Anthony Alford (QB - Petal) Passing: 106-of-208, 2,168 yds., 20 TDs, 9 Ints. Rushing: 292 carries, 1,731 yds., 24 TDs

Blake Graves (RB/LB PCS) 137 tackles 800 yds. 8.8 ypc 20 TDs

Cort Brinson (LB - Oak Grove) 107 tackles (10.7 per game), 4 blocked field goals

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

Petal

here to begin for a season of this magnitude? A roller coaster might be a bit cliché, but it is also the perfect description of a Petal 2011 campaign that will go down as the program’s greatest, and certainly most memorable. Entering the fall, hopes were high for the Panthers, but there was also pressure to erase a stiff stigma — an inability to win in the playoffs. The previous year’s effort came to a particularly bitter end, losing a one-point contest to main rival Oak Grove in the first round of the postseason. Consider that all the distant past. “I think it sets a tremendous tone that ‘we can,’ ” Petal head coach Steve Buckley said. “I think there’s been a lot of doubt about Petal football. That it was a backdoor to other sports. That you can never win a championship at Petal. But we won two district championships (in the last five years). Everyone said that Petal couldn’t play in a faster, more spread-oriented Region 3, and I think we proved that we can play in that division.” The Panthers (10-5) proved plenty of things, including their heart and ability to bounce back. That, as much as anything, marked a team that could have thrown in the towel many times during the sea-

Photos by Robert Burgess

son, but instead not only won its first playoff game but came within one play — or one official’s whistle — from a state championship. But at one point Petal looked a long way from a title. A season-opening win over Class 5A power Wayne County seemed to confirm many people’s beliefs — this team was the real deal. But all of a sudden things took a turn. Wayne County was just the first of a brutal slate of non-region opponents. Then came Picayune, soon-to-be 5A champions, Madison Central, one of the state’s winningest programs and North State fixture and Brookhaven, the defending 5A South State champs. All three were losses. The slate was designed to put the team through the ringer and see what came out, but a 1-3 start with three consecutive losses was nowhere for big-time hopes to begin. It would be easy to allow second thoughts to seep in — a plan that backfired — but Buckley insists they never did. “No. We could have been 4-0, we could have been 31, we could have been 0-4, 1-3 or 2-2,” the coach said of close games that went the

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2011 Review wrong way. “Take one or two plays out of each game and it could have been any one of those scenarios.” Buckley credits his team for buying in to what the coaching staff was selling. He denies that there was a turning point, and says the group never changed what they were doing, just remained patient and kept working. “We scheduled like we did for two reasons: to sell tickets and to make us better,” Buckley said. “We felt like to be the best, we had to play the best. Our kids bought into that and they believed that. When you’re 1-3 there are a lot of naysayers out there and a lot of people questioning what you’re doing. Our team never flinched and we never changed anything. To go from 1-3 to Jackson, people ask all the time, ‘Well, what did you do differently? What was the turning point?’ “We didn’t do anything differently. We kept what we believed in. The kids believed in us and we believed in them, and I think there was a mutual respect. I think that made it one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve had as a football season.” But while the coaches

may not point a finger at a turning point, there were clearly some critical moments, and they came in the weeks following the 1-3 start. A bye week allowed Petal to reboot before Region 36A began, and when it did start it was with a bang. The Panthers welcomed rival Hattiesburg into Panther Stadium, introducing the Tigers to what would become Petal’s signature play of the season — the punt block. The home side twice blocked punts for touchdowns — and created enough fear to force a bad snap on a third punt, leading to a safety — and sealed a 31-14 win that otherwise would have been very different. Petal blocked 11 punts on the season, scoring on nine of those plays. “A blocked punt is the biggest special teams play there is,” Buckley said. “I say that from a positive standpoint and a negative one. There’s no worse feeling in the world than the thud of a blocked punt, and there is no more excitement for a football team than when you cause the thud. “It’s just something we emphasized. We don’t spend a lot of time as the

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season goes along on special teams. We install it early and stress the importance through meetings and through film. My philosophy on special teams is this: keep it simple and don’t mess it up. … I think if you do that and you’re sound, you’re going to get big plays. “I spent a lot of time on special teams at the collegiate level and a lot of teams use the protection I’m familiar with, and sometimes you know the loopholes in it. … You block one or two and the kids buy into it. Every time someone punted they wanted to go for the block. I think it was just something that caught on.” If the Hattiesburg game gave the Panthers and their Mohawk Warrior defense their swagger back, the following week against Oak Grove turned them into an unstoppable force. Down 23-12 at Warrior Field, star quarterback Anthony Alford and the rest of the Petal offense took control, rolling off 35 unanswered points to take home a 54-37 win over the school’s biggest rival. It felt like a moment in which the Panthers decided what to do with their season, and they followed with wins over Brandon and Natchez. Week 9 brought yet another chance to make a statement when Meridian came to Petal, but it wasn’t to be. The Panthers had opportunities inside the Wildcat 5-yard line late in the game, but instead ended up on the wrong end of a 14-6 score

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line as emotions boiled over in a skirmish after the game. But just as it did all season, Petal rebounded. They won out in the regular season, then doubled up Gulfport, 42-21, in the first round of the playoffs. The magic continued with a 38-27 second-round win at Biloxi, which saw the Panthers come back from a 20-9 thirdquarter deficit. That set up a grudge match, as Petal trudged to Ray Stadium in Meridian for a South State rematch with the Wildcats. This time the Panthers did something that nobody had done at Ray Stadium in five years — they beat Meridian. Then, with everything on the line, Petal almost did it again. A halftime lead over Olive Branch in the 6A State Championship. Then the Conquistadors found their way back, taking a lategame lead. But just like every other challenge that faced them in 2011, the Panthers charged back, marching down the field to kick a game-winning field goal with time expiring. The fact that a penalty on Olive Branch forced a re-kick that went wide and gave the Conquistadors the win may have been a crushing blow, but, in the grand scheme of things, did not detract from a magical season. “I think you look back on the last three years,” Buckley said, “and this group built the walls and put the roof on. Will we get back to Jackson again? I don’t know. I think we’ll be a better team next year than we were

this year, I really do, because of what we learned this year. Will we have as many talented players? I don’t know. We lose a lot of seniors that have meant a lot to this program, but there are also a lot of underclassmen that experienced what they have, they know what to expect and they know what it takes. Hopefully you plug them in and keep going. “Yeah, there will be some bumps in the road, but I think this group proved we can compete at the highest level.” NOTE: Steve Buckley announced about three weeks ago that he is stepping down from his position as Petal’s head football coach and athletic director to accept a role as an assistant football coach at Southern Miss.

“We didn’t do anything differently. We kept what we believed in. The kids believed in us and we believed in them, and I think there was a mutual respect.”

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COMING UP WITH A STOP — Petal linebacker Brady Hoda makes a tackle against Natchez. The Panther defense played a large role in the team’s run through the playoffs.

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Petal From 1-3 to 10-5 and a play away from a 6A state championship. 2011 was a season of extremes for the Panthers, and one that will leave them with extreme memories.

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Oak Grove trange. That’s the word Oak Grove head coach Nevil Barr used to describe his team’s season. Strange, indeed. What prognosticator would have guessed the Warriors would not make the postseason after never failing to do so in Barr’s decadelong tenure? But even after things appeared to be going well in west Hattiesburg, the train came off the track. Losing three out of four games during a stretch of play in a new-look Region 3-6A left the black-and-gold on the outside looking in with a 7-4 record. “(That record), by Oak Grove standards, is not what we wanted,” Barr said. “We were disappointed for the first time in a decade not getting to the playoffs. But I was not disappointed in the effort of the kids and how they prepared.” Three of the team’s four losses came by one possession — including a one-point defeat at the hands of Hattiesburg that cost the team its playoff hopes — and the other ‘L’ saw a halftime lead evaporate. “It was a strange year,” Barr said. “We lost an overtime game, a one-point game. All the games we lost we were in them. They were games that could have gone either way, and they didn’t go our way. That’s disappointing for our kids that worked so hard. But I’m very proud of them and they kept playing hard to the very last whistle and the very last game.” And the Warriors were plagued by injuries at a level of

“We were disappointed for the first time in a decade not getting to the playoffs. But I was not disappointed in the effort of the kids and how they prepared.”

TUMBLING — Wide receiver Christian Chauvin, below, against Hattiesburg, and the Oak Grove offense had some big nights, but turnovers and injury attrition sent the Warriors tumbling to a playoff miss.

2011 Review

impact Barr said might be unmatched in his coaching career. It wasn’t just that players got hurt, it was that the ones that went down were critical. Among others, linebacker Trest Underwood was injured from the start of the year, running back Shawn Anderson went down against Gulfport in the third game of the season and quarterback Steven Swindle suffered a broken leg and could not finish the critical loss to the crosstown rival Tigers. All were seniors. Oak Grove certainly had plenty of talent left on the field, but there is little doubt that not having some of its leaders — both talent-wise and leadership-wise — was a major blow. It may have even been the campaign’s tipping point. “Football, a lot of times, your season can go either way on how healthy you’re able to stay,” Barr said. “It was one of those years where we lost a couple of key players early. But still, I felt like we were a pretty good football team. “We lost some heartbreaking games and won some good, hard-fought games, but … You can always look at those things. Every year you want your kids to play with a lot of class and play hard, and if you get a couple bounces your way and stay injury free (you have a chance). I was very proud of our kids and our assistant coaches.” The fall opened with a resounding victory over an overmatched Sumrall squad, followed by a 35-21 win over county rival Purvis that was even tougher than the score

indicated. But it was the following two weeks that seemed to signal what the Warrirors were capable of. A Week 3 trip to Laurel challenged Oak Grove to slow down one of the top passing attacks in the state, and all the Warriors did was hold the host side to a field goal. The showing was even more impressive in light of the fact that the Tornadoes went on to play for the Class 4A championship. Seven days later Oak Grove welcomed to town a highlyranked Gulfport squad — one that had already unseated South Panola — before sending it packing, 31-14, with a dominating performance. A midseason meeting with archrival Petal was everything it should be and more — a highly entertaining game that marked significant turning points for both sides. When the Panthers put together an impressive secondhalf comeback to drop Oak Grove on its home field, they set the tone for a run that led them to the state title game. The Warriors, meanwhile, dropped a fourth-quarter advantage to Meridian the next week, and then fell on the road at Brandon, 45-38 in overtime. That set up a must-win contest against Hattiesburg, where a 22-21 final left Oak Grove with an uncomfortable and unfamiliar feeling, especially for a senior class that leaves with a 38-14 record and played in three South State games and one State Championship. “It was a really good senior group,” Barr said, “if you look at what they’ve done for three years. They’ve helped to win a lot of football games and they were involved in a lot of big games and big wins. They were a good group with good character.”

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Oak Grove It was an unprecedented season for the Warriors, but not in a good way. A strong 4-0 start ceded to injuries, a mediocre regional effort and the first missed postseason in Nevil Barr’s tenure.

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Purvis

“We were young at the skill positions, but they got better as the year went on”

2011 Review Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com

he season began with questions: Who’s going to make plays? Who is going to lead? Purvis provided an answer: We’ll be just fine, thank you. Unsure exactly what 2011 would hold, the Tornadoes proved it would be more of the same as they posted yet another winning record and a playoff appearance under head coach Perry Wheat. “We had a lot of new faces this year,” Wheat said. “We lost about 17 seniors last year, so we were hoping and expecting some of the young guys to come through for us, and they did. That was a big plus for us. We didn’t have a great record — 7-4 — but we knew our schedule would be tough. “I think the kids played good. We lost some close ballgames, but I think overall we had a good team.” Purvis had to replace all of its statistical leaders from the previous season, and in the process of doing so it also laid the foundation for the future. Running back Thamaz Taylor emerged, as a junior, as not just his team’s best runner but also the state’s, freshman Nathan Roseberry survived a trial by fire as he was thrust in to the starting role early in the year and most of the team’s top wide receivers and defensive backs were underclassmen. Wheat credits a few fundamental things for his team’s ability to succeed despite an overwhelming lack of experience at so many spots on the field.

“One thing was, I think, our play up front on both our offensive and defensive lines,” Wheat said. “We were pleased with it this year and thought it was improved. We were young at the skill positions, but they got better as GO TORNADOES — Purvis supporters saw their team the year went on. return to the playoffs despite preseason question marks. “The other thing is underclassmen that needed to our kids just seemed to have a make plays right away. Included in good chemistry. They fed off each that group of elder statesmen were other and played hard.” defensive line workhorses Jamahl The season-opening game Tatum and Keoni Davis, offensive against nearby North Forrest proline leaders Jaime Stuart and vided a sign of things to come, as Gunnar Garza, tight end Chase the Tornadoes gritted out a 16-7 Madden, who always seemed to victory over a team that ended up come up with big third-down catchin the postseason. An admirable es, and Cory Breazeale, who was effort against Oak Grove, albeit in one of the best linebackers in the a loss, followed, before a close area. victory against rival Sumrall. “We had a great bunch of senA dramatic 30-21 defeat to iors,” Wheat said, “and most of Forrest County Agricultural could them played all the way through. have derailed things a bit, but We’ve been with them a long time. Purvis regained its focus and won They had a great work ethic and five of its final six regular-season was just a tremendous bunch of games, including big wins over kids from a standpoint of characNorth Pike and South Pike that ter. We’re going to miss their leadhelped the Tornadoes finish secership. That’s hard to replace.” ond in Region 7-4A with a 4-1 The future, though, is bright if record. the Purvis youngsters can build A loss to Quitman in the first upon the talent they showcased in round of the playoffs, 21-14, was 2011. not the way the players in purple “We’ve got a good group of kids wanted their season to end, but it coming back, particularly on was a valiant conclusion to a seaoffense,” Wheat said. “I think we son that was hardly guaranteed to have a lot of potential to be a good be a success. football team, but until we do it, we The team’s senior group wasn’t a large one, don’t know. I think the potential is there. but it was “If we have the right kind of ethic an imporand attitude, I think next year’s tant one, team’s going to be very competisetting the tive. But that’s still in front of us. tone for a We’ve got to prove that.” unit of

GET TOGETHER — Purvis head coach Perry Wheat credits team chemistry for a lot of his squad’s success in 2011.

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Purvis No one knew what to expect from the Tornadoes this season. But lots of holes got filled admirably, and some newcomers stood out, as Purvis won seven games and returned to the postseason.

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Sumrall

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2011 Review Richard Thompson/Special for PineBeltSPORTS.com

t’s been a while since wins have been common at Sumrall, and nobody expected this fall to immediately change that. Nonetheless, it’s not hard to classify the 2011 season as one of success for the Bobcats. A return to the playoffs was just a cherry on top — and some positive reinforcement — for a team that was focused on making strides under new head coach Shannon White. And strides were made, belying the squad’s final, 3-9 record. “I think it was a season of growing pains, changing habits, learning how to play correctly,” White said. “It took us a while to get to where we could play four quarters and be intense and compete and be confident. “We ended on a great note. Our last two or three games we played extremely well. The first round of the playoffs we played Forest, who was the defending state champion and … We played extremely well and put up almost 40 points.” It was a far cry from a sluggish start that saw Sumrall struggle to find itself on offense or defense, starting the year with two blowout losses. But when the Bobcats nearly beat Purvis in Week 3, it seemed like things started to change. A 33-28 road win over Prentiss Christian in Week 4 gave the team something to smile about, and three weeks later a convincing victory over St. Patrick

sparked a closing stretch that was marked by largely competitive play, including a finale win over Perry Central that vaulted the Bobcats somewhere they hadn’t been in some time — the playoffs. “We almost beat Purvis, we almost beat Collins,” White said. “Either one of those games would have been ones that turned us around. Our significant win was beating Perry Central toward the end of the season and made the playoffs. The next week it was a totally different team that hit the field. They felt like they had accomplished something. “Maybe our signature win wasn’t necessarily a team we beat, but making the playoffs. I had no idea of the impact that would have.” On the other hand, while a transition period was inevitable, it lasted a little longer than White had hoped, dragging on past midseason. Of course, the earlyseason loss of quarterback Will Simon didn’t help and left the team searching for an identity. Four different players got snaps at QB for the Bobcats, and it wasn’t until the final one that Sumrall stumbled upon its answer. When Devontae Watts took over the offense, things began to click, and now the team knows the direction it’s headed for the future, with White saying Watts will allow the team to be high-octane next season and “we’re fixing to throw the snot out of it next year.” Another positive for the future is the continued growth of a defense that played well at times but just didn’t have the strength to match the physicality of opponents. White says the team is already getting stronger in the offseason, which bodes well for the future. “We’ve made great strides since the season’s been over with,” White said, “and we’ll put a much stronger team on the field. “Most teams were not more talented than us, but they were stronger and conse-

MISSING LINK? — The Sumrall offense began to find some continuity when junior Devontae Watts took over at QB midway through the year.

quently more physical.” The head coach also speaks well of the foundation that was put down by a senior class that had little to gain. After years of losing and multiple coaching changes, the group still found a way to turn into leaders before it was all said and done. “I think we’ll look back in a few years and see even more what a role they played this season,” White said. “They never gave up. They’ve been through a lot with coaching changes. I’m their third coach in the last three years. I think it took them a while to completely buy into it and trust me, and that’s normal. “The main thing they did was they learned leadership responsibilities and they eventually played a huge role in being leaders for our team. It was marked growth by them and they left, I think, proud of their accomplishments this year. We’ll look back in the future and be even more proud of that group.” What they will miss out on is the growing excitement around the program. Even with baseball season about to start up and steal attention, next fall will bring anticipation, not apprehension. “I thought we ended on a great note,” White said. “The enthusiasm from our team and our community hasn’t stopped. There’s a lot of excitement right now, even though it’s December.”

TAKING CHARGE — Shannon White’s first year at the helm may have developed more slowly than he would have liked, but the end results were undoutedly those of growth.

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Sumrall Hopes were high that a new coach could turn the Bobcats around, but few expected a playoff berth. That, coupled with continued improvent, bodes well for the future in Sumrall.

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Lumberton

umberton learned something in 2011 — encores aren’t easy. The Panthers felt a lot of pressure to perform coming off a spectacular Class 2A championship in 2010, and it turned into more than the team could bear. Finishing with a 6-6 record, Lumberton was about three plays away from having nine wins during a season that saw the ball take some weird bounces and left the Panthers scratching their heads at times and feeling frustrated. The squad opened the season with a convincing win over Kemper County, but back-to-back losses to Bay and West Marion — one of four losses by six points or less — proved that this was a new season “Any time you have a great season,” head coach Brian Ford said, “the next season is very important because a lot of times kids feel like if they can’t match that previous, great year, then what have they accomplished? I think the kids felt like they had a lot of pressure on them to repeat or play at the same level that we had the year before. “Everybody has issues and injuries and we had some of those things and lost a couple of games early, and seemed to not be as aggressive or focused as we needed to be. The kids rebounded and seemed to get better and then we hit a long, hard stretch of our district. Our district is the toughest 2A district in the state, and the ball just didn’t bounce our way.” Three of Lumberton’s Region 8-2A foes made up the classification’s final four, with

SWEATIN’ IT OUT — The Lumberton defense made some plays, below are Dalton Parks (72) and Joe Edwards (50), but head coach Brian Ford, far right, and the Panthers had to sweat out far too many close games.

Bassfield and East Marion playing for South State and the latter falling at State. But tough schedule or not, losing close games you think you should win takes a toll. “You really feel for your players,” Ford said. “When they play well enough to have you in a game that you lose by one point or three points, those are games you should win. As a coach, I take those losses on myself. If your team plays well enough and hard enough to have you (that close) you should win the game. “It’s hard on the kids to overcome those kind of losses. They say, ‘We played as hard as we could and we lost by one.’ One of those games you can overcome, but when you have three or four it’s a lot for those young guys to deal with and it gets frustrating for everyone.” But there were still positives to take away. The Panthers lost a lot of key personnel from their championship year, and there were some major question marks coming into the year. A fresh group still managed to win six games, almost win another handful and got back to the playoffs, where it, yes, lost by one point to St. Joseph Catholic (Madison), 17-16. While not a happy ending, it was a perfect microcosm of the team’s campaign. “We had a lot of guys that stepped up this year,” Ford said, “and a lot of guys that haven’t really played before, and I think a lot of guys grew up a lot. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way. We’re probably three plays away from winning nine games. “I think all of us would love to go back and do some things different, but I still feel like we were competitive and real close to having a great year. We had several chances and lost several games by a touchdown or less, and when you compete that way you are still, in my mind, proud of what you accomplished.” And keeping a positive spin on things allows Lumberton to bid a fond farewell to a group of seniors who have seen it all in their Panther careers. The group dealt with multiple coaching changes and a two-win season before finding success under Ford, including a state championship, and there aren’t many senior classes

2011 Review that can flash those rings. “They’ve been through a lot but accomplished a great deal as well,” Ford said. The Panthers will again see changes heading into next season, but the returning group can take lessons learned from an up-and-down season with them and will try to bounce back out of shadows of expectations. “We’re ready to have a great offseason,” Ford said, “improve on the little things and recognize the things we can do and improve on the things we don’t do well. “I think one of the things we need to improve on the most is taking care of the football and playing disciplined football. But those are things we can improve on. We just have to get focused.”

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Lumberton A state championship was hard to live up to in 2011, and the Panthers endured an up-and-down season with as many close calls as could be imagined...and then some.

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PCS or the first time ever, Presbyterian Christian faced some pressure coming into the 2011 season. After making the program’s inaugural trip to the postseason, there were expectations of a repeat visit to the playoffs. The Bobcats made sure not to disappoint. Despite a troublesome 0-2 start to the year in which it was outscored 60-7, PCS never lost focus, chalking up the initial losses to tough opponents — Jackson Academy and Simpson Academy — and moving on to finish the year at 8-4. Not only that, but in the first round of the playoffs the Bobcats gave Jackson Academy everything it could handle, battling to the bitter end only to fall 16-9. It was another sign that PCS is closing the gap as much as it can between itself and the Big Two — JA and Jackson Prep. “No question,” PCS head coach Joey Hawkins said. “We had a legitimate chance to beat JA in the playoff game. We’re getting closer. They have 25 seniors every year and we have 12, so you’re trying to catch that. But our kids continue to work hard, and if we continue to do that in due time we can sure beat them. “I thought we started off and played two great teams. Then

“Our kids have developed, and that’s the thing I’m probably most proud of.”

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2011 Review we found a way to win eight of the next nine and play JA down to the wire. I couldn’t be more pleased with our season and what our kids accomplished throughout the year.” The Bobcats only other regular-season loss came in Week 7 to Jackson Prep, 44-20, and they closed things out with an impressive and convincing win over Starkville Academy, 21-3. PCS was led by a critical group of seniors, including twoyear starter at quarterback Brandon Sullivan, two-way standout Blake Graves (20 touchdowns and 137 tackles) and tight end Hunter Hawkins, who was lost midseason to a torn ACL. “The thing that was toughest for us to get over was when Hunter Hawkins tore his ACL,” coach Hawkins said. “With him healthy, we could have moved the ball in a greater fashion, no doubt about it.” But there was also room for some new faces to emerge, and the Bobcats are bolstered by the fact that Lee Sigrest will continue making a name for himself for a couple more years. The sophomore broke out with 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, even with Graves still getting carries. Sigrest will lead a younger group onto the gridiron in

BATTLIN’ BOBCATS — Helping PCS back to the playoffs for the second year in a row was tough defense, like the tackle made against Jackson Prep, at left, and some big plays, like the kick return for a touchdown by Preston Bell against Simpson Academy, at right.

2012, but it’s one that will continue to carry high hopes that are now no longer the exception at Presbyterian Christian, but the norm. “Next year we’ll have more speed than we’ve ever had,” Hawkins said. “(But) we have three or four key positions we have to address because we just don’t know who’s going to play. Someone’s going to have to step up. We’ve got some work to do. When you have the amount of kids that we have, everyone is crucial. “Our kids have developed, and that’s the thing I’m probably most proud of.” And he’s proud of what his program has accomplished. “It was special. I felt like in AAA (MAIS) football, we moved into the third spot (behind Jackson Prep and Jackson Academy) for two years in a row. We’re really pleased. We’ve basically maxed out with the talent we had, and that’s all you can ask for as a coach.”

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PCS Presbyterian Christian faced a tall order as the 2011 season approached — prove it wasn’t a one-hit wonder. After making the playoffs for the first time ever a year ago, the Bobcats showed their staying power with yet another strong season and yet another taste of the postseason. Consider the campaign a success.

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USM It was a year to remember for the Golden Eagles — a 12-2 record, a Conference USA championship and a bowl win. Not to mention, QB Austin Davis secured the records he didn’t already hold. Simply put, 2011 was as good as it’s ever been for Southern Miss.

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This started as Top 10 Games; then Top 10 Moments. Then I decided that there was no way to do those justice. I could not attend every game or see every moment, and everyone experiences each of those moments differently anyway. So here is one list of Top 10 Memories from the 2011 football season ... mine. —Josh Mlot

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at Oak Grove, Aug. 18 — The game itself was not of particular interest, as a 10. Sumrall 52-0 blowout for the Warriors, but it was my first ever taste of football in this area. There

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was some slight controversy surrounding the game and its pitting of a rebuilding 3A school against a 6A power, but the intrigue on the field didn’t last long. I did, however, get to see the speed, power and skill of 6A football in the state of Mississippi, and I got to see the Bobcats’ lowest point, which made it much easier to appreciate how far they came through the season. Sumrall’s victories — There were only three, but there is something redeem-

in seeing a program learn and grow. The Bobcats haven’t found success in 9. ing a long time, and they had all sorts of problems early on. I didn’t pick a particular win because each held a unique importance. A victory over Prentiss Christian in Week 4 was the first under Shannon White; a win over St. Patrick in Week 7 was the most convincing; a win over Perry Central in Week 11 not only was on the heels of a potentially confidence-crushing, one-point loss the game before, but also solidified a long-elusive playoff spot for a Sumrall program that had almost nowhere to go but up.

County at Lumberton, Aug. 19 — This wasn’t the 8. Kemper most memorable game the Panthers played this season — a season that wasn’t nearly as good as 2010. They lost four games by a touchdown or less, and had a wild 8-2 defeat to eventual State participants East Starkville Academy at PCS, Oct. 28 — When I arrived here in Marion late in the year. But this was my first the spring, I heard a good deal about how Presbyterian Christian Lumberton football experience, and the swagSchool had never been to the playoffs until 2010. This season ger and excitement that permeated the air was when it would reveal whether it was a flash in the pan or a when the players ran down into “The Pit” wavprogram on the rise. The team was defeated, and not hugely ing the Panther flag as defending state chamcompetitive, in its first two games this fall, and it looked like we pions was a great way to start. might have an answer. By the time I attended this game — the final one in the regular season — the Bobcats had lost only one more game. This week was the first, I think, when the cold really settled in, and with an early-game misting rain and a light breeze, it was uncomfortable on the field. But PCS absolutely dominated a team that had previously lost only one game all year. The win vaulted the Bobcats into a knockout performance against Jackson Academy in the first round of the playoffs, where PCS nearly avenged a season-opening loss. Presbyterian Christian came oh so close to knocking off the big boys, taking a lead late into the game, and closed the gap just a little bit more.

Tech at Southern Miss, Sept. 3 — The season opener for the Golden Eagles 6. Louisiana was more interesting than they would have liked, as the offense sputtered, but kicker Danny Hrappmann had a strong night in a 19-17 win. But it’s most memorable as my first USM football experience, and one that came in atrocious weather conditions. With a tropical storm blowing through, the first half left me soaked to the bone taking photographs down on the field. The second half left me in a press box from which I could see nothing through the driving rain that poured down the windows. Not a great experience, but a memorable one. Josh Mlot/PineBeltSPORTS.com (8 & 6)

The Petal News

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

at Meridian, South State, Nov. 25 — I wasn’t at the regular season meeting 5. Petal between these two teams, though that one was memorable in its own right, as the

43 Robert Burgess/PineBeltSPORTS.com (5 & 2)

Panthers missed opportunities at the end of the game and then had a postgame scuffle with the visitors. This rematch, however, was a great one. No team had defeated the Wildcats in Ray Stadium in five years, and it seemed like the Panthers’ magical ride might have found its resting place. When Meridian running back Michael Hubbard broke free on a huge run early in the game it seemed like it was going to be a long night. But just as Hubbard was about to stride into the end zone, Petal’s Jamarcus Revies — clearly sizing up a strip the entire way — punched the ball loose. The play jumpstarted the Panthers, as their defense was just as impressive, if not more so, than a Meridian stopping unit that had been unbreakable all season. This game proved anything was possible for Petal. Central Florida at Southern Miss, Nov. 12 — This was one of the best

in Southern Miss history, and this was probably the best game. 4. seasons With the Conference USA East title still hanging in the balance, the Eagles

Taylor — I could have chosen a single performance by the Purvis 3. Thamaz running back, but which one would I choose? Would it be his Week 2 effort against Oak Grove, when he showed he could have his way even against a 6A defense? Maybe it was his Week 3 performance against Sumrall in which he carried the ball 35 times, seemed to get stronger with each carry and carried his team past a Bobcat squad that just wouldn’t go away? Or it might be against St. Stanislaus on Sept. 23 when he ran for 330 yards and five TDs? Taylor was the breakout player of the year in the Pine Belt, and to pick one game over any other would be a disservice to the junior’s consistency and explosive potential on every carry. at Oak Grove, Sept. 30 — It seemed impossible that this game would live up to the hype. It 2. Petal did. I had heard all about this rivalry, and thought there was no way it could possibly be that good, but I was wrong. This was not only a perfect example of a good rivalry game, but also a hinging point for each team’s season. Oak Grove took a first-half lead and looked ready to maintain control, with quarterback Steven Swindle throwing for 344 yards on 20-of-39 passing. But Anthony Alford took over in the second half for Petal. On the team’s second play of the second half he hit receiver Jesse Jackson deep down the sideline, and the entire game shifted. There seemed to be no denying Alford, who knew full well what it felt like to lose to Oak Grove — he’s been there before, including a 2010 playoff loss in which he injured his knee. The Panther defense stood up a potent Warrior offense and allowed Petal to reel off 35 unanswered points. It was the consummate rivalry game and the epitome of what it’s like to will your way to victory. Petal went on to drive to the state championship game, while Oak Grove stalled out, lost three of its final five games and missed the playoffs. At the time, Alford called it the program’s biggest win ever.

Petal vs. Olive Branch, 6A Championship, Dec. 2 — Of course, Alford and the 1. Panthers went on to win some pretty important games this season. The 6A State Championship was not one of them. But it was the greatest football game I’ve ever been to. This game was memorable for both good and bad reasons, but there’s no denying the phenomenal excitement on this night. Petal jumped out to a halftime lead, controlling the undefeated Conquistadors. Olive Branch answered by stealing the lead back with a gutsy, two-point conversion call with less than two minutes left in the game. The Panthers calmly drove right back down the field, and with zero time on the clock booted a 43-yard field goal through the uprights and rushed the field. Only then did they realize a penalty had been called on Olive Branch, negating the kick and forcing a re-kick, which sailed wide left. It was a chaotic and emotional ending to a brilliant game. Regardless of which side you supported and what you felt when you left the stadium that night, it was a game that everyone in attendance will tell their grandchildren about. It was the type of game that will live on for generations.

Matt Bush/PineBeltSPORTS.com (4, 3 & 1)

needed a pass breakup by Jacorious Cotton on a two-point conversion as time expired to cling to a 30-29 win. It featured a kick return for a touchdown and a two-point conversion toss to an offensive lineman — something you just don’t see every day.

PineBeltSPORTS.com’s FOOTBALL REVIEW 2011

The Lamar Times

appear to be a problem for him. Quarterback Nathan Roseberry will now have almost a year of experience under his belt after getting thrown into the fire early in his freshman year, and wide receivers Markel Pack and Josh Hosey will be back, among others. The Tornadoes’ success will most likely hinge on an offensive line and defensive front seven that graduates a huge chunk of leaders. PRESBYTERIAN CHRISTIAN “I think we have a lot of potential to be a good football team,” head It’s been a nice two-year run for the Bobcats, but now they’ll get to see coach Perry Wheat said, “but until we do it, we don’t know. ... That’s still what sort of foundation has been built as PCS says goodbye to a strong in front of us. We’ve got to prove that.” group of seniors upon which the newfound success was built. Look for next year’s juniors, a group head coch Joey Hawkins is OAK GROVE A season without playoffs is not something Oak Grove is comfortable high on, to make their presence felt, starting with running back with making a trend. But in a challenging region the Warriors will have Lee Sigrest, who broke out for 1,000 yards as a sophomore. to keep getting better or risk falling behind in a conference that There will also be a senior group that boasts experience, features archrival Petal, always strong Meridian and a including Micah Griffin, Daniel Patterson, Stephen Jones and Hattiesburg squad on the rise. offensive lineman Tanner McGowen, who turned heads in 2011. The top two running backs are gone, but Johnathan McNair “Next year we’ll have more speed than we’ve ever had,” Hawkins has shown game-breaking flash and there are likely more backs said. “We’ve got some work to do. ... (But) our kids have developed, and waiting in the wings. Junior-to-be Kirk McCarty takes over at QB and that’s the thing I’m probably most proud of.” looks like a star just waiting for his time, and he’ll have Picasso Nelson, LUMBERTON Jr., to throw to. The Panthers had impossible expectations to live up to in 2011. Now The offensive line and defense will suffer the biggest attrition, and they can look forward to a 2012 in which people won’t think of them as look for the latter to center around players like defensive lineman Joey champions, and the target on their back will be a whole lot smaller. Arnau and safety John Addison Ford. Filling in the rest of the pieces will Everything will be about the backfield for Lumberton next season. be the difference between getting back to the postseason or a disappointQuarterback Kion Willis now has experience, and Keshod ing repeat. Willis, Jatarrin Clark and Kennaro Calloway round out a “I think one thing is we’ll be real young,” head coach Nevil Barr said. group of talented RBs. “We won’t have as many seniors, but I think it’s a team that has some The question marks will be in the defensive backfield, on the talent and a lot of potential. … I think there’ll be some very strong years line and at receiver, where the Panthers will suffer a number of losses. coming. I think they’ll be a fun group to coach. I know the coaches are “I think the biggest thing that we need to have is a great offseason,” excited about working with them.” head coach Brian Ford said. “We’ll be young. We have a couple of outstanding backs returning, but we have to be able to do things where peo- PETAL The problem with rising to the top is that anything less suddenly ple can’t key on those guys.” becomes a disappointment. It will be extremely tough for SUMRALL Petal to repeat a run to the state title game, but the group There will be as much excitement in Sumrall in 2012 as there ever has that returns will have learned from the experiences of 2011 been. Continued improvement and an unexpected playoff berth in 2011 and will hope to be better because of it. really provided the program with a major boost. The graduation of an elite player like Anthony Alford is impossible to Now the team will be familiar with head coach Shannon White, his fill, though before he stepped down a few weeks ago, head coach Steve plan will be in full effect and the squad will need to respond Buckley said he thought next year’s team has a chance to be better. accordingly. Can the team build up the strength it needs in the But that will require not just replacing Alford — a player that altered offseason after it was out-muscled on many occasions? White entire game plans — but also patching up holes all over the field. will get a jump on that after not having the team until the spring The good news is that safeties Jalen Boney and Johna Myers — who a year ago. Buckley called the most pleasant surprise of 2010 — linebacker Trevor This time around Sumrall won’t need to go through a carousel of quar- Williams and defensive end Haydn Lott will return. terbacks — Devontae Watts will be the man. And with Austin Watts and On offense things will likely center around Jamarcus Revies, who has James Jackson returning, there will be weapons for what will be a higha chance to be as good a receiver as there is in the state, and new QB flying attack. Larson Barkurn, who may not be a game changer like Alford, but has “We’re fixing to throw the snot out of it next year,” White said. “We’re shown he has all the tools to be a good signal caller. And even though the going to throw it around pretty good. It’ll be a spread offense that throws offensive line must replace three starters, the two that return — Cade it a bunch and runs it effectively.” Camp and Javon Patterson — might be the most talented. Oh, and the Panthers will welcome in head coach Marcus Boyles, who PURVIS knows a thing or two about winning (five state championships). There will always be questions surrounding a high school football “I think you look back on the last three years,” Buckley said, “and this team, but 2012 should bring a few less than 2011 for Purvis. group built the walls and put the roof on. ... Yeah, there will be some Running back Thamaz Taylor will be the engine that Purvis bumps in the road, but I think this group proved (Petal) can compete at hitches its train to. Based on how he responded during a the highest level.” breakout year when every defense keyed on him, that doesn’t From the second the 2011 high school football season ended, coaches have been busy thinking about the 2012 campaign. We, on the other hand, paused for a moment to reflect on how things went this fall. But now that you’re on the last page of the magazine, we’ll go ahead and take some quick pre-preseason guesses about 2012.