AT H L E T I C S
BOYS SOCCER TRIUMPHS WITH CHAMPIONSHIP WIN
Emery Thigpen, who was named Mississippi Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year in 2021, lifts the championship trophy while the team celebrates its victory.
J
ACKSON ACADEMY’S BOYS SOCCER TEAM ENDED ONE OF THE LONGEST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP STREAKS IN MISSISSIPPI HISTORY THIS PAST YEAR AND EARNED THEIR FIRST STATE TITLE UNDER SECOND-YEAR COACH PHILLIP BUFFINGTON.
JA ended Jackson Prep’s 10-year reign as MAIS division champions with a 6-3 victory for the Raiders’ first state title since 2010. “We had the goal of winning a championship the last two years with what we hoped was going to be a team that could finally break Prep’s remarkable streak,” Buffington 20 TRUE BLUE
said. “Coming up short in last year’s championship in overtime showed the boys we had the quality to win but needed something more than just ability to win a championship. We learned a lot about that game and ourselves. This year’s group set out with a fire not matched by many with their goal of winning a championship, and we finally got over that mountain.”
JA finished with an 18-4-1 record, 13-1 against MAIS teams, losing only to Prep 1-0 at Prep. JA had been in the state title game for the past three seasons before taking the title this past year. As a player, Buffington led Prep to four straight state titles. Buffington, who is considered one of the top boys players
