March 13, 2016

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Sunday EDITION

Volume 2 | Issue 94

oxfordcitizen.com

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Did you remember to set your clocks ahead one hour today?

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Set yo a 12 1 11 ho 2

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Inside 6 News

JOHN DAVIS

Joel Hollowell is the building inspector for Lafayette County. Hollowell, who has an extensive background in building, has been busy ever since he was hired last April.

Building a future

Washout at Della Davidson Elementary School to be repaired

8 News

Hollowell keeps track of permits, codes in county

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

A builder by trade, Joel Hollowell is a busy, busy man. Serving Lafayette County as building inspector, time is something Hollowell hasn’t always had on his side.

It’s been almost a year since Hollowell was hired by the board of supervisors to inspect new commercial and residential construction. His background in construction started in high school when he went to work for builder John Davis.

“I learned from the best as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “I worked for him out of high school, a total of 10 years of experience through him. I started my own business building and built around most around Lafayette County. I ended up teaching down at the B & I for seven years. I enjoyed that and you’re still part of the building industry, and once it’s in your blood, you just want to be a part of it.”

Hollowell built for residents until he

took over his new position. He anticipated the position being created by the county due to the increase of homes going up. Hollowell was also looking to spend more time with his family. Since the first of January, Hollowell has issued just over 60 permits to builders.

“There were times last year where we were averaging 30 per month and then it would slack off for a little bit,” said Hollowell, who issues the permits for subdivisions and commercial jobs only in areas outside of the city limits.

There are a number of days where Hollowell finds himself running across the county, from one subdivision far to the south to one out north and west of the Square like Twelve Oaks.

“You try to work it out to where you can do three or four over there when you can but it always doesn’t work that way,” Hollowell said. “You may find yourself going from Wellsgate to Tuscan Hills. There is a lot of traveling involved.”

Within the first month that Hollowell was on the job, he knew extra help was

going to be necessary. The board just approved the hiring of an additional inspector this past week, and Hollowell felt that would make things that much better.

“We needed to start off and find out exactly what we needed, whether it was part time or full time,” he added.

Building codes have been enforced in the county since May 1, 2015, and that’s when all the permit fees changed. A permit to build in the county is $150 base fee, commercial or residential. After that, there is a permit for every square foot for the heated part of a building. So a 2,000 square foot heated area would be an additional $600. Basically, it’s $0.30 a square foot. There are no other permits for any of the other trades like gas, plumbing or electric.

“I’ve compared some of them to the city and for the most part, we’ve been less than as far as permits because you are required to pull different permits in the city,” he said. “In the county, you TURN TO HOLLOWELL PAGE 13

La Rebelión holds weekly salsa dancing class.

13 Sports

Hilliard leads Oxford into 5A state meet.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

CHANING GREEN

Campus Recreation staff help a student in a hamster ball get into the Turner Center pool at Wednesday’s Spring Break Pool Party.

Campus Recreation holds Spring Break Pool Party Wednesday night, Campus Recreation at the University of Mississippi held a Spring Break Pool Party at the Turner Center on campus.

Senior Ali Delgado organized the event. She is graduating in May with a degree in exercise science and plans to attend nursing school immediately after. She has worked with the Turner Center’s pool since last May. She is a lifeguard, a swim instructor and teaches water aerobics. The idea for the event was introduced in October. The plan was to create an alcohol-free, spring break-related event that educated students on the dangers of what could happen over the break.

“I’ve always had this idea of a DJ booth on the top of the pool and just having an awesome pool party,” Delgado said when she spoke about the reasoning behind having the event be a pool party. “Obviously, it didn’t work out like that, but it stems from that idea. Pool parties are fun. They’re spring breaky.

So why don’t we hold the event at the pool?”

Delgado intended for the event to be a way for students to unwind during the hectic week before the break. A way to get people out of their dorms and the library for a few hours to just relax and swim while educating themselves about the safeties and dangers of spring break.

Rebels Against Sexual Assault, a student organization at the university dedicated to educating fellow students about the dangers and alarmingly high statistics of sexual assault, was at the pool party to discuss spring break safety. Students learned how to protect themselves if they ended up in a situation they were not comfortable with and how they can work to avoid those situations altogether.

At a table set up outside of the natatorium, students were given a cup and a liquor bottle filled with water and asked to pretend like they were fixing themselves their first drink of the night. Stu-

dents then poured an amount into the cup and answered questions about how many drinks like the one they just poured they would likely consume in a night. Once the person working the table obtained a final volume from the participant, the person working the table would then pour that liquid into shot glasses to provide a visual representation of how much alcohol that person is consuming in one night. That one drink they started off the night with might contain enough alcohol to constitute three or even five drinks. Students can think, “Oh, I’ve only had two drinks. Another won’t hurt.” When in actuality,

they’ve already had six.

The goal of the table was to illustrate that and educate students on the importance of drinking responsibly and illustrate how easy it can be to get alcohol poisoning.

The hamster balls were also a big draw for students, particularly on social media.

Campus Recreation’s Aquatics Department purchased the balls this semester. They are large, translucent inflatable apparatuses made of plastic. Students could crawl inside, have the ball inflated and sealed, then climb into the swimming pool. The ball is airtight so water could not get in and the balls just float in the pool. Standing up in the

ball when it is in water is extraordinarily challenging. Aquatics Director Mark Garneau said that they did have one Ole Miss track athlete manage to stand up in the ball and run for about five seconds.

Everyone else seemed content to flop around and just try his or her best.

Food and music were also at the event. There were door prizes and other prizes that businesses donated, like gift cards, were raffled off every 30 minutes. Delgado said that over 100 people came to the event, many of whom stayed until after midnight. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

PAGE 3

OHS ninth graders shadow local professionals for the day

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

On March 8, ninth graders at Oxford High School had the opportunity to follow around different local professionals during their workday. This is the first time in several years that Oxford High School has held the job shadowing day. Assistant Principal Duncan Gray said that knew of someone participating in a similar event at the school in 2003.

Assistant Principal Duncan Gray has been with Oxford High School for five years now. After earning a journalism degree from the University of Alabama, Gray entered into the University of Mississippi’s Teacher Corps program where he earned his master’s in curriculum and instruction. He went on to earn his ED.S in education leadership from Mississippi College.

To determine who they would shadow, ninth graders were given a survey just before the Christmas holiday. The students were asked to identify some of their interests and some career fields they are particularly interested in exploring. Students were later asked if they would be interested in following around a professional in the field they’re interested in pursuing. Students were given permission forms and 65 of them brought them back singed.

Gray met with the kids one by one. He had to figure out exactly where to put the kids and that required finding local businesses in Oxford that were willing to let the students shadow them for the day.

He collaborated with the Chamber of Commerce to put the word out. More business became aware of the activity and began calling Gray, asking him if there was still room for more businesses to participate.

There were students who wanted to be doctors, teachers, journalists, architects, realtors and many other things. They were all placed with local professionals to see what it was like to have that job for a day.

PETRE THOMAS

Livvy Cohen watches Oxford Citizen sports editor John Davis interview Oxford High powerlifting coach Jason Russell during her time on Shadow Day. “When I was in ninth grade, we had it here,” Gray said. “I’m not certain why they discontinued it at some point, but they did.

In your ninth grade year, you have some pretty standard classes, but going into your sophomore, junior and senior years, you can begin to pick some electives and course offering that are maybe geared toward what you want to do down the road.”

One of the students participating was J.T. Owens.

He shadowed an employee of the Caterpillar plant in Oxford. The plant here specializes in manufacturing hose couplings for most Caterpillar brand machinery. Owens said he became interested in the company due to his interest in farm equipment, like tractors.

His late grandfather was a farmer.

Owes said he learned about measurements, how tools operated and what went into packaging the

parts for shipment. The workers at the plant showed him a lot about what goes into producing industrial machinery.

Sydney Spears spent her day shadowing a nurse practitioner at Internal Medicine Associates of Oxford on Azalea Drive, just off of South Lamar. Spears wants to either become a nurse or a doctor, but is not completely sure which one yet.

She said she learned a lot while at the job shadowing.

She got an up-close look at what it is that nurses and doctors in general practice do everyday. Every single patient Spears came across agreed to let her sit in on their visit.

“I watched a couple ultrasounds and EKGs, and that was really cool,” She said. “[The person I was shadowing] introduced me to the patients and asked for their permission before I came into the room. I had a really good time. It

felt like I was basically on the job.”

The Oxford Citizen received its own student as well. Livvy Cohen spent the day with ad sales manager Sarah Brooke Bishop and Sports Editor John Davis.

Cohen is interested in journalism and art. This year, Cohen is in an intro to journalism class, and she

loves it. She said she enjoys having the opportunity to meet interesting people and write about things she likes.

For the first part of her day, Cohen shadowed Bishop as she met with business around Oxford to sell advertisements.

“It was just really interesting to see the process of

meeting people and doing things,” Cohen said in reference to her time with the Oxford Citizen’s ad sales manager. “I’ve had a lot of fun today. I’m glad we got to this and the opportunity to shadow someone like this.” chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 4

BRIEFING Garden Club hosts exhibit The Oxford Garden Club will present “Life’s a Garden...Bloom Where You’re Planted” on Thursday, April 21, 2016, from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Oxford Conference Center, 102 Ed Perry Blvd. This Horticulture Extravaganza will include over 300 horticulture exhibits, as well as a plant sale, and will feature several farm and garden vendors. The admission is free, and the public is invited. For more information, please contact Barbara McIntosh at 662-607-0366.

Sherman honored

by Wells Fargo

For the fourth consecutive year Wells Fargo Advisors designated Chuck Sherman, First Vice President – Investment Officer, as a member of the firm’s Premier Advisor Program.

This distinction reflects Sherman’s achievement of professional success by meeting or exceeding Wells Fargo Advisors’ high standards as measured by one or more of the firm’s criteria for revenue generation, educational attainment, and client-service best practices.

Sherman has been a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors for almost 10 years and has 17 years’ experience in the brokerage industry. He has a BBA in General Business from The University of Mississippi.

Sherman lives in Oxford with his wife Elizabeth and their 3 daughters Graham, Olivia Cate, and Bramlett.

About Wells Fargo Advisors With $1.4 trillion in client assets as of December 31, 2015, Wells Fargo Advisors provides investment advice and guidance to clients through 14,960 full-service financial advisors and 3,933 licensed

Marjorie has served as President of the Mississippi Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, a member of the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions, and is a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

Holcomb Dunbar is a full service law firm offering services in litigation, insurance defense, product liability, medical malpractice, divorce, complex bankruptcies, white collar crime, and workers’ compensation. The firm was also named as a “Go-To” Law Firm in litigation by Corporate Counsel magazine. Over the years, the Matlock joins firm’s attorneys have Holcomb Dunbar Holcomb Dunbar – At- served as officers and board members in the torneys is pleased to anAmerican Bar Association, nounce the addition of Mississippi Defense Marjorie T. Matlock. Ms. Lawyers’ Association, and Matlock will join the firm the Lafayette County Bar as a partner and lead its Association. More reWorkers’ Compensation cently, several of its attorDefense Group. Matlock will concentrate her prac- neys have been tice on providing workers recognized as Fellows in compensation defense to the Mississippi Bar Foundation, American Bar Asbusinesses and insurers throughout Mississippi, as sociation, and the American College of Trial well as general insurance Attorneys, and named in defense, and mediation the Mid South Super and alternative dispute Lawyers publication as resolution services.

Matlock brings 31-years “Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars” rolls. In addiof legal knowledge and a wealth of experience in as- tion, the firm’s attorneys are frequently asked to sisting self-insured comspeak and write on a panies and insurers number of topics to other navigate workers’ comattorneys and industry pensation matters. leaders. Holcomb Dunbar Marjorie received her Juris Doctor from Univer- is the Mississippi member of TAGLaw, an invitationsity of Mississippi School only network of 140 law of Law in 1985 and a firms located in more than Bachelor of Arts in 1982 100 countries. from the University of Holcomb Dunbar is A/V Mississippi. Marjorie has rated by Martindale also served as Adjunct Hubbell, offering services Professor of Trial Practice in general and commerfor the University of Miscial litigation, insurance sissippi School of Law. defense and coverage, Marjorie is admitted to criminal defense, complex practice in the United litigation, real estate transStates District Court, actions, contract, massNorthern and Southern tort defense, mediation, Districts of Mississippi, debtor-creditor matters, and the U.S. Court of Apand divorce. peals for the Fifth Circuit.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

OXFORD INTERMEDIATE BOOK FAIR

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We want to hear from you Let us know how we’re doing. Call us at (662) 801-9607, write to us at P.O. Box 1176, Oxford, MS 38655, email us at mail@oxfordcitizen.com or visit us online at oxfordcitizen.com.

CHANING GREEN

Kiyah Cooper, a fifth grader at Oxford Intermediate School browses the available book selection at the Book Fair held at the school this past week. She ended up purchasing a book in the popular "Diary of a Whimpy Kid" series.

Hollowell FROM PAGE 1

buy one blanket permit.”

Hollowell didn’t think the cost of the permit drove contractors to build more. Having land to put homes on was the biggest need. When it comes to builders, Hollowell said he hasn’t heard any one negative comment in regards to him checking on things.

Most of the contractors that build in the county are used to dealing with codes if they have built inside the city limits.

“Most of them are very much in favor of it because the way the playing field to be equal,” he said.

“If you have a guy that is building a quality house, he wants the same guy building next to him to do the same type of house, apples to apples.”

The county doesn’t enforce covenants of a subdivision but they are a part of a plat when it is approved by the county’s planning commission.

“What I’m enforcing when I go into a subdivision is erosion control, keeping the streets clean, keeping their port-a-potties out there, setbacks.

I’m doing all of that as well as the inspections,” Hollowell said. “I try to make every one of planning commission’s

monthly meetings and I go to their plat reviews because there are some things that we might catch from a code standpoint that need to be considered. I’m also doing their legwork for them, putting up their public notice signs.”

When it comes to the comprehensive plan for the county, Hollowell felt like there would be some things that are addressed in the coming months that should help him do his job even easier. Hollowell is on the committee to review subdivision regulations and building codes. It was the first committee that the supervisors set up.

“What we are doing on my committee is looking at some things that might need to be addressed, building codes and subdivision regulation, between now and the comprehensive plan becomes completed,” Hollowell said.

Having codes that don’t completely impact residents seems to be the goal, or the philosophy of the county. Hollowell said there has been a learning curve for everyone involved in this, to make sure everyone is compliant.

“And rather than just go in and hammer down on everybody, we’ve tried to

lead them and guide them to where we want to be,” Hollowell said.

“There are some things that you have to stand your ground on but it’s part of the process.”

Building permits cover department expenses without any problems and as long as things stay where they are now, Hollowell’s salary and all the other expenses that go along with that like vehicles, will be covered.

“The permit fee is to pay for the department.

We’re on your job multiple times just depending on how you go about doing things,” said Hollowell, who spent 45 minutes on a recent final inspection. “We do a rough plumbing and setback inspection and a slab inspection and then five inspections in one that includes gas, framing, rough electrical, mechanical. Then we come back for a permanent power inspection and then we’re back for a final.

And we could be out there more depending on how building that you’re house. We’re there looking at it a lot. The biggest thing is just getting everyone acclimated to when we want to look at everything.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

PAGE 5

COURTESY

Members of the 2016 Junior Leadership class participants include front row: Sarah Beth Tidwell, Mary Clark Hayward, Aubrey Merrell, Carlisle Yoste, Addison Mills, La'Kyjah Shaw, Kaitlyn Traylor, Sara Katherine Waller. Middle row: Jimmy Green, Emma Wilson, Halle Moore, Anna Blake Lively, Grace Dyer, Cora Lawrence, Anna Renfroe. Back row: Tate Howard, Matt Redfearn, Hogan Linzy, Andrew Gardner, Drew Tacke, and Lolita Gregory (Program Chair). Not pictured: Elaina Dickerson and Lakynn Hillhouse.

Area high school students volunteer, gain new experiences

A select group of sophomores from area high schools have been active this spring volunteering their time with Lafayette County Literacy Council, Lovepacks, and assisting in the coordination of a blood drive as part of their involvement in the 2016 Junior Leadership class, a program sponsored by the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce.

“The program attempts to identify young leaders in the Oxford and Lafayette County schools, as well as home schooled and local private schools,” said Pam Swain, senior vice president of the OxfordLafayette County Chamber of Commerce and program administrator. “Through the program, efforts are made to motivate them and assist them in sharpening their leadership skills, in the hope that they will exert a strong, positive influence on the future of Oxford and Lafayette County.”

“

The program attempts to identify young leaders in the Oxford and Lafayette County schools, as well as home schooled and local private schools. Through the program, efforts are made to motivate them and assist them in sharpening their leadership skills.

“

OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Pam Swain, Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce senior vice president and program administrator The Junior Leadership Program is sponsored for the second consecutive year by a local business with mutliple locations all over the county, Your Extra Closet, owned by successful business leader and entrepreneur Floyd Hubbell.

Participants in this year’s class from Lafayette High School include: Elaina Dickerson, Lakynn Hillhouse, Tate Howard, Core Lawrence, Hogan Linzy, Halle Moore, La’Kyjah Shaw, Sarah Beth Tidwell, Kaitlyn Traylor and

Emma Wilson.

Participants from Oxford High School include: Grace Dyer, Andrew Gardner, Jimmy Green, Mary Clark Hayward, Anna Blake Lively, Aubrey Merrell, Addison Mills, Matt Redfearn, Anna Renfroe, Drew Tacke, Sarah Katherine Waller and Carlisle Yoste.

The program combines group community leadership sessions with a comthat munity project requires the use and development of leadership skills, Swain said. Students par-

ticipate in training sessions geared toward promoting team building, goal setting, community awareness, volunteerism and communication skills.

The Junior Leadership program began the first week of February with the introduction of group volunteer projects. Throughout the course of the program, students will have the opportunity to meet and talk to medical professionals, government leaders, University professionals, criminal justice

professionals, art leaders, local business leaders and leadership speakers.

The program will wrap up the second week of April with a graduation dinner for the participants and their parents. At this time, the participants will make oral presentations, putting their leadership skills to good use, Swain said.

Junior Leadership Chair Lolita Gregory, with Mississippi Blood Services, said, “Through these sessions they see the variety of professions and services offered here in Oxford. Going through this course may give them a better understanding of various jobs and help in making future career decisions. We would love to see these students remain in Oxford in the future and want them to see all our community has to offer.”

The program started in 1998 and has successfully graduated nearly 450 participants.

For more information about Junior Leadership or about the Chamber, call the

Chamber at 662-234-4651 or visit the website www.oxfordms.com.

The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce is the most dynamic business organization in our community, where businesses and professionals come together to work to improve the business climate and quality of life for our area. With nearly 700 members, the Chamber strives to undertake programs and projects which seek a positive business climate conducive to growth of the private enterprise system, raising per capita income and providing strong financial, physical and human resources for the citizens of Oxford and Lafayette County. These goals are accomplished through a variety of avenues including networking opportunities, seminars, events, marketing opportunities, referrals, leadership programs or other resources available exclusively to Chamber members.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 6

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

Washout at Della Davidson Elementary School to be repaired

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Della Davison Elementary School has a hole on its property, behind the school where the playground and garden are located. The hole is a several yards away from the playground equipment and back doors to the school with a visible barrier around it to deter students from wandering near that part of the property. Students have reported losing soccer balls and other equipment down the hole.

Teachers and students at the school have been referring to the hole as a sinkhole when, according to Director of Maintenance, Grounds, and Transportation Sunny Brownlee, it is what is called a wash or washout. The primary difference being that a sinkhole is the result of underground water systems eroding the land until a cave-in of the top layer occurs creating the hole, a washout happens when water erodes the soil by passing over it and washing away the soil layer by layer, hence the term “washout.”

The washout at Della Davidson has been there is for two months, officials said. It has continued to grow with every rainfall that comes through it. There is a hill behind Della Davidson and that is where the dirt from the washout has gone. Rainwater comes through the already existing hole and washes out more of the dirt within it down the hill.

When the new high school was being constructed, a lot of the dirt that was displaced during the construction process was brought to Della Davidson to flatten some of the land on the property. The intention was to extend the playground and give the students more room to run around.

That was in 2011.

Brownlee has been working on resolving the washout issue since the central office was informed of the problem at the beginning of January. He contacted three contractors looking for quotes regarding the cost of fixing the washout. Policy only requires the central office to obtain one quote if the cost of the project is likely to be under $5,000, but, according to Brownlee, it can be hard to tell sometimes so its best to get more than one.

“We got two quotes, one was $4,000 and the next was 11,” Brownlee said. “We thought that was a wide range so we went ahead and got a third quote. He came in at $50,000.”

Brownlee’s office went back and made it clear that he wasn’t looking for anything fancy when it came to fixing the washout. He

CHANING GREEN

The washout at Della Davidson Elementary School has been there since early January.

Members of the Oxford School Board and Maintenance Director Sunny Brownlee (gesturing) examine the washout. just needed an effective and permanent fix that would solve the problem. He compared it to flooring a house. A house can have linoleum floors or it can have Italian marble floors. Either way, it is a floor and will serve its purpose just as effectively as the other.

Around Feb. 13, a deal was stuck between Brownlee’s office and Southern General Contractors. The LLC is based on Oxford and has repaired washouts in other parts of the school district before. According to Brownlee, there are several factors that have

prevented the contractors from completing the project sooner.

Those include the renovation of the baseball field at Oxford High School, which the contractors have been working on, the rain has caused the accumulation of mud, making it difficult for the contractors to get equipment there to repair the washout while also causing it go grow larger, and lastly, the presence of children during the operation of heavy machinery is something the Brownlee’s office tries to avoid whenever possible. That last one means that making the repairs

The Washout at Della Davidson Elementary School has swallowed soccer balls and other equipment, according to students and school officials. during school hours is necessarily the safest option.

LaTonya Robinson is the principal at Della Davison and sent photographs of the washout to Brownlee’s office when she first noticed it in early January.

“Just to be an administrator at a school when there is something there that shouldn’t be there, it just alarmed me,” she said. “I wanted to make sure our maintenance office knew immediately. I sent the email, I CC’d the superintendent and they immediately came over to assess the situation.

I was completely freaked out, to

be honest. I didn’t want any of the children to be thinking ‘ooo lets just jump down here.’ I did not what that to happen. I’m just trying to make sure the kids are safe.”

Southern General Contracts have made arrangements to repair the washout during spring break. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, Brownlee expects it to be repaired by the time students return to school following the break. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

PAGE 7

UM students help high schoolers prep for ACT matics education and public policy leadership at UM. “In a way, the test favors those who have the means to take extra classes to learn the rules and strategies for taking it. We are here to try and close that gap for these students.”

Established last fall with support from the CREATE Foundation in Tupelo, the program has had a positive impact on more than 100 students in Coffeeville, Sardis and Water Valley. The effort is led by nine UM undergraduates, or “team leaders,” who serve as Team 36’s volunteer workforce.

Besides Logan and Reynolds, Ole Miss students involved are: Maggie Conerly, of Alexandria, Louisiana; Brenna Ferrell, Ocean Springs; David Hamidy, Alpharetta, Georgia; Anna Claire Kelly, Madison; Luke Lee, Madison; Lindsay Parker, Pass

OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Since January, University of Mississippi juniors Ben Logan and Emily Reynolds have traveled to Coffeeville High School once a week to dedicate a few midday hours to leading ACT workshops for nearly a dozen 11th- and 12th–graders at the small-town school.

Like thousands of high school students across the state, Coffeeville students spent January and February preparing for ACT examinations in March. However, this is supported group

by Team 36, a new nonprofit dedicated to mobilizing college students to provide ACT test preparation for rural schools.

“A lot of the ACT is just knowing how to take the test,” explained Logan, a Sherman native who is double majoring in matheBLUE SCORE

18

Christian; and Paige Stolen, Ferrisburg, Vermont.

Seven of the volunteers, including Logan and Reynolds, also are part of the university’s prestigious Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program, one of the most valuable and competitive scholarships for aspiring teachers in the nation. Since 2013, METP has admitted 48 undergraduate fellows from 13 states with an average ACT score of 29.

“Education is one of society’s greatest equalizers,” said Reynolds, an English education major from Brandon. “If we can help students achieve a higher ACT score, then we can help them come closer to achieving their dreams.”

Less than one year into the initiative, Team 36 has taken a two-step approach to ACT preparation in partner schools.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

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SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

CHANING GREEN

Students and La Rebelión members dance at the free salsa dancing class held every Thursday at Papito's. Santiago Mejia (white shirt) demonstrates proper technique with one of the lessons attendees.

La Rebelión holds weekly salsa dancing class

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Every Thursday night, La Rebelión, the University of Mississippi’s salsa dancing club, gives free lessons at Popito’s on Jackson Avenue at 7 p.m.

Since December, the restaurant has been clearing away a few tables in the left-side dining room and allowing the students to come and dance, free of charge. The lessons are open to the public and one doesn’t have to be a student to participate.

This Thursday attendees were learning Los Angles style salsa.

About 20 people filled the dining room. They were in pairs. Some were experienced in their steps and others seemed to be there for the first time. Graduate student Santiago Mejia led the class. He controlled the music that was pumping through the restaurant’s sound system. He walked around the dancers critiquing their footing, counting out loud for them and occasionally grabbing a fe-

male partner and demonstrating the proper technique.

Mejia has been dancing for nearly a decade now. He fell in love with dancing after he fell in love with a girl. He said that after she

had ended their relationship when he was an undergrad at an Ecuadorian university, he had a lot of spare time. He chose to fill it with dancing.

“I used to dance professionally

four people show up. Now, some nights we have more than 25 people.”

Eliza Knight is the president of La Rebelión and has been with the club since it’s founding in 2011.

She loves being a part of the club because she loves to dance and loves the socializing it allows her to do.

“I’ve met countless people in the club that I will be friends with for a long time,” Knight said. “It’s a very fun atmosphere. It’s a way to get out and do something other than schoolwork that’s fun, it’s innocent and it’s just fun to do.

Graduate student Daniel Peña founded the club five years ago.

Knight was his first student. Peña is from Miami and was a residence hall director at the Lucky Day Residential College. He graduated from Ole Miss with his master’s in higher education in 2013. Peña in my country,” Mejia said. “When now teaches at English at a school I came here, that is what I missed in Taiwan. The club he founded most about my country. Because continues on. there wasn’t any place to dance, I chaning.green@journalinc.com decided to create my own place.

Twitter: chaningthegreen When we first began, we had like

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 9

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 10

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AND THE

AROUND SQUARE BEYOND JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Robertson has meant a lot to local sports community

F

or just the second time since 1997, Eric Robertson will not be a coach I talk with during the high school football season. Outside of the fall of 1998, when I helped manage McAlister’s Deli in Hattiesburg, Eric Robertson is someone who has always been on the sidelines of games.

He’s been at the practices leading up the contests, serving on the staffs of Water Valley, Oxford and most recently Lafayette. He’s also coached other sports like girls basketball and golf during the past 20 years or so.

Robertson is one of the nicest guys you could have dealt with in this profession. Eric was always willing to help set up a photo shoot for his players, or do interviews during the week. He has always smiled and laughed, a lot. He and I talked about deer hunting and his boys playing youth baseball in between interview times. Eric knows a lot of coaches in this state and if I needed a number to track down a coach to talk recruiting or get some info on their team, Eric was always willing to help.

Eric has been great to cover, and he will be missed now that he is leaving for Madison Central. It was a tough call, one that took a lot of thinking, and praying, about. He is off to work with Anthony Hart, his former boss at Lafayette, as the defensive coordinator for the Jags. It’s seems like a good opportunity even though he was already a successful head coach here.

“It was tough in the fact that this is what we consider home,” Eric said. “Not only are we leaving our Lafayette family, but we’re leaving our personal families. That makes it tough on anyone, regardless of the situation.

It makes it tough to leave the Lafayette family that you have grown to love and at the same time, it’s exciting to start a new chapter in our life. It is comfortable or a little bit easier with Coach Hart being there and Coach (Dusty) Finley going as well.”

Robertson said he made the call to leave Lafayette after a decade Tuesday night. He told his staff on Wednesday, and then broke TURN TO ROBERTSON PAGE 15

PAGE 13

Powerful Charger Hilliard leads Oxford into 5A state meet

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Strength isn’t an issue with Oxford’s Tias Hilliard. He has plenty of it. And he has the muscles to show off for all the hard work put in the weight room. The senior is a leader on the powerlifting team. He has been a mainstay in the 148-pound division for coach Jason Russell, finishing first in the recent Class 5A north state championship meet.

Hilliard, who set a personal best in the squat at earlier season meet, is one of seven lifters who will take part in next month’s MHSAA Class 5A state championships. Oxford has won three straight state titles, and they have more than enough experience coming back to Jackson in order to win a fourth.

“We don’t have as many points to get as we did last year when we had seven, but if everyone works hard leading up to state, everyone should lean towards being first or second,” Hilliard said.

There is roughly five weeks to train in the weight room leading up to state. Due to a leap year, the meets have come fast and without as many on the calendar. Once the regional squad was set, Hilliard things have really started to ratchet down.

“I feel like we did well in north half. We had some people moving up in different spots. There were some folks going down in different spots,” Hilliard said. “Since moving up to another weight class, their strengths are greater than yours and that made you work harder in order to go where you needed to go.”

Hilliard won the individual state championship in 2015, and he feels like he is on track to garner another title.

“This year has been a little hectic with doing track and then doing powerlifting,” Hilliard added. “I have to balance out my time between each because I don’t want to over strain myself at track. I also don’t want to get weak by not lifting. So each week, I mix up my schedule in order to do both.”

As for breaking his squat

PETRE THOMAS

Oxford senior Tias Hillard has been a steady performer for head coach Jason Russell this spring. record, which he set by 10 pounds, the moment was satisfying. Hilliard said in certain things, he feels stronger than in past seasons.

“This year, I’m trying to do more than just 500 at state in squat. I want to get at least 510, 515 there,” he said.

“Deadlift, I’m still at the same spot. I didn’t think I would get 500 in my north half meet.

When I pulled, it was still lighter than what it was last year. So now I feel like I can go to 520, 525.”

Most of the seven lifters headed to the state meet have

been there at least once.

Hilliard called the final meet of the year a “business trip.”

“We’re going down to win it all for Oxford on April 16,” he said. “We have to go hard in the weight room and keep your body healthy and around your weight class.

Now you can be four pounds over your weight class and still qualify. It’s about working hard and doing everything you can in order to be better.

If everybody does what they need to do, I feel like our team has a great chance of another title.”

Nick Sisk is a teammate that has impressed Hilliard.

Sisk had a good 2015, finishing fifth in his weight division.

At this year’s north state meet, Sisk was at the top of the chart.

“He has really been making moves and impressing me.

He is the strongest on the team, two years in a row now,” Hilliard said. “He has really come a long way. Everyday he is putting in work.”

The key to being a good powerlifter is a strong mindTURN TO POWERFUL PAGE 19

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 14

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

Finley excited about new job, thankful to LHS

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Over the past decade, Dusty Finley has learned a lot about the sport of football. He has been helping the Lafayette Commodores win games, and championships, on the gridiron since 2005. Finley, who played quarterback at Itawamba Community College, is leaving LHS to be the new offensive coordinator at Madison Central. He will be working for his former boss, Anthony Hart, at Madison Central, and be joined there by his most recent boss, Eric Robertson, who will serve as the defensive coordinator for the Jaguars.

Finley said it was “really tough” to leave Lafayette because he has deep roots to the area now.

“I’ve met my wife here and have had two kids here and met a lot of really good people and coach a lot of really good kids, not just good players,” Finley said. “It was a hard decision but I guess it was made easier because I’m doing it with Eric and Coach Hart.”

One of the state’s best quarterbacks, Jack Walker, is a rising senior at Madison Central. Finley was very excited to have a signal caller like him throwing the ball.

One of the big reasons Hart went after Finley was to work with Walker, and make him an even better player.

“As offensive coordinator, that’s what you always look for. If you don’t have a good quarterback, it’s hard to have a good offense,” Finley said. “I’m excited to get down there and work with him. I actually touched base with him (Friday). I’ve heard a lot of really good things about him and I’ll be ready to get down there and work with him.”

The past 10 years, Finley’s football IQ has only increased by

JOHN DAVIS

Lafayette offensive coordinator is headed to serve his former boss, Anthony Hart, as OC of Madison Central. learning defensive tactics from Robertson, and other things along the way from Hart.

“I found my way here as a coach and worked on both sides of the ball. I was able to learn a lot of good things under Coach Hart. I feel like my path as a coach went kind of like I wanted it to,” Finley said. “I wanted to be

an assistant, be a coordinator, which is what I’m getting a chance to do now, and will be at one of the best schools in the state of Mississippi. What a great opportunity, and the 10 years at Lafayette have given me that chance. This has been a good spot for me.”

Finley also thanked all the peo-

ple he got to know at Lafayette and the support he got from the administration.

“I’m thankful to the community, to the school, to the different leaders at the school who have given me the chance to be where I have been,” he said.

“They have been so gracious to work with me like they have.

They have taken care of me and my family. It’s a great, great town, great community. It’s sad to think about leaving them, but we’re not going to the other side of the world or anything, just a couple hours away.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Drewrey has started search for next ‘great’ coach at LHS

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Not long after Eric Robertson announced he was leaving Lafayette and headed to Madison Central, Gary Drewrey started to get a lot of phone calls. Lafayette’s athletics director is in the market for a new head football coach after Robertson announced his resignation on Thursday morning. Dusty Finley, Robertson’s offensive coordinator, is also headed to Madison Central as well.

Drewrey praised the job done

by both of the coaches. Robertson led the Commodores to four straight appearances in the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs.

“They were both here when we won two state championships and they’ve done a great job.

They’re great coaches and I wasn’t surprised that Anthony Hart would pursue them hard,” Drewrey said. “You have to have folks that you’re comfortable with on staff. They’re going to be hard to replace coaches of that caliber.”

Drewrey went on say that it was also an exciting time for Lafayette because he felt like the vacancy

would garner so much attention.

“It’s a job that a lot of folks are looking at and I would not be surprised by anyone who applies for the job,” he said. “It’s a prize job.

Folks have been calling trying to find out how to apply. There are a lot of great coaches who want to be the head coach at Lafayette.”

There was a list, with four or five names, that Drewrey had in his hand that he was hoping would apply for the opening.

“They are proven coaches and there is another group of four or five that are younger coaches that are on the rise and I hope they

apply,” Drewrey said. “We will narrow the list down and find the best fit for Lafayette. I already know that some of the best coaches in the state of Mississippi will apply for the job. They have already called me. Great coaches are going to apply because it’s a great job and a great place.”

Spring football practices usually take place in May, but Drewrey didn’t think the wait to hire a coach would be too long.

“Folks are eager to move to Lafayette County, so I would be surprised if this did take a long time,” Drewrey said adding he will

let the new head coach hire his staff. “We’re going to hire the right folks, whether I’m doing the hiring or the head coach is doing the hiring. I’m going to recommend whoever is hired. When you’re a great coach, you don’t have a problem hiring great assistant coaches. I just think back to myself. I regret turning down the opportunity to coach with Willis Wright. When we find the right fit for Lafayette, the hiring of those folks won’t be a problem.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

Robertson

going to hire a really good football coach and they’re going to be in good hands. Kids are resilient.

FROM PAGE 13 I think they take change better the news to the players Thursday than us adults do.”

The person who hired Robertmorning. Robertson considers son to Lafayette, away from Oxhimself a man of faith, and he ford, was Jeff Nelson, who spent doesn’t hide from the fact he over two decades coaching basasked God for guidance. ketball for the Lady Chargers.

“I think God opened this door Robertson wanted to make sure and he kind of made things easy that he was thanked for the opfor us. We’re putting our faith in him,” he said. “My wife is excited. portunity that ultimately led to him becoming head coach the My kids are excited. We’re going past four seasons. to miss everybody. I’m really “He hired me at Lafayette. I’m thankful for everyone at so thankful to him because Lafayette and the people that Lafayette is such a big part of my have been in our life for so long. family and I just owe Coach NelFrom principals to AD’s to playson a lot. He was the one that ers to media, I’m just real thankful that God has allowed us to be was instrumental in us moving over to Lafayette,” he said. “Coach part of everything here.”

Nelson has always been so good The meeting with the players to me and my family.” was kept short for a reason beA transition from LHS to MHS cause it was so tough for Coach should be easier because RobertRobertson to say goodbye. son is leaving on good terms. He “I tried to not become emotional and I was able to hold it to- will be in town until the end of gether and Coach Finley was able the semester and once spring ball starts, he was planning to comto talk to the kids,” he said mute, living there Monday adding there would be time in through Thursday. the next few weeks to really say “That’s the time I will miss, the goodbye. “We will be able to do 15 practices during spring ball, some more one-on-one type goodbyes. There was some emo- and that will be something the tions, some hugs and a few shed schools work out,” Robertson said. tears. I thought the kids took it When you have three 10-win well and I assured them that life is going to roll on and Lafayette is seasons and make the playoffs

four times, there are a lot of memorable moments. Robertson pointed to his second season when the Commodores made it Jackson to play for the MHSAA Class 4A title as producing some of the very best memories.

“In my first year as head coach we were put out at Noxubee County in a memorable game and they went on to win the state championship,” Robertson said. “The next year, we were able to to beat Noxubee County and make it back to Jackson.

Winning the North Half state championship was so exciting.

This year I felt like we had a state championship caliber team, but lost a heartbreaker at Noxubee County, which went on to win the state championship game.

Three of the four years we were right on the edge of winning another ring. Two of the games that stand out the most to me are the 2013 9-0 win over Noxubee and the 7-0 win over Greenwood.

They were great defensive battles. They will always stick out in my mind.”

And just like those games, Robertson will always stick in my mind. He will be missed.

John Davis is the Oxford Citizen sports editor. He can be reached at john.davis@journalinc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @oxfordcitizenjd.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

OM’s Bianco reaches another coaching milestone OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Mike Bianco earned his 600th victory as Ole Miss baseball coach Friday night as the No. 13 Rebels rolled over Grambling State 15-2 at Oxford-University Stadium.

It was also Bianco’s 700th career win, and the eighth straight win for the Rebels, who improved to 13-1.

Ole Miss scored in the opening frame with five runs. It was the fourth time of the season Ole Miss has tallied five or more runs in one inning.

Junior J.B. Woodman went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a dou-

ble. Woodman is the team leader in RBIs with 16 and doubles with six. Colby Bortles went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. It was the second time this season Bortles has hit three RBIs in a single game. The Rebels also tallied two home runs.

Junior Errol Robinson knocked his first home run of the season, and Cameron Dishon belted his second.

Junior Brady Bramlett (40) had a standout night on the mound, throwing 11 strikeouts over five innings and picking up his fourth straight win. Eleven strikeouts were a season high for Bramlett, and the third

time in his career he has reached double digits in strikeouts in a start.

GSU scored two runs on seven hits. Five different Tigers recorded hits throughout the evening, including two by Tray Bell.

Starting pitcher Caleb Nunez (0-1) suffered the loss, going two innings and allowing seven runs (five earned) on four hits and three walks.

Bortles got things rolling for the Rebels in the first inning with a RBI double that sent Will Golsan across the plate. Up 1-0, Ole Miss added another four runs in the first frame with two outs. Henri Lartigue sent a

single to center and scored Woodman and Bortles.

Connor Cloyd followed up with another two-RBI single to give Ole Miss a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Woodman singled to right to score Robinson.

While Woodman was attempting to steal second, Golsan took his chance and stole home, beating out the throw on his slide to put the Rebels up 7-0.

Woodman tacked on another RBI double in the bottom of the fourth inning. After previously being hit by the pitch, Golsan scored for the second time of the night on the Woodman double.

Leading 8-0 in the fifth, the Rebels added three more runs when Robinson blasted a home run that cleared the left field fence.

Holt Perdzock and Cloyd scored on the homer and Ole Miss had 11 unanswered runs on the visiting Tigers.

After Bramlett’s day was done, Grambling put up its first run of the contest. After second baseman Larry Barraza reached first on a fielding error, Daniel Barnett walked. Darien Brown then reached on a fielder’s choice that resulted in a fielding error, allowing Barraza to cross the plate.

The Rebels responded

quickly. Perdzock’s single put the 12th run of the night on the board. Grambling countered when Diamyn Hall scored on a fielder’s choice.

Dishon led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a solo shot to left for his second home run of the season. Michael Fitzsimmons followed with a double, and the Tigers walked Kyle Watson. With two runners in scoring position, Bortles doubled for the second time on the night sent both runs across the dish.

With a 13-run lead, Connor Green tossed the final 2.1 innings and did not allow a run.

No. 22 OM Rebels men’s tennis topple LSU Tigers OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Rain forced the No. 22 Ole Miss men’s tennis team to play its SEC home opener inside Friday afternoon. It didn’t seem to matter where the Rebels played as they defeated LSU 4-1 at the Gillom Sports Center. More than 200 fans showed up to watch, and the Rebels gave the crowd plenty to cheer about. Back together for the first time in a while, Stefan Lindmark and Gustav Hansson earned a 6-2 win at No. 3 doubles. LSU’s eighthranked team of Jordan Daigle and Boris Arias won 6-3 at No. 1. Fabian Fallert and Grey Hamilton survived an early break to secure a 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles and clinch the 1-0 lead for the Rebels.

“Getting the doubles point was huge and then Stefan looked impressive out there against a very good player at No. 1,” Ole Miss coach Toby Hansson said. “Gus winning a tight second set to finish his opponent off in two really seemed to deflate LSU. Being up 3-1 and then winning all the first sets on the last three courts, we were just waiting for any one of them to finish it off.

Overall, it was a great team effort from top to bottom. We were very pleased with the attitude and the energy from the guys today. This is probably the best match we’ve played all year, top to bottom.”

With three courts, the Rebels’ top three players went on court seeking to build on the momentum. In a battle of two nationally ranked players

at No. 1 singles, Lindmark started strong against Daigle winning the first set 6-4. He broke early in the second and finished off Daigle 6-2 to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. LSU got on the board when Justin Butsch defeated freshman Filip Kraljevic 6-0, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, but that would be it for the Tigers on the evening. Gustav Hansson pretty much popped the Tigers’ balloon when he was able to finish off Gabor Csonka in two sets to make it 3-1 Ole Miss. After winning the first set 6-3, Gustav Hansson started rushing things a little and Csonka capitalized to go up a break. He served for the set twice, and each time, Gustav Hansson answered, ultimately forcing a tiebreaker.

Csonka took the first two points in the breaker, but Gustav Hansson won five straight to go up 5-2 and ended up winning it 7-4. That left the Rebels with three players to get one point for the victory. It was a race to the finish, as Fallert, Hamilton and Zvonimir Babic all won their first sets. With Fallert holding a match point at four, Hamilton finished off LSU freshman Nikola Samardzic 6-2, 7-5 for the win.

Ole Miss returns to action today at home against No. 5 Texas A&M. “We’re feeling very confident,” Toby Hansson said.

“After a tough match at Kentucky we are back in the winner’s circle and looking forward to continuing the momentum. The guys are excited for the challenge.”

ELLEN O'NAN/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

Ole Miss tennis player Stefan Lindmark returns a shot during Friday’s match with LSU. The Rebels won 4-1.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

Rebels’ Saiz shut down

by Crimson Tide

PAGE 17

Rebels bounced from SEC tourney by ’Bama

BY PARRISH ALFORD

BY PARRISH ALFORD

DAILY JOURNAL

DAILY JOURNAL

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Sebastian Saiz had a big game when Ole Miss christened its new arena with a win against Alabama in January.

The Crimson Tide gained its revenge on a neutral floor and eliminated the Rebels from the SEC tournament Thursday night in large part because of defensive work in the post.

Saiz had 21 points and 16 rebounds against Alabama on Jan. 17 but was held to five points and five rebounds in the rematch.

“I didn’t get the ball that much in the post, so I couldn’t try to make plays. I started good, but we tried some other things that were working, so we stayed with them,” Saiz said.

Ole Miss had a plus-8 edge on the glass. Fivefoot-11 guard Stefan Moody had eight rebounds, second on the team.

“A big part of our game plan was to try and slow down Saiz,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson said. “He embarrassed us in the first game.”

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Ole Miss won the battle of the two All-SEC players on Thursday night, but Alabama’s other troops were far more productive.

Rebels guard Stefan Moody scored 39, out-pacing Alabama’s Retin Obasohan, but the Crimson Tide shot 12 for 24 from 3-point range to defeat Ole Miss 8173 in an SEC tournament second-round game at Bridgestone Arena.

Moody was 12 for 27 from the floor, 8 for 17 on 3s, and it remains to be seen if it was his last game at Ole Miss.

The Rebels (20-12) will now wait to learn Sunday evening if their resume is strong enough for an NIT bid.

Tomasz Gielo was the Rebels’ second-leading scorer with 11 points. He didn’t reach double figures until less than 50 seconds remained. Rasheed Brooks had eight points – all his scoring in the first half – on 3-for-13 shooting. The Rebels’ other guys were 3for-17 from the arc.

“Gielo and Brooks had looks on the wing,” Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said.

“Our inability to make a play when we needed one was ultimately the difference.”

Moody fouled out with 30 seconds left and received a standing ovation.

Obasohan had 17 points all in the second half. Riley Norris had 16, and Alabama (18-13) had four players in double figures.

Moody carried as much of the load as he could.

“It’s my job, and I embrace it. I don’t look to my teammates and complain to them about anything. I do what I can,” he said.

It was the second-highest point total for Moody this season and the second time in three games he’s gone for more than 30.

Ole Miss won just once in three games when Moody scored 30-plus against an SEC foe.

Moody had 17 points in the half on 6 for 13 shooting, 5 for 9 from 3.

While the Rebels were hot

WAITING ON NIT

Ole Miss arrived in Nashville with a No. 87 RPI and a No. 169 strength of schedule according to ESPN. The Rebels are hopeful of an NIT bid.

“The last I heard we were on the bubble for that. Hopefully we get it. I want to keep playing,” junior guard Rasheed Brooks said.

NIT bids will be announced Sunday evening after the NCAA tournament field is set.

JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

MOODY IN ELITE COMPANY

Alabama held Sebastian Saiz in check in Thursday's SEC Tournament matchup in Nashville, Tennessee.

Moody’s 39 points gives him 731 for the season and makes him only the fifth player in school history and the 26th player in SEC history to score at least 700 points in a season.

QUOTABLE Miss guard Stefan Moody “I wasn’t even paying at- on his reaction to the standtention to it at first. I didn’t ing ovation he received in even know I fouled out. I’m the final seconds of play. still consumed by the fact that we lost because, you parrish.alford@journalinc.com Twitter: @parrishalford know, I like winning.” Ole

JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

Ole Miss guard Stefan Moody led the Rebels with 39 points but it came in a losing effort to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. early, they were not able to find Norris, who knocked down three 3-pointers for nine of the Tide’s first 11 points.

Eventually Norris’ success spread among his teammates.

Alabama embarked on a 19-9 run to take a 26-19 lead and did so without its best player, Obasohan, who picked up his second foul with 15 minutes, 45 seconds left in the half and did not return until the 7:51 mark.

Alabama would go on to shoot 55.6 percent in the first half to lead 40-36 at the break.

Obasohan caught fire in the second half, the last thing Ole Miss needed. The Tide built a 14-point lead with 7:49 left.

Guards Arthur Edwards and Justin Coleman each added 15 points for Alabama.

“When we shoot the 3s like we shot tonight, it helps our offense especially when Retin is struggling,” Alabama coach Avery Johnson said. “Guys like Justin and Arthur were making big shots.” parrish.alford@journalinc.com Twitter: @parrishalford

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set, Hilliard said. He added that you have to love the sport as well.

“You have to want to get better and maintain a good, healthy balance,” Hilliard said. “Just seeing what you’re doing for your community, how we’re winning it all the past two and three years, I think people realize that we’re getting on the map for it. We were ranked as one of the top 32 teams for powerlifting in the nation. I believe Oxford is getting known for powerlifting as we’ve seen more and more people come out and try to be a part of the team each year. It really has made an impression. It’s for fun, but it’s also helping you with your other sports like football, track, basketball. It just

makes you better.”

Oxford coach Jason Russell said Hilliard was someone he could always depend on from a points standpoint.

“When you basically have someone who is constantly in first place, you have an opportunity to be successful,” Russell said. “I definitely expected him to come in and compete for another state championship individually and then help us as a team. I think he could set even more records as the year goes on.”

Work is something that has separated Hilliard from others in the eyes of Russell, who sometimes never even sees him because he is lifting before he heads to track practice.

“There are times when I will leave the workout for him and he just does it on his own. Obviously with the

weights he is putting up, you can see he is doing his work consistently,” Russell said. “Recently, we have tried to get him in practice with the rest of the kids so he can help push the rest of his teammates and that has been very beneficial for us.”

Russell said with seven lifters headed to state, and one being Hilliard, there is a great chance at being first.

“I’m fired up about the workouts that we have still to go,” Russell said. “I think our kids are going to get extremely strong because we have the longest layoff we have ever had. We have an opportunity to work harder than everyone else and see bigger gains than everyone else does and we have a chance to set ourselves apart with what we do.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Chargers Oxford teams gain from Citizen Relays compete in Perfect Game Tournament

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Oxford’s Chargers split their first two games in the Perfect Game Tournament held in Emerson, Georgia. The Chargers, ranked No. 7 in the nation by MaxPreps.com, defeated McEachern 4-1 before losing to Gulliver Prep out of Miami 3-2. Buford (Ga.) then defeated Oxford 1-0 on Saturday morning.

Houston Roth garnered the win on the mound against McEachern, while Grae Kessinger came on to earn the save. Roth had eight strikeouts against just one walk in six innings of work.

Drew Bianco led the Chargers with two hits, including a home run, with two RBIs. Roth, Preston Perkins, Jason Barber and Kessinger each had a hit in the win.

Barber pitched against Gulliver Prep.

He had seven strikeouts against just one walk in six innings. Kessinger and Roth each had a double in the loss, while Thomas Dillard had two hits at the plate. Kessinger added a single as did Sage Mullins. Perkins and Mullins each drove in a run.

Oxford will return to action at home against South Panola Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.

Oxford’s Chargers and Lady Chargers used the Oxford Citizen Relays to prepare to become All-Americans. A week before competing at the New Balance National Indoor meet, Oxford hosted Greenwood, South Panola, Senatobia, Amory, Aberdeen and Leland at Bobby Holcomb Field.

Most of the events were relays as the Chargers and Lady Chargers were set to compete in that format in North Carolina at the national events.

The 4x200 meter team advanced to the finals, allowing them to be in a position to become high school All-Americans.

“I was very pleased with the teams effort. The weather was not favorable towards the end of the day, but they competed hard,” Oxford head coach Chris Bush said. “I was very excited to see the 4x200 relay run under 1 minute, 29 seconds. without Devin Rockette running that day. That group is going to do some special things this year. I was also excited to see James Burnett run under 49 seconds in his first outdoor race. Fourty seven, here we come. Our distance and sprints competed well and executed. I look forward to seeing how they progress this year.”

The Lady Chargers took the second annual meet with 76 points, while the Chargers

JOEY BRENT

Oxford’s 4x800 track runners McCall Mullins, Addie Thompson, Swayze Elliott and Margaret Adams competed in the Citizen Relays. were on top with 69 points.

South Panola and Senatobia were second and third behind the Chargers. Senatobia and South Panola were second and third, respectively, behind the Lady Chargers.

CHARGERS The 4x800 relay team was first with a time of 8:38.51.

The 4x400 team was also first with a 3:44.56. Oxford’s biggest win in relay action came from the 4x200 with a 1:28.49. In the 4x100, Oxford

edged Amory with a time of 43.46 seconds compared to 43.59.

In the 110 hurdles, Jared Redding was second with a 16.87. Burnett was first in 400, while Kenard Harris was third with a 50.33. Ken Presley was fourth in the 100 with an 11.5.

and the 4x800 with a 10:40.

Jakiara Dun won the 400 with a 1:02, while Montayshia Wadley and Bryanda Cannon took first and second in the 100. Wadley won with 12.54, while Cannon came up with a 12.95.

In the 400, Swayze Elliott finished third with a 1:04. Oxford’s Niquisha Woodard and Sylvia LADY CHARGERS Oxford won the 4x800, Culpepper finished fourth and 4x400, 4x200 and the 4x100. fifth, respectively.

The 4x100 team finished with a 51.34, the 4x200 finished with a john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd 1:43.94, the 4x400 with 4:27.34

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