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Volume 2 | Issue 65

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Inside 4 News

Oxford board hears annexation proposal

9 Business

PETRE THOMAS | BUY AT PHOTO.DJOURNAL.COM

Clay Brownlee, the assistant director at FNC Park, has been heavily involved in the planning of the MHSAA Football Championships that will be played this weekend at Ole Miss' Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Title town

Oxford Dental gives back through Operation Christmas Smile

16 Sports

Oxford, Ole Miss welcome MHSAA championships

Some of the nation’s best prep players, and the state’s best high school football Ole Miss may be through teams, in all classes, will be in with football, but that doesn’t town this weekend.

Oxford and Ole Miss are mean it’s time to move on to hosting the MHSAA state footbasketball just yet.

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

ball championships and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

There are a total of six games left to be played, with the winners capping a super successful season with the raising of a trophy. Action begins Friday

morning at 11 with the Class 1A game between Resurrection Catholic and HollandaleSimmons. The Class 6A title game between Starkville and TURN TO TITLE PAGE 9

Hill expecting physical battle with War Eagles

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Incomplete, faulty construction still unresolved at Oxford High

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Unresolved construction issues at the new Oxford High School are still giving district officials headaches nearly a year after the campus opened.

According to Sonny Brownlee, the district’s director of school services, Oxford School District has issued another change order regarding uncompleted items on the new Oxford High School without any response from the contractor, Yates Construction.

“We’ve issued several change orders without any from acknowledgement Yates,” added Paul Watkins, attorney for the district’s Board of Trustees.

Taylor Guild, AIA, is a principal with Eley Guild Hardy, the architectural firm that designed the new OHS and has overseen its construction.

Brownlee reported at Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting that Guild had requested an update on the punch list items from Yates in October, but thus far has not received an update from the contractor. For November, Brownlee reported, “No change on this item except that Taylor Guild has recommended closing out the project without the contractor’s help.”

As a result, the school board voted 5-0 Monday to withhold the final $69,240.80 that would have been due on the nearly $30 million contract. The credits include

“

We’ve issued several change orders without any acknowledge ment.

“

BY ERROL CASTENS

Paul Watkins, Oxford School district attorney for the board of trustees funds designated but unused for sod, signs and structural fill, along with costs to install locker room flooring and to buy and modify floormounted basketball goals in lieu of the ceiling-mounted goals that never worked properly after Yates installed them.

Another issue unresolved from the high school’s construction is the collapse of some 330 linear feet of underground drainage pipe.

Precision Engineering, an Oxford-based firm, has recommended removing the entire length of the pipe.

Legal action to recover costs of the job could be pursued, Brownlee hinted in his report.

“Tim Prewitt (of Eley Guild Hardy) has provided all the information available to the Board’s attorney, Paul Watkins, and is waiting on direction on how to proceed,” Brownlee said.

Another recurring prob-

lem involves the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for the new school. Over-pressurization of the HVAC system sometimes is so severe that the rushing air sometimes keeps doors pushed partially open, keeping them from latching.

The failure not only wastes heating or air conditioning but creates a security issue, as exits are supposed to be locked against unauthorized entry when students are present.

Johnson Controls representatives met with district officials and EGH representatives this past month. Johnson recommended that John Todd of Capital Air Balance review the project to help clarify the issues and recommend possible remediation.

EGH hired Todd to perform an initial review of the building to verify that the building pressures have been established correctly, but his findings were that further study needs to be done on the over-pressurization (doors closing), Brownlee said. A possibly related issue is that rather than switching from heat to cooling and vice versa automatically depending on the weather, the school’s chiller and boilers sometimes have to be restarted manually.

Brownlee added that it was yet to be determined who would bear the costs of the switching problem. errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

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Memphis driver changed in fatal crash Investigators of the Oxford Police Department on Monday officially charged Patricia Guy, 62, of Memphis with aggravated DUI after an investigation into a crash on Thanksgiving Day. Bond was set at $50,000.

Virginia Dillard, 37, of Oxford, was the second driver in the two-car crash, which happened at approximately 1:38 p.m. on Highway 6/278 between Old Taylor Road and Lamar Boulevard. Dillard was thrown from her vehicle and died of her injuries.

Investigation into the incident continues, including a pending toxicology report from the Mississippi State Crime Lab on Guy’s blood, which was obtained under authority of a search warrant.

Christmas Store nears deadline Friday is the deadline for toy donations for The Christmas Store, sponsored by the Oxford-Ole Miss Rotary Club. The drop point is Rebel Bookstore, 818 Jackson Avenue at 9th Street. Appropriate new toys include baby dolls, fashion dolls, makeup,

diaries/journals, shoulder bags, jewelry, action figures, toy trucks, walkie-talkies, sports toys, musical toys, race track toys, motorized toys, tool play sets, toy fishing kits, athletic duffel bags, basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, tennis rackets and bals, baseball gloves and bats, scooters, skateboards, learning toys, art supplies, crafts and creative play kits, dry erase boards, board games, puzzles, stereo headphones, clock radios, sleeping bags and watches.

Any donations received after Dec. 4 will still put a smile on a child’s face at Christmas.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 3

County administrator Joseph Johnson resigns from post

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

Lafayette County supervisors voted 3-0 to accept the resignation of County Administrator Joseph Johnson on Monday. The change becomes official Dec. 31 but is effective immediately; Johnson left his office Monday and will use accrued leave time until year’s end.

Chancery Clerk Sherry Wall was immediately appointed interim purchasing clerk, interim inventory clerk and interim assistant county administrator at no additional pay.

Three members of the Board of Supervisors attended the special meeting, which was called on Nov. 20. District 3 Supervisor Robert Blackmon and District 1 Supervisor Mike Pickens, both of whom declined to run for re-election this year, were not at the meeting. Monday’s agenda consisted of addressing a personnel issue and discussing any responses received to the county’s request for proposals regarding updating its comprehensive plan. (As of Monday afternoon, no responses had been received.)

While the discussions took place in executive session, there were indications board members may have encouraged Johnson’s resignation.

After returning to open session, District 4 Supervi-

sor Chad McLarty declined to give specific complaints against Johnson, who joined the county almost eight years ago.

“We just felt we needed to go in a different direction,” McLarty said.

One periodic complaint that was raised again at the Board’s Nov. 16 special meeting to issue a Request for Proposals regarding updating the county’s comprehensive plan was that the public is often left in the dark regarding special meetings. Agendas for regular meetings are routinely emailed to anyone who signs up for them, but such notices are rarely shared for special meetings, whose notice is often limited to the legally required paper notice inside the Chancery Courthouse.

“There’s not one thing.

There are several things that we felt like going forward we needed to correct,” said Board President Jeff Busby, who represents District 2. “Was that one of those things? Absolutely – we’ve heard that time and time again. … There’s a process of doing that, and we don’t feel like it was always proactive.”

The county had funded a full-time information technology position in its 201415 and 2015-16 budgets, but the position has not been filled. Busby said much of the county’s IT work has been done instead by personnel of Three Rivers Planning and Development

District. The three supervisors present Monday – Busby, McLarty and District 5 Supervisor Mike Roberts – indicated filling that post may be a priority for the next county administrator so that the new county website, www.lafayettems.com, is kept current and other electronic communications with constituents are expedited.

Busby said the search for a new administrator will begin immediately.

“There are several people who come to mind, and we will immediately start putting out feelers,” he said.

“I’d like to have somebody in place by the first of the year; whether that’s going to be possible, I don’t know.

It’s a matter we have to address carefully. It’s an important position for this county, from managing a $45 million budget to communicating effectively with the public. It’s a big role.”

While the ideal candidate would be efficient at handling the countless details of managing the county’s business, from paying its bills to overseeing its employees, the ideal candidate would also be a visionary, Busby said.

“We need someone who is like a sixth supervisor – someone to be familiar with the day-to-day activities and to be fully involved in the county,” he said. “He or she is kind of the mayor of the county. When people call in, we want that person to be able to answer most

Vitter first Chancellor on Twitter OXFORD CITIZEN REPORTS

Incoming University of Mississippi Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter is taking the position into a new era with the launch of a new Twitter account. He will be the first Ole Miss chancellor to take advantage of the popular communication tool while in office.

UM students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, media and the public are invited to interact with him at @UMchancellor. Vitter, a New Orleans native, assumes his duties as the university's 17th chancellor in January.

“I’ve been an enthusiastic Twitter user because it lets me connect with so many peoVitter ple,” Vitter said. “Thousands of students, faculty, staff and friends of the university couldn’t be reached as effectively and as often any other way.”

Vitter said he will share photos, video snippets, comments and links that give followers a front-row seat and insight into his activities as chancellor, and he

looks forward to hearing from followers directly.

“I’m always interested in knowing what’s on people’s minds, particularly when it relates to making Ole Miss greater than ever,” he said.

The university’s official Twitter account, @OleMissRebels, is posting tweets this week to draw awareness to Vitter's account. The message reads, “Our new chancellor is on Twitter. Follow @UMchancellor and welcome Dr. Vitter to #olemiss!”

More information about the new chancellor-elect can be found at http://chancellor.olemiss.edu.

of their concerns.”

Former Supervisor Lloyd Oliphant questioned the timing of the decision, which, along with the decision to issue requests for proposals on the comprehensive plan update, comes after the general election in which all three supervisors at Monday’s meeting were re-elected but before SupervisorsElect Kevin Frye and David Rikard of Districts 1 and 3, respectively, have been sworn in.

“It kills me that they’re doing this now, that they couldn’t wait one month to put this in play,” Oliphant said.

He added that Oxford City Clerk Lisa Carwyle is widely rumored to have already been picked as Johnson’s successor, which Oliphant said would be another step toward a unified city-county government.

“What we’re seeing is a metro government,” he said, noting that Busby is Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson’s business partner,

while McLarty is a department head.

Carwyle did not return a call asking for her comment on Tuesday.

“These guys were elected to make decisions that sometimes are tough, and I’m sure they feel like they’re doing the best they can under the circumstances. There’s nothing nefarious about it, certainly nothing illegal about it, but I see the direction that the old mule’s being pushed down the road.”

Outgoing District 3 Supervisor Robert Blackmon said his presence at the meeting would have served no purpose.

“I knew the meeting was going to happen, but I didn’t have a dog in that hunt, and my vote wouldn’t have made any difference,” he said. “The board made their decision.”

Mike Pickens, who is vacating the District 1 Supervisor post at year’s end, also did not attend.

“That was a decision they made without my and

Robert’s input. I wouldn’t have been in favor of it,” he said. “Since I only have a month left in office, I don’t feel like I need to make employment decisions now.”

Pickens also questioned making a decision about the county’s most prominent non-elected office without giving the incoming supervisors a chance to voice an opinion.

“I advised them to wait,” Pickens said. “I don’t know why they didn’t.”

Johnson was gracious in speaking later about the end of his tenure.

“I took on this job because I believed I could serve the county and make a difference. I believe I can say that I did that,” he said.

“I want to thank the two boards that I served. It was a privilege to work with some great people, and I really enjoyed what I did.” errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 4

OBITUARIES JAMES W. FORD

James W. “Billy” Ford, 87, passed away Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 at the MS State Veterans Home in Oxford. Billy served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks with Bro. James West and Bro. Daniel Minor officiating. Burial followed at the Pilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church Cemetery in Panola County.

RAYMOND JOSEPH CRONIN Raymond Joseph Cronin, 73, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015 at his home near Oxford.

He was a United States Air Force veteran of the Korean War. A graveside service will be held Thursday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. at Oxford Memorial Cemetery with Bro. John Stewart officiating.

Coleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to the VFWm c/o Johnny Swain, 11-A CR 469, Oxford, MS 38655 or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.

CYNTHIA BESS LUCAS Cynthia "Cindy" Bess Lucas, 59, passed away Nov. 29, 2015 at home surrounded by family.

A memorial service was held Wednesday Dec. 2, 2015, at Oxford-University Methodist Church with Rev. Eddie Restor and her brother-in-law, Bro. Geno Lucas officiating. Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford is in charge of local arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made the Mustard Seed Home in Brandon or the Palmer Home in Columbus.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Oxford board hears annexation proposal

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

Mike Slaughter, whose Oxford-based urban planning firm has conducted several annexations for the City of Oxford, made a proposal to the Board of Aldermen and Mayor on Tuesday to conduct the city’s next annexation study.

“We worked with the city on the petition with Baptist Hospital to bring that into the city in 2013, and I worked with Pope (Mallette, the board’s attorney) and department heads on the Callicutt property south of there that we brought in, in May of last year.”

Slaughter emphasized that his presentation was an information-gathering foray for both sides.

“My firm has not been retained by the city, and what I’d like to do today is to talk to you about your questions and concerns about annexation, and then maybe we can develop a plan and go from there,” he said.

City Engineer Bart Robinson had already furnished Slaughter with a map of some areas the city is interested in annexing.

“We had pretty much unanimous agreement about our annexation areas,” Mayor George “Pat” Patterson said. “I believe we agreed our first priority was out in the northwest quadrant,” referring to land along the planned extension of West Oxford Loop.

Alderman Robyn Tannehill added, “I’m pretty sure we had two tied for first place – Sisk and west of town where the new roads are,” referring to the West Oxford Loop project and an extension of Sisk Avenue

PETRE THOMAS | BUY AT PHOTO.DJOURNAL.COM

Urban planner Mike Slaughter describes to Oxford officials and department heads on Tuesday what his firm would provide in a study of possible annexation areas for the space-challenged city. eastward and then southward to University Avenue/Highway 6.

Among other areas targeted for consideration are those along Highway 30 from Highway 7 to Campground/Woodson Ridge Roads and two southwestern portions – one along Old Taylor Road and eastward, the other surrounding Thacker Heights and The Links. During Tuesday’s visit, another area was added to the list, just south of the site of the old Whirlpool plant, which the University of Mississippi aims to transform into a recreation center and transportation hub in the near future.

“I think down there in the southwest quadrant that within the last few weeks some things have evolved that would bring that up in priority to a close second,” Patterson said. “The university is doing some expansion down there, and the

neighborhoods are worried.

I’m pretty sure we want to go ahead and look at that.

That’s not many rooftops, if any.”

Slaughter said it would be advantageous to study more areas than the city is sure it wants to annex.

Robinson agreed.

“In the 2006-07 annexation, we had maybe a dozen study areas and annexed about five parcels, so we didn’t annex everything we looked at,” he said.

“You’re not annexing one square inch if you commission me and my firm to conduct this study until you adopt an annexation ordinance,” Slaughter said. “I want it to be a good, sound planning area, but maybe somewhat overly broad. If there are some thoughts we ought to study a particular area, let’s study it, and you can break it down into different areas if needed.

“I recommend from a pure planning standpoint, the earlier a city includes potential growth areas in the city, the better, because if they develop under substandard ordinances, regusewer, water, lations, drainage, street design, you’re going to inherit a problem if you ever annex it,” Slaughter added. “It’s best to annex an area prior to its developing and have it develop under your own ordinances, regulations, building codes and all of that. If a developer develops a piece of property, he should be the one paying for curb and gutter, water, sewer, drainage –

and of course that cost is passed on to the lot buyer.”

Mallette also defended the idea of broad study, possibly discarding plans for some areas as they prove less needed or practical for annexation.

“In order for Mike to get up on the stand (in Chancery Court) three months or six months or however long from now, he needs to be able to say he’s looked at a broad array of what needs to be annexed, and he comes to the conclusion that these are reasonable under the 12 indicia (required by state law) and that the ones the city has chosen under that ordinance are reasonable,” Mallette said.

“I understand the mayor’s point that there are certain areas that the board is very concerned about, for the same reason Mike is very concerned about them,” he added. “You do have to give him the freedom to do his study, because he may come back to you and say, ‘Y’all are overlooking down Highway 7,’ or, ‘Y’all are overlooking something else, and it’s going to be cheaper to do and more productive for the city and the people living out there.’”

Slaughter outlined some of the factors on which his recommendations would be based.

“I’m going to be asking early on in this, ‘Where are there existing water certificates? Where are there existing sewer certificates?’ he said. “We’ll conduct an exist-

ing land use survey so we’ll know what’s out there: Will there be any additional sales tax diversion and ad valorem? We’ll meet with the Rating Bureau. We don’t want to have a negative impact on your fire rating, so we’ll have to look at the water and fire run distances.

All those variables come into play.”

Several city officials voiced an understanding that the city is required to extend full utility service to any annexed area within five years, but Slaughter said that is not accurate.

“We may have a large enough area here where it could impact your public works department, your police department, maybe your fire department. We want to make sure we don’t have a negative impact on that,” he said. “We’ll calculate where we may need to extend water and sewer.

There’s no requirement that says we’ve got to run water and sewer everywhere within the first five years. We need to run it where it’s necessary, economically feasible and legally permissible.”

Slaughter said utility extension could be offered to the court in two phases.

We’ll tell the court, in the Phase 1 area, ‘This is where we promise we’re going to put water and sewer in during the first five years.’ For the more rural areas in Phase 2, we say, ‘Water and sewer may or may not go in during the first five years, depending on where development warrants it, it’s necessary and it’s economically feasible to do so.’

“You’re going to run it like a business, just like you do today,” Slaughter told board members and the mayor.

“You’re not going to spend $100,000 just to run it to one house, when it’s got a septic tank that works fine, and they don’t really want it.”

The removal of what had seemed a major constraint, Patterson said, could make several areas of future growth practical to annex.

“That makes it a whole lot more palatable in my mind,” he said.

Slaughter will offer a contract to the city for consideration at the Board of Aldermen’s Dec. 15 meeting. errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 5

Aircraft parking expansion in full swing

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

From a great distance it looks like a child left his toys in the sandbox, but the noise and movement of heavy equipment off McElroy Drive proves a headlong effort in creating new space to accommodate the growth in customers at UniversityUniversity Airport (UOX).

The 262-acre airport with its 5,600-foot runway, owned by the University of Mississippi, received an FAA grant of $4,226,350 on a project that the FAA lists at $6,985,890 last summer to add some 90,000 square feet of apron space east of the terminal building.

“The timeline depends on the weather with the construction. The rain the last several days slowed it down some, but we’re still making good progress,” said Airport Manager Lloyd “Mac” McManus.

“We would like to be

through by mid-summer, at least. That’s taking into consideration the weather.”

The airport sees frequent usage by Oxford residents and businesses that own planes, along with corporate and charter aircraft bringing business people from around the country and athletic teams competing against Ole Miss.

It’s on football game weekends, though, that the airport becomes a beehive of activity. While most days traffic into UOX is managed by flight controllers at Memphis International Airport, on game days University-Oxford Airport has its own temporary flight control tower to manage the hundreds of flights that bring fans, media and dignitaries heading to the game.

So many planes arrive that there simply isn’t room for them all, so pilots of later arrivals have

their passengers disembark, and then they fly to other airports in nearby counties to park.

“We’re going to be doubling our parking situation. All that depends on the sizes of the jets and planes, but it’ll probably give us another 70 to 90 spots, which will be a great help,” McManus said.

(The airport shuts down to air traffic entirely from one hour before kickoff until one hour after the game, because it is within Vaught-Hemingway Stadium’s no-fly zone, required by the FAA for major stadiums.)

“That’s the biggest thing we have – football. During the Presidential Debate in 2008, we had a lot of charter and corporate traffic, but football brings more traffic than anything else,” McManus said. “During normal business, there are six of us – four linemen, myself and the customer

service person. During football, it’s completely different. We get car drivers and shuttle drivers all over.”

The same current project provides construction of an emergency access road from Oxford’s No. 1 Fire Station, which houses and provides personnel for airport firefighting equipment, to the apron.

“That’s going to come off McElroy Drive,” McManus said. “There’ll be security gates, of course, so not just anyone can access it.”

“They’re building a road parallel to us to where we have access for fire trucks and other emergency equipment,” said Oxford Fire Chief Cary Sallis.

“The biggest advantage to us is on ball game days and when flights come in, now we have to leave the station and drive up to where the terminal is and go through the gates there and stand by,” he added.

“With the new road we’ll actually stay at the station. If there’s a call, we’ll run straight out the back of the station, and at the top of the hill we’re on the runway. We’ll just go wherever the incident is.

Response time for us is going to be a tremendous improvement with this new road.”

While actual emergencies at the airport are “very rare,” Sallis said, firefighters routinely leave the station now and remain at the ready on the

runway whenever air traffic is heavy or when larger flights are due to arrive or leave.

“Mainly it’s just standby for flights,” he said. “If there’s a charter flight coming in – basketball teams, volleyball teams, soccer teams, often – we stand by for them. When the road’s in place, we’ll stay here at the station, because we’ll have instant access.” errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

read more online oxfordcitizen.com

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 6

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

OSD Good Food head going statewide

BY ERROL CASTENS OXFORD CITIZEN

The program coordinator of Good Food for Oxford Schools will be doing similar work on a statewide basis next year.

Sunny Young told School Board members and district officials on Monday that the success of the program – started under a USDA planning grant in 2012 and now secured by a USDA implementation grant through 2017 – has attracted attention from other school districts and beyond.

The program is a USDA Farm to School project.

“The general idea is that we’re getting kids eating more fresh foods, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit – especially those that are grown on a local farm,” Young said. “We’re working with classrooms and teachers, we’re working with principals, we’re working with families, and we’re really bringing all of these different groups together in this new collaboration to help reach the goals we’re talking about.”

Young announced that the recently secured imple-

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mentation grant will cover the program director position, program evaluation by the University of Mississippi’s Center for Population Studies, travel to national conferences and to regional Farm to School programs, equipment funds for cafeterias to bring in more fresh foods, and family engagement such as cooking classes, “Iron Chef” competitions and a “Little Carrot” Summer Camp, along with in-school events such as Harvest of the Month and Food Day. “In the long term, what we’ll see this project achieve is decreasing absences when students are eating a good, nourishing breakfast and a good, nourishing lunch and are eating healthier at home,” she said. “We’ll see a decrease in school nurse visits.

Nurses are seeing a ton of kids in school nurses’ offices for problems that are preventable. There are massive amounts of tum-

myaches that aren’t normal, and they will largely go away once we improve the diets of these kids. We’ll also see improved attention spans and those all-important test scores. Students who are healthier are going to achieve more in school; they’ll also be happier.”

While some of those changes – including a pushback against Type 2 Diabetes, formerly called “adult onset diabetes” but now seen in children as young as age 5 – will involve long-term lifestyle changes and cultural shifts, some benefits are already evident from the focus on healthier eating, Young said.

“In the short term, we’ve already seen students with a better reception of vegetables and healthier food,” she said, adding that healthier school cafeteria meals are better received now than a few years ago.

With the prominence of the Oxford program has

come interest from outside entities, Young said.

“Our project has really gotten some great accolades from across the country. Good Food for Oxford Schools and the Oxford School District have done such a stellar job of accomplishing some of these things that we’ve been visited by a team from Sen. Thad Cochran, the only Republican Senator who signed on to the Farm to School Act of 2015,” she said. “They’re fighting for more funding for this program that’s housed in the USDA right now.”

In addition, the program has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation and was the focus of a recent “TEDx” event.

“Through this work, other schools have been paying attention,” Young said. “I’ve been working with other districts; Tupelo is catching up. In the meantime, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has ap-

proached me about starting a Mississippi Farm to School Network.

“This is where I tell you that I’m sad to say you’ll have to hire a new Good Food for Oxford Schools director over the next month,” she said. “I’ll still be around and very much involved in the project, but it’s super-exciting to start getting to do some of this work on a statewide scale, and I totally attribute it to what’s been happening in the Oxford School District.

“This has been a monumental thing that’s happened for Mississippi, and the state’s really noticing.

We’ve had a great relationship with the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture, and they’ve really contributed to the school district,” Young said. “So this expresses how excited I am.” errol.castens@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenec

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 7

OPINION

M

y computer crashed the other day, taking what seemed like my entire life with it and making me feel, in the words of John Prine, “naked as the eyes of a clown.” We don’t realize how dependent we are on our “devices” until they’re gone. We have methadone for heroin addicts but what about those of us with a computer jones? Cold turkey isn’t an option unless we’re talking Thanksgiving leftovers.

Being offline gave me a chance to reflect on my dependency and it wasn’t pretty. Look how much of our daily existence is tied up in these cold, sometimes unforgiving, machines: Family pictures, bank accounts, our favorite music, emails, business transactions, and of course, that most prevalent aspect of computer life, wasting precious time. Being offline is as desolate as it sounds, as if you’re in the ocean treading water and there’s no line.

Mind you, I enjoy being away from the computer when it’s voluntary. I savor a walk in the woods, curling up with a good book, interpersonal relationships, immersion in a task or even simple daydreaming. But when one is turned out into the cold against ones will, there is a feeling that life is barreling ahead and you are huddled on the sidelines holding a sign that reads: “Will work for Facebook.”

Left to your own devices Jim Dees Tales of the Town It is indeed strange to think that those of us of a certain age (ahem) lived over half our lives without the Internet and got along just fine, thank you. Now, with the entire world at our fingertips, we have been lulled into a vicious dependency that has taken a megabyte out of our psyche. We have the most powerful tool mankind has yet invented, right there in our pockets, and yet we mainly use it to look at pictures of cats or argue with strangers.

The most emailed story in The New York Times this week is an OP-ED piece entitled, “Addicted to Distraction,” written by Tony Schwartz, a workplace consultant. Schwartz gets paid to help people improve their professional productivity and yet he admits that he too has been lulled into a mindless addiction to the Internet. He writes: “The books I regularly purchased were piling up ever higher on my bedside table, staring at me in silent rebuke. Instead of reading them, I was spending too many hours online, checking the traffic numbers for my company’s website, shopping for more colorful socks on Gilt and Rue La La, even though I had more than I needed, and even

COURTESY

"A vicious dependency that has taken a megabyte out of our psyche." guiltily clicking through pictures with irresistible headlines such as “Awkward Child Stars Who Grew Up to Be Attractive.”

And this: “According to one recent survey, the average white-collar worker spends about six hours a day on email. That doesn’t count time online spent shopping, searching or keeping up with social media. The brain’s craving for novelty, constant stimulation and immediate gratification creates something called a “compulsion loop.”

Like lab rats and drug addicts, we need more and more to get the same effect.”

Yes, we educate ourselves; work hard to achieve professional status only to wind up “like lab rats and drug addicts.” And

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yet, there is no turning back. In the 21st Century we are almost required to be online in some form. It’s no wonder the government and advertisers eavesdrop on our “privacy” so they

can sell us more soap. We are ensnared in a trap of our design.

Schwartz concludes his essay by insisting that he has cut back on his Internet usage by getting more

exercise, planning the night before what he wants to get done the next day and doing that task first thing in the morning. He says he takes digital-free vacations, allows no devices in his bedroom and says he has resumed reading books and has increased his attention span.

As for me, I used my involuntary digital fast to take walks, read more (though I found myself glancing at the bottom of the page to check the time) and listening to music that makes me happy (see John Prine). I have a borrowed computer while I gear up for a new one and found upon my return to the Internet that I hadn’t missed much, just more cats, more uninformed political rants. At least I don’t feel naked.

Jim Dees has lived in Oxford for over 30 years and lived to tell the tale.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 8

JAIL ART AUCTION

BRIEFING Maker’s Market scheduled Saturday

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Taylor sculptor Bill Beckwith contemplates some items in Angelo Mistilis's collection of inmate artworks Tuesday at The Orchard Oxford's North Light Gallery.

Angelo Mistilis describes some of the artworks given to him by inmates after he started furnishing them art supplies while he was kitchen manager at the Lafayette County Detention Center. The works went on sale Tuesday to benefit The Orchard's North Light Gallery and Kairos Prison Ministry.

People browse the different works of jail art at The Orchard's North Light Gallery and Kairos Prison Ministry sale Tuesday night.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

tish carols with American classics. The performance also features Irish instruThe next Maker’s Market ments and dancing for a lively and thrilling performwill be this Saturday at the ance that’ll have you clapPowerhouse Community ping along.

Arts Centerfrom 11 a.m. to Don’t miss beautiful ren6:45 p.m. The market feaditions of all your favorites, tures local artisans and the including “Silent Night,” handmade and home“Little Drummer Boy” and grown goodies to finish up “First Noel,” among many your holiday shopping. A others. Tickets are $25 for huge gift basket full of the balcony, $38 for the handmade arts and crafts donated by our vendors will mezzanine and $44 for the be raffled off, with proceeds orchestra levels.

On your way into a pergoing to Interfaith Compasformance, be sure to visit sion Ministries. There will the Gingerbread Village, on also be live holiday music display Dec. 3-19. provided by local husband and wife duo, The Kites, free hot chocolate and saVolunteer Oxford vory snacks, and Oxford launches new Ballet School will be performing The Nutcracker at matching system 6:30pm (ticketed event).

The December market is Volunteer Oxford is enfull (vendor-wise), but if couraging all Lafayette-Oxyou are interested in beford-University residents coming a vendor at a future and students to sign up for market, visit http://oxford- GiveGab, a new software makersmarket.org/vendor- that allows people to see info. the volunteering opportunities in their community.

“GiveGab is a positive Christmas at change for Volunteer OxFord Center ford, because it is a userfriendly software that Enjoy the heartwarming enables volunteers to holiday performance of “A Christmas Carol” on Dec. 5 match with nonprofits or at the Gertrude Ford Center nonprofits to match with for the Performing Arts and volunteers,” said Sarah Ball, Volunteer Oxford director. experience the true meanVolunteer Oxford transiing of Christmas. In the tioned from its old system Charles Dickens classic, to GiveGab in early OctoEbenezer Scrooge transber, and the new software forms from a greedy miser allows for a much more to a kind, generous man user friendly experience. after three ghostly visits. A One new feature is the “doperformance for all ages, nate” button that makes the show begins at 3 p.m. fundraising easier for orTickets are $12 for adults ganizations. and $6 for general admisAll eight volunteer cension. ters under Volunteer MissisBefore the performance, the company will conduct a sippi use this software, so tactile tour of the set, props when someone signs up, they are able to see volunand costumes at 2 p.m. to teer opportunities across enable individuals with special needs to experience the state. With the transition to GiveGab, Volunteer the performance area up Oxford services are also close, including touching being extended to two new items used during the performance and familiarizing counties - Pontotoc and Yalobusha counties. themselves with details for With the transition, vola better experience of the unteers registered with Volperformance. (To take the unteer Solutions could not tactile tour, call Kate be transferred over to GiveMeacham at (662) 915Gab. Anyone can sign up by 2787. visiting volunteeroxford.org The following week, and clicking on the “volunbring the whole family to experience a unique rendi- teer” tab. tion of all your favorite Christmas carols. “Christ‘Living Music’ mas with the Celts,” set for concert today 3 p.m. on Dec. 13, blends traditional Irish and ScotThe University of Missis-

sippi’s Living Music Resource™ is partnering with Ole Miss Athletics.

The LMR™ 2015-16 season kicks off today at 4 p.m. with “A Beat (live stream interactive interview), Music and Baseball - What do they have in common?” Come to Nutt Auditorium to watch in person or view online at www.livingmusicresource.com. LMR™ creator and host, Associate Professor Nancy Maria Balach, will lead a discussion with Brady Bramlett (Ole Miss student, singer and baseball player), Mike Bianco (Ole Miss baseball coach), and Donald Trott (Ole Miss director of choral activities). This event is free and open to the public.

LMR’s™ collaboration with Athletics will continue through the academic year as they work on a documentary project, Brady Bramlett (Singing Athlete and Student Athlete), that will première at a 2016 Spring Concert Event.

Thacker Mountain Membership Party The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour will hold its annual membership party this Friday, Dec. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Southside Art Gallery (150 Courthouse Square). Admission is free for current members and new members may join at the door ($50 single, $75 couples and $10 students) or by credit card at thackermountain.com. Checks may be sent to P.O. Box 2196, Oxford, MS 38655.

Membership fees are taxdeductible and are good for a year and help defray the show’s production costs.

Entertainment will be provided by the Thacker Mountain house band, the Yalobushwhackers. Food will be catered by Party Waitin’ to Happen with a special “signature cocktail” to be donated by Snackbar.

A silent auction will feature many “Oxford-centric” prizes including a springtime Double Decker bus tour of Oxford, tennis lessons at Goose Creek, dinner for eight at the home of City Grocery chef John Currence, a 2016 Egg Bowl tailgate in Oxford with ESPN’s Wright Thompson, and a signed print by the late Oxford artist Theodora Hamblett, among many others.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

FROM PAGE 1

Petal caps the first day of games, while the 5A title game, that features the Oxford Chargers, will be the sixth game on Saturday night.

Last season, all six games were played at Mississippi State’s Davis Wade Stadium. It was the first time that the contests had been played outside of Jackson.

Ole Miss and MSU are now the designated host spots, and fans from all over the state will be in town, aiding the local economy in some sort of fashion.

Don Hinton, the MHSAA’s executive director, and his staff have worked hand in hand with the city of Oxford, FNC Park and Ole Miss to make sure the event goes off without a hitch.

“That’s what these folks do. They know how to entertain and they know how to be hospitable,” Hinton said. “It’s just been great.

They’re a step ahead of us on a lot of things on stuff we hadn’t thought about like the post game meal.

“

It will be top notch. Ole Miss is treating this just like it’s another home football game … All their staff will be in place. I think the MHSAA is very fortunate for that. We’ve had a year to plan this thing and I think we’re going to come in and do a fantastic job for these student-athletes.

“

Title

Don Hinton, MHSAA executive director hosting the event at MSU will help this weekend.

“There are so many details and so much preparation. We’ve met with so many different people.

We’ve met several, several times with the Ole Miss folks just to know who they are and what the right position and departments to go through,” Hinton said. “It absolutely made a difference for us when we went

They’ve added and enhanced our championships and that’s what we’ve hoped for that every single year it would get better and better and better, not only with the experience of the venue, but with the relationships of those people.”

The feedback that Hinton got after the 2014 championships were held was positive. He felt like

PAGE 9

year to plan this thing and I think we’re going to come in and do a fantastic job for these student-athletes. It’s all about them. This is their state championship. Then you have fans, the media, the coaches, we want to make it special for everybody. That’s really what we’ve tried to do over this past year, put little things in place that will make it that much more special than it was last year.”

Some of the extra touches in place include two meals for the teams, one before the game, and one right after. Brownlee got the final roster numbers Monday in order to secure the order with Chick-Fil-A for the postgame meals. This year’s pre-game meals will be sponsored by Tobacco Control of Mississippi.

Brownlee said Taylor Grocery was handling the food.

After that meal, teams will walk through the Grove, and the Walk of Champions, just like the Rebels.

There are also rally towels being placed in the locker rooms for the players and students that can be used during the game, and then

to Mississippi State last year. We’re pretty much following the same format from the time elements.

Last year we had a tremendous response. The school’s leadership, the administrations, the students, were calling us, it was a tremendous response. They see the facilities on TV and they see the Walk through the Grove and they want to be a part of that. It’s absolutely a winwin for everybody.”

Clay Brownlee, the assistant director of FNC Park, has been very involved in the planning of the championships. He started work on things almost a year ago, meeting with Ole Miss and the MHSAA to make sure every detail was worked out. From setting up a meal before the game, to coordinating the Walk of Champions, to securing hotel rooms for teams, Brownlee has been involved in the entire process.

“It will be top notch. Ole Miss is treating this just like it’s another home football game, like LSU is in town,” Brownlee said. “All their staff will be in place. I think the MHSAA is very fortunate for that. We’ve had a

kept as a memory of the weekend.

Many of the teams from the north are within driving distance of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Oxford is just five minutes away, while Charleston is 52 miles from Oxford. Some, if not all, of the southern teams will stay overnight in local hotels. Brownlee said he was excited about all the matchups.

“I think it’s going to be awesome. Starkville travels well, Petal travels well. It’s neat to have people in Oxford that have never been here before,” Brownlee said. “To see our town, the Christmas lights on the Square, it’s my favorite time of the year. To see the campus and the stadium and everything Oxford has to offer will be great.”

For more information on the games, visit oxfordmsgridirion.com. There is a parking map available, and a schedule of events. There is a Twitter feed that will be used to provide information during the games as well. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Oxford Dental gives back through Operation Christmas Smile

BY JOHN DAVIS

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

OXFORD CITIZEN

A chance to give back to the community through a beautiful smile is what the doctors and staff at Oxford Dental have accomplished through Operation Christmas Smile. This is the second year for the public service contest. It runs through December 15, and it includes two complete smile makeovers for people from in and around Oxford that may not be able to complete the procedure.

Shawna Reynolds, the office manager at Oxford Dental, said there was an “awesome” response last year. The goal is to gain an even greater response this year in the attempt to provide the services to individuals with the biggest needs.

“We got at least 300 entries last year and I have more this year,” Reynolds said. “It's really hard to pick.

We want the word to get out, and we wish we could do more. We're going to keep doing this and do two every year. We are trying to pick someone who really needs some help and doesn't have the needs to get the dentistry.”

Doctors Walker Swaney and Mike Huggins perform the work that may include dentures, partial dentures, crowns, bonding, root canals and fillings, just to name a few things.

“It can ben any combination of that depending on what they need,” Reynolds said. “Last year we picked a young man because he didn't really have the confi-

COURTESY

Oxford Dental is providing a full dental makeover for two people through Operation Christmas Smile. The before and after shots show how big of a help the community service can be for individuals. dence that he could go out and get a job or do anything. He was in his 20s. He needed all of his teeth taken out and replaced with dentures because they were that severely decayed. It absolutely changed his life.”

The idea for Operation Christmas Smile came up at a seminar that the staff at-

tended. A consulting firm that the office works encouraged giving back to the community.

“We are for giving back as well and we have great patients and see a lot of people in Oxford and we were looking for something to do and this came up,” Reynolds said. “Different

offices do it different ways, but this is what we decided to do. We took an idea and made it our own and started putting the word out.”

Reynolds said people wrote letters to the office.

Family members sent emails with candidates they felt would be best suited to

participate.

“We got a lot of response last year and this year we're thinking around 500,” Reynolds said. “With what I have already received, I'm probably already up to 300.”

Social media has helped spread the word. The office is on Facebook, Twitter and

Instagram. Reynolds has noticed people tagging one another on Facebook, spreading the word or informing on how to submit information. Reynolds has not been personally approached about Operation Christmas Smile.

The last day for anyone to submit information is approaching. The staff looks over the submissions, while the winners are picked by Dec. 21, Reynolds said.

“Last year everybody went through the letters.

The whole team and it was so hard to pick,” Reynolds said. “We started to whittle it down and got a couple of people. I kept some of the letters from last year as well just to have those in the mix. We will do the same thing this year, go through and just to figure it out.

Everybody is deserving.

There are just so many people in need in this area, in northern Mississippi. I think the furthest out that I've gotten is Tutwiler and as far north as Holly Springs. We've also gotten a few from the Tupelo area, so the word has really been passed around through social media, which is really nice.”

There are three ways people can enter. They can send an e-mail to Reynolds a t Shawna@OxfordDental.co m. They can send a fax to (662) 234-5254 or a letter through the mail to 2155 South Lamar Blvd, Oxford, MS 38655. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

BRIEFING Award for Baptist Hospital-North Mississippi Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi was recently recognized by Information & Quality Healthcare for their healthcare associated infection rates being among the best in the state for the reporting period January 2014 through July 2015.

Information & Quality Healthcare reports under the Centers for Medicare

and Medicaid Services and Department of Health and Human Services to track information about catheter-associated infections (CAUTI) and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI).

A recent report from Mississippi’s Quality Innovation Network - Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) shows Baptist North Mississippi as one of the top 5 hospitals with the lowest level of CAUTI out of the 46 facili-

ties participating in the program.

In addition, the Mississippi QIN-QIO report showed Baptist North Mississippi ranking in the top 20 percent of participating hospitals for the lowest level of CLABSI. “At Baptist North Mississippi, we are always looking for ways to improve patient safety. Through collaboration with the Mississippi QIO and other hospitals across the state, we share best practice

ideas and strategies that improve patient safety and healthcare,” said Betty Von Kohn, manager of infection prevention at Baptist North Mississippi.

The public reporting of these data is part of a movement by the Department of Health and Human Services to make health care safer and communities healthier.

“Baptist North Mississippi colleagues are committed to quality improvement and we are

proud of their hard work.

This report shows that Baptist North Mississippi has one of the lowest infection rates as recognized by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This will help contribute to better health outcomes for patients,” said Bill Henning, CEO and Administrator.

Baptist North Mississippi is a 217-bed hospital that offers a variety of services, including cardiovascular surgery,

neurosurgery, the Baptist Cancer Center and a 24hour emergency room.

Since the hospital became affiliated with Baptist Memorial Health Care in 1989, Baptist has invested more than $140 million into the facility. In 2012, Baptist announced plans for building a new hospital for Baptist North Mississippi.

For more information, please call (662) 232-8100 or visit http://www.baptistonline.org.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Andrew Richardson

Heather Richardson

Email: andrew@tmhomes.com

Email: heatherhrichardson@gmail.com

OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford Cell: 662.801.2718 Office: 662.234.6264

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Oxford Cell: 662.588.7312 Office: 662.234.5344

James R. Hunter, Sr. 804 E Bankhead St

MLS#134111

New Albany – Prime property in a great location!

Great for business office or a lovely home.

4BR/2BA, basement, library, study, sunroom, & a great area in front that could be used for parking. Home warranty provided. Zoned commercial but will be allowed residential. Call 662-2345344

Tupelo/Oxford Cell: 662.871.8658 Office: 662.842.3844

Email: jrhunter@tmcommercialgroup.com

Magnolia Way

MLS#133297

Sherman – The acreage is located at the intersection of Magnolia Way (entrance to Toyota Mississippi), Highway 9, and old Highway 9. The land is gently rolling/hilly in areas and flat in some areas. Owner will subdivide. Will consider subdividing. $2,243,100.

Call James Hunter-662-871-8658.

Danny Flowers

Thaddeus Hooper

Email: danny@tmhomes.com

Email: thaddeus@tmhomes.com

Oxford Cell: 662.816.7294 Office: 662.234.5344

Oxford Cell: 601.934.0572 Office: 662.234.5344

Paula Crum

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 13

Oxford Cell: 662.701.7789 Office: 662.234.5344 311 River Run

MLS#134357

Email: paula@tmhomes.com

Oxford – Fantastic Ranch home with brick exterior located in Yocona Ridge. Home was a fenced in level back yard. The Family room features a vaulted ceiling and gas logs in the fireplace. The kitchen features wooden cabinets, black appliances and ceramic tile floors. You enter the large patio through the French Doors. Double attached garage adds to making this a great home just outside the of Oxford in the Lafayette School District. Call 662.234.5344

CR 430

MLS#134789

Oxford – These 2 parcels of wooded acreage (225-21-001.00 @12 acres); (224-20-004.00 @134.5 acres) includes +/- 0.75 mile of road frontage on CR 430, just past CR 445 for a total of 146.5 acres of untouched nature. Whether a farm or home site or your private place to hunt. You must see this beautiful countryside. Just a few miles from Lafayette County High School. $439,500. Call Paula Crum – 662.701.7789

Weesie Biedenharn

Nicole Cain Wright

Email: weesie@tmhomes.com

Email: nicolec@tmhomes.com

Oxford Cell: 662.638.5332 Office: 662.234.5344

Oxford Cell: 662.617.5744 Office: 662.234.5344

Eileen Saunders Oxford Cell: 662.404.0816 Office: 662.234.5344

Email: eileen@tmhomes.com

245 CR 164

MLS#134943

Oxford – Wooded rolling hills with 10 year to mature timber. Road front on two sides, former home site, with some county utilities present.

Possible development or single family home site.

Great for hunting, or view the great outdoors from your own front porch. Your own piece of country living just 15 minutes from Oxford. $150,000. Call Eileen Saunders – 662-404-0816.

217 Birch Tree Loop

MLS#134355

Oxford – Beautiful home in a cozy popular Oxford neighborhood. The home features open and bright floor plan with high vaulted and arched ceilings and hard wood lamented floors in the living and dining areas with a gas log fireplace, and 3 bedrooms all on one level. Two walk-in closets. Breakfast Nook. There is a screened porch for casual entertaining, and a large backyard that is to be soon professionally landscaped

by Seller. A 2 car attached garage. This is a clean, welcoming and vacant home. Call 662.234.5344

Polina Wheeler

Cole Hoover

Email: polina@tmhomes.com

Email: cole@tmhomes.com

Oxford Cell: 662.401.4632 Office: 662.234.5344

Oxford Cell: 901.387.9910 Office: 662.234.5344

Blake Thompson

PAGE 14

OXFORD CITIZEN

Sadie Smith

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Tupelo/Oxford Cell: 662.678.3033 Office: 662.842.3844

Oxford Cell: 662.801.7014 Office: 662.234.5344

Email: sadie@tmhomes.com

Email: blake@tmhomes.com

Brant & Jodi Garner Tupelo/Oxford Brant: 662.297.6168 Jodi: 662.419.3420

Email: brant@tmhomes.com jodi@tmhomes.com Hwy 278

MLS#133457

328 Windsor Drive N. MLS#134179

Oxford - Over 22 acres of Prime Development Property on south side of Hwy 6, where University Ave ends. Ideal for commercial development of hotel/resort, retail, or office complex. Does not include the 3.8 acre homesite tract on North side of Hwy 6 that is part of this tax parcel. $3,200,000.

Call Mark Prince-662-871-1971.

Oxford - Fantastic home on a large fenced lot, landscaped. Open floor plan, living room with eating area and kitchen. Sitting space at the kitchen countertop. Enjoy the outdoors with screened porch and large patio. 3 BR/2Ba. Nice sized bedrooms with on-suite in master with shower and tub. Walk-in closet. Call 662.234.5344

Caroline Felker

Melinda Wells

Email: caroline@tmhomes.com www.youroxfordhome.com

Email: melinda@tmhomes.com

Oxford Cell: 662.801.0878 Office: 662.234.5344

Oxford Cell: 662.829.9536 Office: 662.234.5344

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2092 Old Taylor Rd., Oxford Kaye Ladd, Managing Broker

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tmhomes.com • 662-234-5344

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 15

John Davis Sports Editor

‘Special’ Oxford senior class deserves great farewell

G

reatness doesn’t just happen, it’s produced. Success in sports has to involve hard work. And dedication. Desire. Talent only matters when the work is put in. For the Oxford High football seniors, hard work has defined them. A number of them started to learn those key intangibles playing for the Oxford Buccaneers and coach Michael Abraham. The core group continued to learn about it in the middle school program.

Their eighth grade football coach, Perry Swindall, saw them really blossom between their eighth grade season and when they were freshmen. He saw how hard players like Jack Abraham, DK Metcalf, Marcel Pegues and others worked.

Football was important to them, and they wanted to be better than good at it.

Johnny Hill is set to coach his last game at OHS. He’s had a bevy of great players come through the program, which translates to a lot of very important senior classes. This one, the group that graduates this coming May, has made the biggest impact, however. Three straight division titles. No losses to division teams during that time period. Those two stats are just the tip of the iceberg. No other senior class has ever won three straight north state titles. No other classes has ever won as many playoff games as they have. And if they lead the program past Wayne County on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, they will permanently cement themselves as the greatest class in OHS history, or at least up until this point in time.

“This has been a special group coming up from the seventh grade and on up.

There is a lot of talent, a lot of skill,” Hill said. “There are a lot of years when you have backs but you don’t have receivers or offensive linemen. Or a quarterback. This group really has it all. We have a good nucleus of offensive linemen. We have a few defensive linemen. We have linebackers.

All in all, it’s a really good, balanced group. We feel like we have skill players TURN TO SENIORS PAGE 21

PETRE THOMAS | BUY AT PHOTO.DJOURNAL.COM

Oxford High's football coaching/support staff have played a vital role in the Chargers playing for a third straight MHSAA Class 5A state championship this year.

Super staff Oxford’s coaches have been key to success

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

A strong bond has defined the Oxford Chargers over the past three seasons. Three straight trips to the MHSAA Class 5A state title game didn’t just happen, the players had to be taught how to compete. They had to learn the finer points of the game, and they had to figure out what it was to be mature and work hard.

Oxford’s success on the field may be fueled by the players, but the staff that works under head coach Johnny Hill has also been key.

“A lot of them have played ball together some point in their life, high school or college. I know Coach (Jason) Russell played with Coach Stan (Hill),” said offensive tackle Stone Threlkeld. “I feel like they get along great and they work together great.

They work together to make everything go right for the

team.”

Threlkeld felt like it was the staff’s dedication to the overall product that made the difference in playing for three straight titles and not.

“They put in long hours every night. They’re always here everyday, watching film, working out,” Threlkeld said.

“They are always doing something for us to help us beat our opponent. They watch a ton of film. Like Coach Johnny said he stayed up until 1 o’clock in the morning and then woke up at 5 that next morning to go to Jackson. You can tell they put in the work to get us a ring this year.”

Johnny Hill has always praised his staff members.

For the most part, it’s the same group of guys since the Chargers really turned the corner as a program.

“I can’t say enough about our coaching staff. That’s all of them. We have some volunteer coaches that have done just a super, super job,”

Johnny Hill said. “The best thing I can say about our coaching staff is the loyalty that they have with each other and these players.

They’re going to work hard.

They all take ownership. You will never hear them criticize or second guess or put the blame anywhere but on themselves if there is any.

That speaks volumes in this coaching profession.”

The adjustments the staff has made throughout the year have been tremendous.

Whether its during halftime or the week between games, this year’s staff has made everything work. And they never let adversity trip them up.

“I don’t think we coached as well on defense against West Point the first time and thankfully we scored enough points to win,” Johnny Hill said. “This past week, they did. They put our kids in the position to win and with the exception of one missed tackle, the defense would

have probably held them scoreless. To hold West Point scoreless is a tall order now.

Our defense has grown up, big time. Offensively, we struggled early and I say struggle, we just didn’t execute like I knew we could.

Everybody picked themselves up and we feel very comfortable with what we’re doing on offense.”

There are three volunteer coaches on staff, and Hill praised their work this season as well.

“Greg Kennedy has stepped in here and he just wants to learn. He puts the time in,” Hill said. “Then you have Logan Dodson who works with the tight ends and Blake Rall who has stepped up. He has a lot going on, but he’s here most of the time. Joe Sabatier does a fantastic job with the equipment. They have all helped tremendously. It’s been a plus having them TURN TO STAFF PAGE 21

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Hill expecting physical battle with War Eagles but we won’t get them all the time because of the pass rush.”

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

It’s been 12 years since Johnny Hill had to prepare for a team from Wayne County. The meeting a dozen seasons ago came in Jackson, in the MHSAA Class 4A state championship game. Former Ole Miss standout Jerrell Powe was leading the War Eagles back then, and Hill joked this week that his team still hadn’t blocked him.

Fast and physical teams have defined one of the state’s best programs over the years, and the 2015 team that will meet the Chargers in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday night are very fast, and very physical.

“They play good, old fashioned smash-mouth football,” Hill said.

“Their quarterback has completed over 50 percent of his passes. They throw at times, and he’s accurate at times. He’s a dual threat and that’s what makes him dangerous to me. They’ve got two good receivers. No. 19 (RaMeik Wallace) is a good one for them.”

Wayne County is a team that actually has two tight ends, and two backs, on the field at the same time. Hill said the offensive line for the War Eagles is “huge” and their defensive front is “really, really good.”

“Their defense is the strength.

They have a physical pass rush.

Our offensive line is really going to have to bow up this week and get it done,” Hill said. “I’m sure they’re going to want to cause us some problems by bringing a linebacker in there. They have a defensive end, No. 99 (TyRee Evans), who is

THIRD A CHARM

The Chargers are playing for a third straight season in the 5A championship game. Hill is hoping that a third trip to the title game is a charm for his Chargers, who lost to Picayune in 2013 and Laurel in 2014.

“They have been there for two years and they won’t be so shell shocked about being there,” Hill said about his seniors and their experience. “I think one thing that really hurt us last year, and I’m not one for excuses, but it was the hoops we had to jump through before the game. It really through our timing and routine off.”

STAT LEADERS

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Saturday night will be the final time for Johnny Hill to coach at Oxford. The Chargers take on Wayne County at 7. the starting leg on their 4x100 relay team. He’s like 6-5, 230.

Everybody tells me that he is the one you better be worried about.”

There isn’t a team that the Chargers (12-2) have played this year that really remind Hill of Wayne County.

“I would think Starkville would be your closest team,” Hill said.

“Their staff does a really good job of coaching. It’s going to be a challenge for both of us. We present some problems, I think, and it’s just a matchup, how we do with them and how they do with

us. It should be a really, really good football game.”

Wayne County is playing the final week of the season because it was able to put a lot of pressure on quarterback Keon Howard in the win over Laurel.

“He was under a lot of duress, throwing off his back foot and they never let him get in any type of rhythm,” Hill said. “They took (Howard) out of the equation a good bit. I’m sure they’re going to try and get as much pressure as they can on Jack (Abraham) as they can, too.”

BALANCED ATTACK Over the past few weeks, the Chargers have gained strength running the ball. Hiram Wadlington has been fantastic in the playoffs, both on the ground, and as a receiver. His versatility allows the Chargers to mix things up, and remain balanced, instead of just relying on Abraham to throw every down.

“We’re going to have to move around and keep them guessing formation wise and do this and that,” Hill said. “I’m sure we will take our shots when we get them,

Oxford comes into the game averaging 445 yards per game.

Abraham has thrown for 4,541 yards and 53 touchdowns. He eclipsed the 100 touchdowns in a career mark during the season against New Hope. Wadlington has rushed for 821 yards and nine touchdowns. He scored two in the win over West Point last week.

DK Metcalf leads Oxford with 82 catches for 1,308 yards and 20 touchdowns. He is one of five receivers who have 36 or more catches on the season.

Linebacker Jack Turner leads the Chargers with 140 tackles.

Dee Fair and DQ Thomas each have 86 stops this year. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Wayne County’s Mangum only has respect for Oxford

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Todd Mangum smiled, and shook his head, when he heard Oxford head coach Johnny Hill say his Chargers were “short and slow.” Mangum, the head coach of the Wayne County War Eagles, knew that the Chargers are anything but.

“It’s their third trip in three years. They’re seasoned. They’re battle tested as far being in this game,” Mangum said. “I think that really makes a difference.

It’s our first time in several years. I do think that is a plus for Oxford. As for their

Wayne County vs. Oxford 5A state title game Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Radio: FM 95.5, FM 88.8 football team, Coach Hill and his staff do an outstanding job. They always have. I was part of the ‘03 staff that played against Oxford in the state cham-

pionship game. They’re going to do things right and be very explosive on offense. And they’re going to get after us on defense.

They’re also great in special teams. They’re the 5A north state champions, the best team in north 5A, and they’re not there by accident.”

The War Eagles (11-3) are playing the Chargers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday night because they defeated Laurel in the 5A south state title game.

“It was the fourth time we had played in 12 months. All four of those

games were at Laurel. It was huge, of course,” Mangum said of the 55-27 win. “I’m proud of our coaches, players and fans to get to be able to get that win in a big-time atmosphere and big-time game. I think right now we’re playing good defense. I think we’re right now we’re being efficient on offense. Our offensive efficiency is what has helped us during this playoff run. Being sound in the kicking game. I think those things have led us to where we are now.”

Mangum tried to downplay the fact that the title game is at Ole Miss, saying

that they still had to get on a bus for the contest.

“It’s in their backyard, but it’s not at Oxford High,” Mangum said adding that he felt like momentum would be a definite key. “I think there are going to be some small variables that are going to make the difference in the game. The kicking game is going to be so key this week. Those hidden yards in the kicking game are going to be the difference in the game.

Turnovers, they’re going to be key. The team that takes care of the football and doesn’t give up a big play on defense, I think it’s

going to be that kind of a game. Two or three plays are going to make a difference. You just don’t know how or when those plays are going to happen.”

Wayne County has totaled 2,918 yards on the ground this season, and 2,471 yards through the air.

Freddie Jordan, a senior running back who wears jersey No. 5, leads the team with 22 touchdowns. Quarterback Reggie Stewart has thrown for 19 touchdowns.

DeAndre Gandy leads the War Eagles with 95 tackles. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 17

1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Resurrection-Simmons looking to put on a show Friday SPORTS EDITOR

When Scott Sisson, the head coach of Resurrection Catholic, got the podium to talk about his team during Monday’s MHSAA championship press conference, he used the word “blessed” to describe the feeling of playing at Ole Miss’ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. He was hoping that his 13-0 Eagles would put on a good show Friday morning, but it was obvious Sisson wasn’t convinced of that since Hollandale-Simmons was so talented.

“Looking at their team on film, my God, I’ve never seen a team that fast in my life,” said Sisson, who gained a room full of laughs because of his honPETRE THOMAS | BUY AT PHOTO.DJOURNAL.COM esty. “We’re going to give Hollandale-Simmons running Nero Nelson helped lead the Blue Devils past Smithville and the best show we can. We look forward to playing.” into the MHSAA Class 1A state title game Friday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

“

We’re going to give the best show we can.

“

JOHN DAVIS

Scott Sisson, Resurrection Catholic head coach

The Eagles defeated Lumberton 23-8 in the Class 1A south state title game. It was the second time they defeated Lumberton on the year. Prior to last week’s win, the Eagles had three straight

1A state title game Resurrection Catholic vs.

Hollandale-Simmons Friday, 11 a.m.

Radio: FM 88.8

shutouts. Overall, the Eagles have eight shutouts in 2015.

Defense defines the Simmons Blue Devils as well. They have only allowed 30 total points this season, and have seven shutouts overall. Simmons routed Smithville 46-0 in the 1A north state title game last week.

“We’re happy to be here and we look forward to playing a great game,” said head coach Antoine Kimble. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

East Webster looking to be David to Bassfield's Goliath

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

“

It’s been a wonderful year. …

We’ve had a target on our backs.

“

East Webster is looking to continue the championship success the school district has had in athletics overall the past calendar year. Bassfield is going for the Al Bundy.

The Yellowjackets (13-2 overall) have a chance to win a fourth straight MHSAA Class 2A state championship Friday afternoon at Ole Miss. Bassfield, coached by Lance Mancuso, has been the state's most prolific teams from a winning standpoint the past four years. Since the start of the 2009 season, the Yellowjackets have won 107 of 120 games. Mancuso's winning percentage is 89.2 percent for those keeping score.

“We've watched Bassfield on film. We know what's ahead of us. They are impressive,” said East Webster coach Doug Wilson, who compared the matchup to

East Webster lost to Calhoun City in the 2014 2A 2A state north state title game. The title game Wolverines defeated Baldwyn 28-14 this season, Brassfield vs. East Webster while Bassfield plowed over Friday, 3 p.m.

Bay Springs, 43-28, in the Radio: FM 88.8 2A south state title game.

“I know how David and Goliath ended,” Mancuso said. “I wasn't real happy with that analogy there.

They have an outstanding football team, and we're blessed to represent the south. I wish I knew what his offensive coordinator up there was thinking and I wish I knew what (Doug Wilson) was thinking on defense. I would sleep a lot better.”

The Yellowjackets run the Wing T and relies on gainyards on the ground.

Doug Wilson, East Webster ing They average almost 300 in head coach the department, and have two players with over 1,000 said Wilson. yards, and three with over tions,” “There's always pressure 800 yards. on you when you have a john.davis@journalinc.com good group. We've had a Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd target on our backs.”

ADAM ROBISON | OXFORD CITIZEN

East Webster's Chase Keller and the Wolverines are in Friday's MHSAA Class 2A title game.

David and Goliath. “They have exceptional athletes at every position. Their line plays like are on a track.

They know where they're going. They are very disci-

plined on offense.”

The Wolverines (14-1) have an exciting zone read spread attack on offense.

They average just over 206 yards per game on the

ground, while quarterback Jack Wilson has thrown for just over 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns.

“It's been a wonderful year. We had high expecta-

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 18

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Charleston-Collins rematch in 3A title game

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

If Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is in Oxford’s backyard, then the home of the Ole Miss Rebels is in Charleston’s subdivision.

The Tigers will be playing for the MHSAA Class 3A state title Friday afternoon 52 miles, approximately, from their home field. And Scott Martin’s team will be playing against Collins, the team that defeated them in last year’s title game.

Charleston (13-2 overall) has become a much healthier team than when the Lafayette Commodores visited town Sept. 25. The Commodores beat the Tigers 26-0. It was the last setback of the year for the Tigers, who defeated Aberdeen 37-6 in the north state title game.

3A state title game Collins vs. Charleston Saturday, 11 a.m.

Radio: FM 88.8

“We got healthier and got into district ball and our guys started gelling and started playing well,” Martin said. “Our non conference schedule was pretty tough, but once we got healthy, we started playing better and the momentum just traveled.”

The thing Charleston has done the best during the playoffs is shine on defense.

“And our guys on offense have maintained the ball and minimized turnovers,” Martin said. “Any time you minimize turnovers and

JOEY BRENT.

Charleston's Ahmad Alexander and the Tigers have a rematch with Collins in the MHSAA Class 3A title game Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. play great defense, you have Martin gave a ton of a good thing going.” credit to Collins (14-1) and

coach Ryan Earnest.

“They’re very athletic and it’s a good thing knowing that you’ve already played your opponent before,” Martin said. “You know what they’ve got and know what they’re doing. And vice versa. It’s good that we don’t have far to travel. It’s almost like a home game for us.”

On a roll (subhead) Collins hasn’t lost since Week 3 when Class 5A Hattiesburg beat them 28-26.

Quarterback Detric Hawthorne has thrown for almost 4,000 yards and 39 touchdowns. Running back Timothy Durr has almost 1,200 yards on the ground and 22 touchdowns.

“It’s a blessing to be back here and have this opportunity to play for a state championship after navigating the highs and the

lows of a football season,” Earnest said. “One of the reason I have a lot of respect for coaches like (Bassfield’s) Lance Mancuso, who has won titles so many times, is because this is not an easy task. You’re getting everybody’s best shot week in and week out.”

Earnest said the rivalry between Collins and Charleston is “healthy” because of how spirited the games have been. He also called Martin a friend.

“I think he does a wonderful job and he has a great team,” Earnest said of Charleston. “If we can provide half of the thriller that we did in last year’s state championship game, I think everybody will get their money’s worth.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

St. Stanislaus focused on rematch with Noxubee

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

It’s been almost a full year since St. Stanislaus met Noxubee County in the MHSAA Class 4A state title game. And ever since his Rock-a-Chaws lost to the Tigers, coach Bill Conides has been working like mad to get ready for Saturday’s meeting.

“It’s an understatement to say that the Noxubee loss last year consumed us. It certainly consumed me,” Conides said. “I feel like I have worked every single day since that loss.

It’s truly and honor, and a privilege, to be back in this game. We’re excited for a rematch, I can tell you that.”

St. Stanislaus (11-3) enters the matchup with Noxubee County (11-4) coming off a 62-28 win over Lawrence County in the 4A south state title game. Quarterback Myles Brennan has led St. Stanislaus to 10 straight victories. He has thrown for almost 5,000 yards and

4A state title game St. Stanislaus vs. Noxubee County Saturday, 3 p.m.

Radio: FM 88.8

51 touchdowns, which is just two behind Oxford’s Jack Abraham. Brennan has also rushed for almost 500 yards and he has eight rushing touchdowns overall.

County, Noxubee meanwhile, has also been consistent down the stretch. The Tigers defeated Greenwood in the 4A north state title game.

Two weeks prior, they defeated Lafayette on a 37yard pass with four seconds left. Coach Tyrone Shorter felt that was the actual north state title game at the time. His opinion hadn’t changed at the start of the week.

“Not taking anything away from Houston or Greenwood, which are

two very good football teams, but I thought us and Lafayette were the two best teams in the north,” Shorter said. “We felt like whoever won that game was going to be here and we have proven that.”

Shorter’s Tigers still haven’t played a complete football game this year, he said.

“We have done enough to get here, but we still have room to peak,” Shorter said.

“I’m hoping that this will be the game that we put it all together. I think it’s more offensively. We left about four touchdowns on the field in the north state championship game. We fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line twice.

We had two touchdowns taken away from penalties. We just have to put it all together.”

Injuries early in the season hampered a great start for the Tigers. Since losing to Kemper County, the Tigers have been on the winning side of things.

“One thing that helped

us was we stayed together.

Our team kept believing.

We want through a lot of adversity this year,” Shorter said.

“Some of the kids started having some doubt, but we kept stressing to the kids that we had to keep believing. Once we got back healthy and we got that one win after the four losses, we took off and won nine in a row. For four weeks, we were on a four-game losing streak and everybody started losing their minds. We kept this group together and they started believing. Getting back healthy was the main thing.”

Jeffrey Simmons leads the Tigers’ defense with 101 tackles. Simmons, one of the nation’s top-ranked ends, also has 15 sacks.

Quarterback Timorrius Conner has thrown for 2,721 yards and 21 touchdowns. Like Brennan, he also leads his team in rushing with 404. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

JOEY BRENT

Noxubee County's Coby Clark is looking to help his team win a second straight MHSAA Class 4A state title Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 19

6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Starkville-Petal tangle in 6A title game

BY JOHN DAVIS

6A state title game

SPORTS EDITOR

A roster full of talent had to believe they could be great. That’s the way Ricky Woods described his Starkville Yellowjackets. A desire to be the best in the Class 6A ranks in 2015 is another thing that made Starkville a special team, Woods said.

“The kids believed in us. That’s the main thing. It’s not what you think, it’s what they think,” said Woods, who will lead the Yellowjackets against Petal in Friday’s MHSAA Class 6A state championship game. “It gnawed on them a little bit that they didn’t make it last year. That really helped me that they were hungry.”

Woods has won six state championships during his career, two at Ackerman and four straight at South Panola before he led the Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers in 2008. As experienced as he is, Woods said the entire staff staying in place after Jamie Mitchell left this past May was also a real key.

“It’s been fun. I got in late, but

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Starkville vs. Petal Friday, 7 p.m.

Radio: FM 88.8 the kids accepted me. I had to learn all their names and try to incorporate an offense,” Woods said. “We run the same defense under Coach (Brooks) Oakley.

Those assistant coaches staying really helped me. It’s a good staff and they’ve really been helpful.”

Woods said he knew that the Yellowjackets (13-1) would be good on defense, but he wasn’t sure about the offense. When his team defeated Warren Central 2810 in the last game of the regular season, Woods felt things had changed on offense.

“Our offensive line got better and our quarterback got better,” he said. “We’ve had a good year.

They’ve done a good job.”

SOLID REBUILD The Panthers (10-4) lost 16 total

FIT SPORT

players from the 2014 roster. One of them was offensive guard Javon Patterson, who has gone on to start for the Ole Miss Rebels.

Coach Marcus Boyles had a big smile on his face when he talked about his Panthers, who have won seven straight coming into Friday’s game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

“I’m just so proud of this team and these coaches. Nobody gave us a chance. We lost eight starters on offense and eight on defense and got beat in the first round last year,” Boyles said. “I definitely feel blessed.”

As for Patterson, Boyles has kept up with his former player, adding that he is “living his dream.”

“He always wanted to go to Ole Miss. That was his dream school,” Boyles said. “To be able to go up there and play early and play a lot has been really good for him. It’s been a long season for him. It’s a different game. Just watching him, I think he’s done a great job.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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PAGE 20

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

SPORTS IN DEPTH 2015 MHSAA CLASS 5A FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHDULE Vaught-Hemingway Stadium FRIDAY'S GAMES Class 1A Resurrection Catholic vs. Hollandale-Simmons, 11 a.m.

Class 2A Bassfield vs. East Webster, 3 p.m.

Class 6A Petal vs. Starkville, 7 p.m.

SATURDAY'S GAMES Class 3A Charleston vs. Collins, 11 a.m.

Class 4A St. Stanislaus vs. Noxubee County, 3 p.m.

Class 5A Oxford vs. Wayne County, 7 p.m.

2015 MHSAA CLASS 5A PLAYOFFS

LAST FRIDAY'S RESULTS • Oxford 35, West Point 7 Quarter 1 2 3 4 7 7 14 7 Oxford 7 0 0 0 West Point First Quarter OXF – Ken Presley 29 pass from Jack Abraham (Connell Yoste kick), 7:07.

WP – Chris Calvert 1 run (Jose Garcia), 4:15.

Second Quarter OXF – Presley 35 pass from Abraham (Yoste kick), 4:50.

Third Quarter OXF – Wadlington 1 run (Yoste kick), 6:31.

OXF – Wadlington 10 run (Yoste kick), 1:51.

Fourth Quarter OXF –– DK Metcalf 21 pass from Abraham (Yoste kick), 5:33.

Records: Oxford 12-2; West Point 11-3.

Note: Oxford advances to play Wayne County in the 5A state title game Saturday at 7p.m.

MHSAA FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS SEMIFINALS CLASS 6A • North Starkville 28, Madison Central 20 • South Petal 36, Meridian 28 CLASS 5A • North Oxford 35, West Point 7 • South Wayne County 55, Laurel 27 CLASS 4A • North Noxubee County 14, Greenwood 7 • South

St. Stanislaus 62, Lawrence County 28 CLASS 3A • North Charleston 37, Aberdeen 6 • South Collins 40, West Marion 36 CLASS 2A • North East Webster 28, Baldwyn 14 • South Bassfield 43, Bay Springs 28 CLASS 1A • North Hollandale Simmons 46, Smithville 0 • South Resurrection 23, Lumberton 8

2015 OXFORD FOOTBALL Aug. 21 Southaven, Win 35-0 Aug. 28 at Starkville, Loss 20-7 Sept. 4 Madison Central, Loss 31-29 Sept. 11 at Lafayette, Win 31-21 Sept. 25 West Point, Win 50-28 Oct. 2 at Saltillo, Win 50-7 Oct. 9 Lewisburg, 56-21 Oct. 16 at New Hope, Win 46-12 Oct. 23 Clarksdale, Win 53-13 Oct. 30 at Center Hill, Win 54-30 Nov. 5 Lake Cormorant, Win 56-26 Nov. 13 Vicksburg, Win 35-21 Nov. 20 Germantown, Win 40-33 Nov. 27 West Point, Win 35-7 Overall Record: 12-2.

TUESDAY'S BASKETBALL RESULTS • Lafayette (B) 74, Water Valley 43 1 2 3 4 Quarter 8 15 10 10 Water Valley Lafayette 19 16 17 22 Leading Scorers: Lafayette – Xavier Hill 12, Chris Long 12. Water Valley – De Pomer Lee 13.

Records: Lafayette 2-1.

• Oxford (G) 66, Ashland 43 1 2 3 4 Quarter Ashland 7 10 6 20 Oxford 23 17 22 4 Leading Scorers: Oxford – Aliyah Herod 21, Jordan Freeze 17, Kyla Malone 10. Ashland – J'Niya Tallie 18.

Records: Oxford 5-1.

• Ashland 62, Oxford (B) 56 Quarter 1 2 3 4 12 16 15 14 Ashland Oxford 23 11 9 13 Leading Scorers: Oxford – Jarkel Joiner 23, Cole Cromwell 11. DeAnthony Tipler 29, Evontrelle Moore 12.

Records: Oxford 3-1

THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

COURTESY

Oxford Middle School cheerleaders Julian Tann, left, and Ann Michael Armstrong took part in the Houston (Texas) Thanksgiving Day parade as Varsity Spirit All-Americans.

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Lafayette's Tay Tay Owens (3) dribbles up the court during Tuesday night's game with Water Valley in the LHS gym. Owens scored six points for the Commodores in their 74-43 win.

Lafayette earns sweep coming off holiday break

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

An extended holiday break didn’t phase the Lafayette Commodores or Lady Commodores on the court Tuesday night. The basketball teams returned to the court with both defeating Water Valley.

Lafayette’s girls improved to 4-1 on the year with a 48-21.

The Commodores, now 21, won the nightcap 74-43.

John Sherman got his football players back on the roster, and Tuesday was the first live action for them.

Sherman praised the way Water Valley, his former school, played against his current group.

“I want to give Water Valley’s kids a lot of credit for the effort they played with.

They made some tough shots,” Sherman said. “It was only a 12-point lead at the half, so they were within striking distance. I coached 95 percent of those kids in junior high, so I knew what they could do. I thought they played well and I thought they played with great effort, which caused us to play with great effort. I told our guys from the start that we must have better effort than them so they don’t take away any little advantage we may have.”

Lafayette was a little bigger, and stronger, and a lit-

Alexus Weekley looks for a teammate during Lafayette's contest with Water Valley. The Lady Commodores won 48-21. tle more skilled in some areas compared to the Blue Devils. Sherman knew his team would face a fullcourt press on defense mixed in with some traps.

“It was a chaotic game and with new players, there wasn’t a lot of chemistry except for when the starting five where out there,” Sherman said. “All in all, I wanted to start bleeding the football players into the game and into the lineup and seeing what they could do. I wanted to let them contribute to the win. I thought it was important to get a win and let them experience that and feel a part of that. We were able to play

everybody. You can’t play everybody a lot of minutes in the first half, but you can get everybody some minutes.”

There were some possessions that were sloppy, but Sherman said that was going to be normal until the chemistry comes together.

“All in all, I thought we handled ourselves pretty well. I was pleased with the bunch that has been out there early because they gave us a good base,” Sherman said. “I knew things would settle down when they were in the game, that they would play good defense and efficient offense and that’s the way it was.”

The Lady Commodores made quick work of Water Valley, outscoring the Lady Devils 31-1 in the first half.

“Defensively, I thought we came out of the gates playing well,” Linzy said.

“Any chance you get to play other players, it’s a good thing. They came in and played defense. Right now our defense is ahead of our offense and we need our defense to be playing like that to create some offense.

As the season goes on, our offense will start to develop and we can add that to the defense, which is creating offense, and we will be in good shape. I was really pleased with how we looked coming off that long layover.”

Linzy threw a couple of new presses into the mix, and he was happy with how it was executed most of the time.

“We played hard and when guessed wrong or messed up, we hustled back and continued to play,” Linzy said. “To me, that’s bigger than anything.”

Both Lafayette teams will return to action Tuesday on the road at Ingomar. The next home game is set for Dec. 11 against South Panola. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

PAGE 21

Seniors

Staff

FROM PAGE 15

FROM PAGE 15

and the linemen to go along with them.”

This year’s class is large, and one of the largest, if not the biggest, Hill has ever had during his time in Oxford.

“It’s really outstanding to have that big of a group come through and to have kept them playing football. Not all the seniors start, but we get them on a lot of different things,” Hill said. “Whether that’s special teams or backup roles. I think it’s huge when you can consistently have that number of seniors in your program.”

Oxford’s program has overcome a good bit of adversity this season. Hill was without two starters for the entire season. He also lost tailback Drew Bianco midway through the year.

“We’ve always taken that next-man-up approach. We lost a really good receiver and a good running back this year and our No. 2 running back, we lost him,” Hill said. “We’re down to our No. 3 and No. 4 running backs and they have stepped up and played well.

The other guys at receiver have stepped up and played

with the excitement they bring to practice and to games.”

Stan Hill is the offensive coordiantor and coaches the quarterbacks. Steve Herring coaches the inside linebackers and coordinates the defense. Chris Cutcliffe tutors the wide receivers and is the offensive coordinator of the ninth graders. Bobby Sanders coaches the outside linebackers and is the defensive coordinator for the ninth grade team. Terrance Metcalf leads the defensive line for the Chargers, while Russell is in charge of the offensive line, while also the head coach of the ninth grade. Matt McCrory coaches the defensive backs.

“Stan does just a super job as the offensive coordinator. The relationship that he has with Jack (Abraham) and all those guys is just something you can’t put on paper,” Johnny Hill said. “They trust Stan and he trusts them. They stay within their limitations while still staying aggressive. He puts people in a bind. He’s not your traditional hand off tackle three straight times and punt guy. He’s going to spread it around he is pretty hard to predict what he’s going to do.”

PETRE THOMAS | BUY AT PHOTO.DJOURNAL.COM

Oxford's Chargers will play for the MHSAA Class 5A state football championship Saturday night at VaughtHemingway Stadium. It will be the final game for head coach Johnny Hill. exceptionally well.”

The Chargers have had a target on their back all season long. They lost a couple of early games playing some tough tests, but they got better from it all. Hill and his seniors have led the charge. They made some tough decisions, and it all made them stronger.

Saturday is the final game for some very important play-

ers in relation to OHS. Guys like Abraham and Metcalf don’t just come around every day. They have raised the bar to a new level, for the classes that follow. Hopefully the ones currently in the program, or in middle school, can raise it again. That would make these current Chargers happy, I’m sure.

About the only thing that

will make a final sendoff complete is to see the Chargers defeat the War Eagles. It will be tough to accomplish, but if there is anybody that can, it’s this special senior class.

John Davis is the Oxford Citizen sports editor. He can be reached at john.davis@journalinc.com.

Follow him on Twitter at @oxfordcitizenjd.

john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Citizen

PAGE 22

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PAGE 23

Miscellaneous

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015