nday news so s Su rd’
Oxf o
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Sunday EDITION
Volume 3 | Issue 89
oxfordcitizen.com
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Inside 4 News
Shockwave Swim team places second at state
12 News
CHANING GREEN
Chief Investigator for the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department Allen Wilburn accepts his award for Officer of the Year at the annual meeting and awards ceremony for the Lafayette County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association.
To Protect and Serve
Humane Society to hold annual Paws For Art auction
13 Sports
LCLEOA holds annual meeting and awards ceremony BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER
In the Cedar Room of the Oxford Conference Center Thursday night, officers from the Lafayette County Sherriff’s Department, University Police Department
and Oxford Police Department came together for the annual awards banquet and meeting of the Lafayette County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association. Charter Road Hospitality provided all of the food and several door prizes for the event. They placed a letter at each table
to thank every officer and his or her family “for the sacrifices you make each day to ensure the continued safety of the LOU community, state and our great nation.” A table set with a black table cloth and TURN TO LCLEOA PAGE 6
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OXFORD CITIZEN
PAGE 2
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
Shepherd leaves behind legacy of love and art NEWS WRITER
Eric Shepherd gave a lot of love, style and charisma to the Oxford community throughout the 26 years he was around to be a part of it. He was an entertainer, a DJ, a server, a son, an uncle – but more than anything, Shep was good person. Shep died last week. He had a blood clot that caused complications and his heart stopped. No one saw it coming, and no one could have. It took the entire community by surprise. A graduate of Oxford High School, Shep was well known around town. He DJ’d Code Pink Events for the Sarah Isom Center, waited tables at Saint Leo, danced, laughed, said hello to strangers and had a smile and fashion sense that could light up half the Square on even the darkest nights of winter break. “I don’t know anybody who ever had anything bad to say about Shep, not ever,”
said Taariq David, the general manager at Saint Leo. “I was always so happy to see him. He was always freshed out in that crazy style, new hairdo and crazy fresh shoes. He was always just so fashionable. My wife and I used to joke about what urban spaceship he came out of, you know what I mean? He just always walked in his strength and he wore it proudly. I’ve always had mad respect for him for that.” David and Shep had both been working at Saint Leo since the restaurant first opened its doors last year. David said he would always be grateful for getting to know Shep and for being able to be on the same crew with him at Saint Leo. He said the restaurant and everyone who worked there was fortunate to have had Shep as a part of their family while he was here. A GoFundMe account began circulating online Monday night, a day after the world lost Shep. Within
“
I was always so happy to see him. He was always freshed out in that crazy style, new hairdo and crazy fresh shoes. He was always just so fashionable. My wife and I used to joke about what urban spaceship he came out of, you know what I mean? He just always walked in his strength and he wore it proudly. I’ve always had mad respect for him for that.
“
BY CHANING GREEN
Taariq David, Saint Leo general manager 24 hours, the crowdfunding account has fully reached its $6,000 goal to help pay for funeral expenses, but donations kept pouring in. Most
of the donations were between $10 and $25 but some went as high as $50 or $150 or $500. By early Friday afternoon, 185 people managed to raise $12,180. Tim Burkhead and Quinn Chandler are the ones behind the GoFundMe account, which they set up on behalf of Shep’s family. They all met in high school and have been close ever since.
Chandler was with Shep’s family shortly after the ambulance first came to carry him away. He wanted to know if there was anything he could do, what he could contribute or help with or something, anything. Chandler then got in touch with Burkhead and the two decided to launch the GoFundMe page. It seemed like one of the more practical things they could do right then that could help. “I knew we’d hit the goal,” Chandler said. “I’m gonna be honest, I wasn’t at all surprised we hit the goal. With all the people who were going to see it and with all the people who knew Shep, I knew we’d get there, but I didn’t know it would turn out like this. I didn’t know it would take off that fast.” As the money kept pouring in, they had to decide what to do with the remaining funds. The plan was to get just enough to cover the cost of funeral expenses, but now there was a significant amount beyond that in the account. Burkhead and Chandler, along with Shep’s family and other loved ones, began brainstorming. “You get all this money, you pay for what you need to, but you still have all this love left over,” Burkhead
said. “The question then became ‘What do we do with it?’ The only thing you can do is honor that person. We could plant some trees, I mean, there’s a million ways to do it, but I think the most beneficial way to do this is to bless people opportunities similar to what Shep had.” The additional money that was donated will be going to support a new scholarship fund in Shep’s honor. The fund is being called the Fetch Scholarship, paying homage to a magazine that Shep started in high school. Every year, a graduating Oxford High School senior interested in pursing a degree in fine arts will receive $500 to help alleviate the cost of chasing that dream. The GoFundMe Account was taken offline Saturday night, reaching significantly more than double its original goal. All the money left over from the funeral costs will go to fund the Fetch Scholarship. Burkhead said that he is currently working to set up a way for people to make donations to that scholarship fund in order to keep it alive as long as possible. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen
COURTESY
Eric “Shep” Shepherd, 26, died last week due to a an unexpected blood clot. The Shepherd family has set up a scholarship fund to honor his legacy.
OXFORD CITIZEN
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
PAGE 3
BRIEFING Coca-Cola awards 35 recycling bins
CHANING GREEN
Hundreds packed into the Oxford Conference Center tester day morning for the annual Indoor Yard Sale. The yard sale features a variety of items ranging from clothes, coins, houseware, sports memorabilia and much more. There was a $20 entrance fee that came with a reusable shopping bag. Food venders were set up in the lobby and in front of the Conference Center selling food. Specializing in Employee Benefits for 27 Years
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and decrease the amount of trash generated by all the regular games and Keep America Beautiful tournaments. In total, the Cocaand The Coca-Cola Company are working together Cola/Keep America Beautiful Public Space Recycling to address one of the priBin Grant Program will mary barriers to recycling in public spaces by making provide 3,522 recycling bins to colleges and uniaccess to recycling bins more readily available and versities, along with 996 bins to local governments convenient through the and nonprofit organiza2016 Coca-Cola/Keep tions. The recycling bins America Beautiful Public Space Recycling Bin Grant are made possible through a grant from The CocaProgram. In December 2016, Keep America Beau- Cola Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The tiful and The Coca-Cola Company announced that Coca-Cola Company. More than 45 percent of they will be awarding 35 recycling bins to Keep Ox- the bins are designed specifically for permanent, ford/Lafayette County ongoing use in public Beautiful making more spaces such as athletic bins available so that we fields, K-12 schools, fairs can recycle at most of the and festivals, special parks in Oxford. events and park settings, The majority of these with the remaining 55 perbins will be placed cent to be used by stuthrough FNC Park. There dents in college residence will be a couple at Pat hall settings. The 2016 proLamar Park and at Avent gram is expected to result Park. With all the sports in an estimated 1 million that are played at FNC Park, organizers hope that pounds of recyclable materials collected during these recycling cans will increase the recycling rate their first year in use.
OXFORD CITIZEN
PAGE 4
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
OBITUARIES KEVIN MCKAY HUNTER Kevin McKay Hunter, 52, died Thursday, February 23, 2017 at his home in Oxford. The memorial service will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at 2:00 P.M. at Oxford-University United Methodist Church with Rev. Warren Black and Rev. Eddie Rester officiating. A private family inurnment will follow in the columbarium in St. Peter’s Cemetery. The visitation will be held Monday evening, February 27, 2017, from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M. in West Hall at Waller Funeral Home and prior to the service at the church from 1:00 until 2:00 P.M. Memorials in Mr. Hunter’s memory may be made to Oxford-University United Methodist Church, 424 South 10th Street, Oxford, MS 38655.
LARRY JONES Larry Jones, 61, passed away on Thursday February 23, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, MS. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later by Serenity-Daniels Funeral Home of Water Valley, MS.
ELIZABETH ROANE MANN Elizabeth Roane Mann passed away February 23, 2017, at Baptist Memorial Hospital North MS in Oxford. She recently celebrated her 103rd birthday on February 12, 2017. The funeral service was held Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 3:00 in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Allen and Father Wilson Roane officiating. Burial followed in St. Peter’s Cemetery. Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to The Gideons International, Processing Center, P.O. Box 97251, Washington, DC 20090-7251 or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201.
COURTESY
SWAT swimmers Cate Nobles, Mary Dale Byars, and Rebeka Valliant are preparing to dive into their 50 Breaststroke.
Shockwave Swim team places second at state BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER
Local Oxford Shockwave swim team placed second in the state championship meet at the Tupelo Aquatic Center last week. This concludes the team’s winter season. Shockwave practices Monday through Friday year round, and uses Oxford City pool during summer months and the Turner Center on the Ole Miss campus during Winter months. The team competes all around the state of Mississippi and surrounding states as well. Swimmers ages five through 18 are welcome, and practice times are divided up based on skill level-beginners, intermediate and advanced. Shockwave is coached by Robert Gonzalez. He currently serves on the Mississippi Swimming Inc. Board of Directors. He also works for the Oxford School District as a teacher and swim coach. “We are a year-round, competitive swim program that is dedicated to advancing the sport of swimming in Northeast Mississippi. The Shockwave coaching staff offers many years of experience and success to help develop the skills and build a quality program. We offer a variety of practice groups and times based on abilities and goals. We believe that our swimmers can achieve anything through proper
technique, training, and dedication. Our purpose is to allow your child to have fun with the sport and to develop into a swimmer that can achieve unlimited success,” according to the Shockwave website. Gonzalez began swimming at age 4 and grew up in Mississippi swimming. He was awarded the Mississippi MVP Swimmer Award eight times and was a Junior National Qualifier in the sprint Freestyle & Breaststroke and the individual medley. In his coaching career, Gonzalez has produced many swimmers who went on to individual state titles and multiple state record holders, junior national swimmers, and state record holders. Several swimmers have gone on to swim collegiately. He also served as a Mississippi Zones coach three times. “We had 17 swimmers participate this past weekend that was the largest squad from Oxford to go to State since 2009, which was the last time we hosted the competition. We are excited about the growth of the team from 50 to 90 in the past 18 months and look forward to seeing these youngsters continue to develop,” Gonzalez said. “Will Carrington was the second-highest scoring male swimmer in the competition at 131 points. He excelled in the meet with top three finishes in the 100-yard Breast, 50-
Free, 100 Free, 200 individual medley and 100 Butterfly in the 13-14 Boys division. He also claimed first as a member of the 200-yard Freestyle relay. Also, Mary Dale Byars (10,) was a Top 3 point-scorer in the girls’ side and collected top finishes in the 50and 100-yard breast and the 200 individual medley.” Competitive swimming initially began in the greater Oxford area in 1992 under the name Tate County Swim Club. As facilities, coaches, and swimmers changed over the years, the Oxford area formed North Mississippi Swimming in 1995. Shockwave was founded in 1999 as the merger of Mississippi swim clubs and Tupelo Aquatic Club. In its first year as an official team, Shockwave finished second place at the 2000 MSI State Championship. The team expanded, once again, during 2000, with the merger of Mississippi Aquatic Dogfish located out of Starkville. The
team saw quick, great success claiming state championships from 2000-2009. The last state championship victory took place the last time Oxford hosted - in February 2009. “I was proud of our team in their grittiness this weekend. They overcame a lot of adversity to perform as well as they did. We lost a lot of pool time this season in critical parts and then a lot came down sick with the flu the week before State. To still do as well as they did was a welcomed surprise. They had to fight for this one,” Gonzalez said. Shockwave team members and their scores include: William Berry (12) scored 7.5, Charles Byars (13) scored 8, Kate Byars (16) scored 72, Lucy Chiniche (16) scored 42, Neil Cipkowski (13) scored 17, Julia Dennis (12) scored 34, Bryce Goszkowisz (16) scored 27, Hannah Harper (12) scored 15, Emery Kate Schneider (12) scored 12, Rebeka Val-
liant (10) scored 63, and Mary Marshall Waller (15) scored 9. Other participants were Thomas Hoskins, Harrison Tann, Keon Smith, and Vance Byars. Other teams competed against include: Sunkist (Jackson,) Mississippi Makos, Biloxi Elite Swim Team, Performance Elite Aquatics, Laurel Swim Association, Vicksburg Swim Association, Delta Aquatic Club, Swim Columbus, Hattiesburg Hub Fins and Meridian Swim Association. “We want to be able to cross the 100 swimmer threshold and increase our state team to 20 this next year. We want our swimmers performing at a level that is competitive at a state and regional level,” Gonzalez said. Anyone who is interested in Shockwave or would like to get involved can visit their website at shockwaveoxford.org. “I have been around it my entire life as a swimmer, assistant and head coach,” Gonzalez said. “It is just part of who I am and I love seeing kids discover what they can do. We were so excited to see so many new faces attend. I am proud that in the past two years the number of qualifiers has doubled from four to eight to 17 this year. While this obviously will fluctuate for years to come, we feel we are heading in a good direction with our program."
OXFORD CITIZEN
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
PAGE 5
CHANING GREEN | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM
The Mississippi Geogrpahic Alliance partnered with the National Geographic Society again this year to bring the Giant Traveling Map of Europe to Oxford Elementary.
Traveling map teaches kids geography BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER
Thursday and Friday, the Mississippi Geographic Alliance (MGA) collaborated with the National Geographic Society to bring the Giant Traveling Map of Europe to Oxford Elementary School. During the evenings, the map was set up in the school’s gym for anyone in the community to come out and experience. Students and parents came to the gym to take their socks off and slide across oceans and mountain ranges. The last three years, the Giant Traveling Maps brought to Oxford Elementary have been of Africa, Asia and now Europe. For the two days the map was at the school, several classes came
through the gym to check it out. Every class finds a way to incorporate the map in their lessons. “I think it really engages the kids about the world they live in,” said Teresa Bates, who teaches gifted classes at the school. “Now, the primary focus of education is reading and math. Social studies, geography skills and stuff like that have kind of become a side note. I think this brings it to the forefront for a couple days and lets the kids engage with a map, a giant map. It’s fun. They get to run around on it.” Bates as well as representatives of the MGA said that there is great value in having the map big enough for kids to run around on. They can slide from France to Belgium in
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Community members were invited to the school Thursday and Friday nights to come see the map. Everyone was invited to take their shoes off and slide around the map on their socks. their socks, trace the Eu- from Belfast to Luxemropean and Asian divide burg with their toes. The of Russia and mark a trail act of being able to liter-
ally traverse the map, slide around on it, see the capital cities and airports labeled and more add a lot to the learning experience, organizers said. Carley Lovorn is the assistant director of the MGA, which is based out of the University of Mississippi, but operates on a state level. The MGA has been working with the National Geographic Society on the Giant Map program for five years. Lovorn and her colleagues get a new map from National Geographic every year, and begin a tour of the state. At each stop, they work with teachers to incorporate the map into lessons. They also encourage community nights where they open the doors for those who do not attend that
particular school can still come out and enjoy the map. “The kids get to actually move around and the maps and experience geography in a more physical way,” Lovorn said. “It makes a bigger impact than just staring at a paper map. During the school day, we run activities with the kids so that they are moving around and they’re learning. Depending on their age group, they’re learning about the different continents, what different symbols on the map mean, culture and all of this sticks with them in a way that maybe dealing with paper map or a worksheet would not.” chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen
OXFORD CITIZEN
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
LCLEOA FROM 1
an officer’s empty duty belt draped over it was in the back of the room, set there to represent the fallen officers all over the world who would never again be able to join their colleagues for a meal. The main speaker for the event was Mississippi Highway Patrolman Bubba Holifield. Last February, Holifield participated in a raid and stand off in Tishomingo where a gunman shot and killed narcotics agent Lee Tartt and wounded three others, including Holifield who was the point man that night. Holifield’s speech was touched with humor and Scripture as he talked about his life as an officer, a war veteran, a sniper and an adrenaline junkie and how all of that lead to that night on the porch of a trailer near Iuka. Holifield and his fellow officers were trying to break down the door and enter the home of a man who was holding a woman and their 10-year-old
CHANING GREEN
Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson was presented with a special award by the LCLEOA for his dedication to law enforcement. They chose to present him with the award because the mayor announced in December that he would not be seeking reelection this year. daughter hostage. The gunman began firing through the door, hitting Holifield, Deandrea Dixon, Trea Staples and Lee Tartt. Dixon,
Staples and Holifield survived, but Tartt was mortally wounded and soon died. Holifield soon learned
that survivor’s guilt was a very real thing, he said. He talked about calling Tartt’s family and not knowing how to respond when he found himself being comforted by them. He eventually entered counseling and learned about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how it can manifest and consume. Holding up a partially filled glass of water and addressing the crowd, Holifield told them to imagine that every time something bad happens, every time a cop finds a dead body, every time they watch a family be torn apart, every time they see some unexpected horror, a bit of water is added to the cup. Soon that cup will be overflowing and it will affect everything
around it, the same way that an officer dealing with PTSD affects everyone and everything around him or her. Holifield rounded out his speech by telling all of the officers in the room to always be willing to empty themselves, talk to someone and make sure that cup doesn’t overflow. The crowd sent Holifield off with a standing ovation. Timmy Pruitt, who was the president of the association this past year, then led the short business meeting to discuss financial for the year. This was followed by door prizes and a special recognition of retiree’s. Youth Character Awards were given out to two students, Tri Nguyen of Oxford High School and Collin Lewis from Lafayette High
School. Valor awards were given to two sheriff's department officers who helped rescue victims on the scene of a car wreck. They were Lt. John Dukes and officer Chequille Williams. The Support Personnel of the Year award went to Becky Barnett. Chief Investigator for the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department Alan Wilburn was named Officer of the Year by the association. At the end of the meeting, Pruitt named his son Cody Pruitt the newest president of the association and introduced the new board. The younger Pruitt then adjourned the meeting. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen
OXFORD CITIZEN
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
PAGE 7
FIRE ACADEMY GRADUATES Firefighters Rochelle F. Harwood, Brandon H. Mardis, Chase McDaniel, and Jerry L. Rogers of the Oxford Fire Department graduated February 23, 2017 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Firefighter I-II course held at the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson, MS. This intense seven week course included classroom and hands-on instruction in the areas of fire behavior, fire suppression, rescue, incident command, hazardous materials and other fire related topics. This course meets and exceeds the National Fire Protection Association for Firefighter Qualifications and the uniform minimum training standards stated in the Mississippi Code section 45-11-7.
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
Humane Society to hold annual Paws For Art auction BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER
Thursday, the OxfordLafayette Humane Society will be holding their annual auction fundraiser Paws For Art. Paws For Art has taken place nearly every year the past 16 years. The first few times the event was organized, the shelter was bringing in about $40,000 some years. As the years progressed and the event has become more popular, that number has gone as high as $70,000 before as well. Prices for the event are $75 per person or $100 a couple. To get access to the early VIP party and to have first dibs on the silent auction items, tickets are $125 each. Table sponsorships are also available and people can purchase tables of $1,000 or $125 a seat. This auction is the biggest fundraiser the humane society does every year. It’s essential in keeping them well funded and able to properly serve the area. Last year, due to several factors, they were unable to hold Paws For Art,
so they’re hoping for a good turn out this year. The event has a featured artist every year who has a piece that is considered the main auction item for the evening. This year’s featured artist is Wyatt Waters, whose artwork can be seen on the promotional poster for the event. Other artists whose work is being auctioned at the event are often veterans of the process, returning year after year to donate a piece to benefit the humane society. Jenn Peterman is the director of the Oxford – Lafayette Humane Society. She said that one of her favorite parts of the auction every year is just the sense of community it brings. Nearly everyone in attendance is an animal lover and plays an active role in the shelter and/or scene in veterinary Lafayette County. Peterman, who spent years working in veterinary field, said that it’s always nice to be able to see old colleagues, clients and friends as well as just being able to swap animal stories while getting out
and supporting a good cause. This is also one of the only events throughout the year put on by the humane society that does
not involve animals. Those who are allergic to or do not practically care to be around animals are able to come to the event, enjoy the food, drinks and
entertainment and still bid on the artwork. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres provided by Volta. Alcohol for the event is being provided by Better Brands and Clark Beverage, as well as Amanda Golz from the distributor of Absolut and Jameson Black Barrel. Live music is being provided by Tori Tollison. There will be a cash bar as well as bottomless beer and wine glasses. The wine glasses were hand painted by students from Magnolia Montessori School for the event. Leading up to the event, the humane society is also holding a raffle. Tickets are $10 each and are available know as well as at the event itself. Five names will be drawn from the raffle at the event, but those participating need not be present to win. Holders of the winning tickets will be able to choose from packages that have been donated for the raffle. The first package being offered is called Adventure Dog and is valued at $100. This package includes a duffle bag, inflatable outdoor
camping bed, mini drone, Sky Light ball and much more. The Dog Park Dog package includes things like an outdoor blanket, dog toys, a lantern, fleece dog blanket, training treats and more. This package is valued at $110. The Cozy Dog package being raffled off is valued at $100 and includes an Ole Miss Rebel fleece blanket, a collapsible bowl, a queen-sized Baymont Breeze cooling gel pillow and more. The Spotless Dog package is also valued at $100 and includes an H20 5-X Steam Mop that comes with several attachments. The Cycle Dog package is the valued the highest among the selection to choose from, totaling $400 worth of merchandise including a Priority Low-Maintenance Woman’s Bicycle that comes equipped with a basket and helmet. If a person’s name is drawn but their prize package is not claimed within two weeks, another name will be drawn from the raffle. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen
OPD currently searching for two suspects involved in Friday shooting STAFF REPORT
The Oxford Police Department posted the following statement on their Facebook page Saturday morning. At approximately 7:35 pm the Oxford Police Department re-
sponded to the area of Pegues Road in reference to an assault with a firearm. Upon arrival officers located the victim who had a gun shot wound to his leg. The victim stated that he was approached by two black males asking for a cigarette. When he
approached them both suspects pulled firearms and attempted to rob him of his money and jewelry. When the victim refused to give up his money and jewelry one of the suspects fired their weapon. The victim was shot in the leg and the suspects fled on
foot. Officers set up a perimeter of the area and began searching for the suspects. The search did not yield any results. The victim sustained non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital and was released shortly
after. The Oxford Police Department is actively investigating this incident and is asking that anyone who might have information please contact the investigation division at 662-232-2400 or crime stoppers at 662-234-8477.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
PAGE 13
Ben Mikell Sports Writer
Stinnett helps Oxford run-rule TCPS BY BEN MIKELL SPORTS WRITER
NEW ALBANY - In Oxford's first game against a defending state champion, the Chargers proved it has plenty of depth after losing a lot of talent from the last few years. Carson Stinnett struck out eight TCPS Eagle batters in getting the complete game win on the mound and helped his cause at the plate going 2-for-2 with two doubles, a walk, and drove in a run in Oxford's 10-0 run-rule victory over the defending 1A champion Eagles. Every spot in the batting order scored at least a run for the Chargers. Stinnett was part of the bottom three of the batting order that went 4-for-5 with three walks and drove in six runs. Oxford coach Chris Baughman knew in order to win the opener that the bottom of the order had to produce. "That's one thing we talked about coming into to this particular game tonight and it's going to hold true throughout the course of the season," Baughman said. "The top of their lineup, the top of anybody's lineup is going to be pretty strong, but it's the bottom of our order that makes the difference in ballgames. I thought Carson and CJ (Terrell), all of them did a great job tonight. Preston (Perkins) got on and scored. I thought our seven, eight, and nine guys really produced runs and was the difference makers." TCPS (0-1 overall) threatened in the top of the fourth when John Mark Jolly hit a ball to center field that Perkins couldn't handle. Jolly advanced to third when Cade Hall reached with a single with two outs. TURN TO OHS PAGE 17
JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS
Ole Miss junior David Parkinson has a new mental edge and the results have been fantastic so far this season.
Mentally Strong Parkinson's focus has made him a better pitcher BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS WRITER
A different mental approach has made all the difference in the world for Ole Miss junior David Parkinson. The left-hander from Henrico, Virginia is the first weekend starter, a role he garnered through a lot of hard work.
He worked out longer, making his body feel better in the later innings, and he put in a lot of time mentally. In the season opener against East Carolina, Parkinson logged seven innings, striking out six in the process. “I felt really good. I feel different mentally more than anything,” Parkinson said. “My work in the offseason was
more mental than physical. I also stayed with (Ben) Fleming and worked a lot physically.” One thing that Parkinson wanted to improve on from the first start to the second were two-strike pitches. He missed too many against East Carolina. TURN TO PARKINSON PAGE 17
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
Lady Commodores rout Itawamba AHS to advance to Jackson BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS WRITER
In her final game playing inside the Lafayette High gym, Shaniyah Buford played like everyone expected her to. To be even more accurate, the entire senior class did their part in Friday's 50-25 win over Itawamba AHS that advanced the Lady Commodores down to Jackson to play in the MHSAA Class 4A state tournament. Lafayette (27-3 overall) had no issue taking control in the playoff contest. Buford made sure of that from the beginning as she fired in a 3-pointer to get the scoring started for the Lady Commodores. A fast start was the goal after Lafayette didn't have one in the first round against Houston this past Monday night. Lafayette ended up having to wear down the Lady Hilltoppers in the second half to advance. LHS coach Shayne Linzy really wanted his team to start faster and gain control before halftime, and Buford, along with others like Orianna Shaw and Mariah Holland and Chelsea Allen, made sure there was no reason for Linzy to sweat. “Coach Linzy told us if we didn't play the way we were supposed to, it was going to be a dogfight all the way through the fourth quarter,” Buford said. “We took this game seriously in practice. We played like we were supposed to play.” Buford added that a good warmup before the game, and encouragement from the team, triggered another strong performance. She scored 16 of her game-high 18 points in the first half. Against Houston, she was limited to just four points in the first half before warming up later in the contest. “My teammates told me that they depended on me and I did what I had to do for them,” said Buford, who knew a trip to Jackson was possible starting all the way back in the summer. “I knew we were going to have to work for it to get here and now we have to keep fighting to
JOHN DAVIS
Lafayette's senior class celebrates another trip to Jackson to participate in the MHSAA Class 4A state tournament after defeating Itawamba AHS Friday night. get to the championship. We know what it takes to get down there and we know we have to play four quarters, no plays off.” Besides leading the Lady Commodores in scoring, Buford had to handle the ball a little more than normal with freshman starting point guard Azariah Buford out of the game. The two talked before the game, with the elder Buford reassuring that she could handle the additional responsibility. Lafayette was more aggressive on offense, the liking of Linzy, and that sparked a lot of easy baskets early to get the lead going. Defensively, the Lady Commodores were smothering, just like they have been all season long. After the Lady Indians scored their first bucket of the game, it took them
over 13 minutes to get a second. By then, the Lady Commodores were up 22 points, and the game was well out of reach. “This was a different ball team in the first half tonight than there was really all game on Monday,” Linzy said. “We were more energetic. There was no sense of urgency on Monday. Tonight, in the first half, you could see us play more like ourselves. It was a big, big difference.” Linzy said he couldn't ask for much more from his team on defense. The last six games, the Lady Commodores have held their opponents under 40 points. On the glass, the Lady Commodores were relentless against the Lady Indians, who had issues holding out Shaw and Holland and Xhiir Burgess from garnering second shots, and limiting their
chances on offense. “They do it so well. It's funny, when they're on in that mood, they play like they're 6-1, 6-2,” Linzy said of his forwards on the boards. “Boosie (Burgess), Mariah, Ori, Kimaya (Dixon) when she came in, when they are on and in that frame of mind, they play like they are all six footers. They're blocking out, they're playing above the rim and getting hold of that ball and coming down with it. We're moving in transition on offense because of them, so it's great to watch when we're in that frame of mind. In that first half, they were into it. That was a big difference.” Three different Lady Commodores scored at least seven points in the win, while nine players scored in the contest. IAHS only had five girls score a point, and only
one of those cleared seven points. Up next for the Lady Commodores is a meeting with McComb on Thursday night at 7 in the Mississippi Veterans Coliseum. McComb is 29-2 and the No. 1 ranked team in Class 4A, one spot ahead of the Lady Commodores. “We knew based on the teams that were in Jackson last year and who everyone had returning, we knew that we would run into Mc-
Comb and we look forward to that challenge,” Linzy said. “McComb actually reminds me a lot of Byhalia. They have an All-American point guard, a post player and a bunch of athletes that have a bunch of length on them. They're quick and their game is pressure. They want to trap and go full court with their defense. They're also like us in that they want to get out in transition and score their points that way.”
OXFORD CITIZEN
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
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USA TODAY
Ole Miss will begin spring football practice on Feb. 28. One of their main focuses will be the attitude and mental state of the team.
Ole Miss Football Heads Into Unique Spring BY BEN GARRETT SPECIAL TO OXFORD CITIZEN
Ole Miss will open spring football practices Feb. 28. But, at least initially, football will take a proverbial back seat. Ole Miss released its response to an amended Notice of Allegations from the NCAA last Wednesday. Chancellor Jeff Vitter, athletics director Ross Bjork and head coach Hugh Freeze sat together in a prepared 20-minute video detailing the now21 allegations levied against the football program (up from 13 in the original NOA in 2016), including 13 that were classified as Level I – the most severe classification. Ad-
ditionally, Ole Miss was charged with the dreaded lack of institutional control, as well as failure to monitor for Freeze. Ole Miss will dispute both charges, as well as two more. So the Rebels can be forgiven if the first week or so of spring is a bit of an adjustment period. Ole Miss self-imposed a oneyear bowl ban, meaning players – all of which were in no way responsible for the allegations – will have to self-motivate and work without the potential reward of the postseason, no matter the amount of wins they accumulate in their upcoming 12 games. Even still, Freeze said the Rebels plan to work. “The staff hasn’t had
any team contact with them since after the last game, but (strength and conditioning coach) Paul (Jackson), who is very critical of the offseason workouts, said they’ve only had one bad day during the time they’ve worked since the Egg Bowl, and that's pretty encouraging to get a gauge of where their heads are,” Freeze said. “Our message to them this spring is going to be that we can’t control anything outside of the Manning Center, but we can control out attitudes and how we approach and attack spring training, the offseason and next season.” Prior to last season, when Ole Miss finished 5-
7, the program had been on a gradual, steady climb. The Rebels won seven games in Freeze’s debut campaign, followed by eight, nine and then 10 in 2015. “It’s going to be very important for us to take advantage of every opportunity to get better and to get our confidence and momentum back,” Freeze said. “As coaches, the mental state of the team is going to be very important to us as we move forward toward next season, starting with spring training. That will be a challenge, and it’ll be on our minds constantly. We’ll do everything in our power to get a positive feel back and to get the bad taste of last year out
of our mouths.” Ole Miss has more to deal with than simply its NCAA issues. The Rebels are also breaking in five new assistant coaches, including both coordinators. Freeze hired Phil Longo as offensive coordinator and Wesley McGriff as defensive coordinator. “Understanding the installation of the new stuff, what we are putting in on both sides of the ball, is critical,” Freeze said. “New terminology, new plays, new formations, everything. We know this is going to be a process, so our philosophy is to install it as fast as we can to the point where the players are grasping it. If they are not grasping some-
thing, we will slow down until they do in terms of installation. On offense, I want them executing and understanding. On defense we want them playing fast and physical. If either side has a breaking point, where they aren’t getting it and they’re playing slow and not very physical, we’ll back off of installation until they’re playing fast and physical and understanding what we’re doing. “We’ll catch on, but usually defense will be ahead of offense in this type of situation. I don’t know if we’re going to be able to get everything in this spring, but that will be the goal provided we’re playing fast and physical.”
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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
USA TODAY
Breein Tyree was leading scorer during the game at Mississippi State.
Tyree Rounding Into Form BY BEN GARRETT SPECIAL TO OXFORD CITIZEN
Breein Tyree had long waited to truly feel like himself again. Then came Tuesday night at Mississippi State. Tyree carried Ole Miss in an 87-82 win, scoring a team-leading and careerhigh 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting. He looked nothing like the tentative, wide-eyed freshman who needed months to make an impact as he worked his way back from an ACL injury suffered as a high school senior. Instead, Tyree played the role of ball-dominant guard and leading scorer; the type of point guard head coach Andy
Kennedy has preferred (think Chris Warren and Stefan Moody) in his 11year Ole Miss tenure. “We’re just seeing great work with the trainer and recovery at its finest,” Tyree said. “On Monday, I wasn’t really dunking the ball, but against Mississippi State I was out there jumping. It felt great to get another body. I felt like myself in high school. It was great. I’m getting a bunch of love from my family. They’re all proud of me.” Tyree was recruited and signed as a three-star prospect out of St. Joseph School in High Metuchen, N.J., in the fall of 2015. But the ACL injury impeded his devel-
opment and delayed his Ole Miss career from taking off. He didn’t assume his position as the team’s primary point guard until Jan. 14 against South Carolina. He’s played 20 or minutes in seven of 10 games since. His 36 against Mississippi State were a season-high. He's still a work in progress. Lost in Tyree’s impressive night – which included a pair of highlight-reel dunks, one of which appeared on SportsCenter – is his initial struggles. He turned the ball over five times early and finished with seven overall. But Ole Miss was without senior Rasheed Brooks due to a medical
issue, and sophomore Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey hasn’t been able to gain much rotational momentum, his minutes few and far between. As a result, the Rebels played with all of seven healthy bodies. Kennedy had no choice but to leave Tyree in. Good thing he did. “The reality is, if Rasheed is with us, I probably don’t allow Breein that much opportunity because he had five turnovers over early in the game,” Kennedy said. “I probably wouldn’t have had him in the game. But just based on sheer numbers, boy, did he step up big time.” Ole Miss was able to overcome an off night by
emerging star Terence Davis, who notched a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) but was a mere 4 of 16 from the floor and 1 of 6 from 3. He was also responsible for a late-game gaff – a tie-up, jump-ball possession – that resulted in the tying score for Mississippi State at the end of regulation. The Rebels’ leading scorer, Deandre Burnett, was equally ineffective, shooting 1 for 13 from the floor and 0 of 9 from 3. Tyree, though, scored eight points to open the overtime period. Ole Miss only extended its lead from the there and came out with a win – the seventh in the last eight tries
against the Bulldogs – in the first of a two-game week. The Rebels hosted Missouri on Saturday. “It just shows that we can take a hit, go against adversity and come out with a win,” he said. “I want to be a facilitator. More getting my teammates open – getting T.D. shots, getting ‘Dre shots, (Sebastian Saiz) inside. But when guys aren’t going, I can also create for myself. That’s what I did (at Mississippi State). I was making shots, and we got a win.” Ole Miss will close out the regular season this week. Up first is road trip to Alabama March 1, followed by a home date with South Carolina three days later.
OXFORD CITIZEN
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2017
Parkinson FROM 13
“They had six hits off me and five of them were 0-2, 1-2 and that shouldn't happen,” he said. “I think I was too conservative worry that I have to attack them and not focusing on that pitch that I was throwing it too much over the plate. I have to get that pitch more off the plate.” A curveball is the pitch that Parkinson added to his list this offseason. Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco likes pitches with sink, and Parkinson said the curveball has made his slider better. “It's another pitch they have to focus on. It gives them a different look where the slider goes down and across, so the curve is another viewpoint for the hitter to see,” Parkinson said. Focusing on one pitch is the key for Parkinson, instead of the end result to the game. Coming from the bullpen and into a starting role last season, Parkinson felt like he had to get into the fifth inning. The Arkansas weekend last year is when Parkinson left the pen for good for a starting role on the mound for the Rebels. “That was the big thing I had to work on during
the offseason was this pitch now and not the end result. You can only control what you can control and Coach B preaches that all the time,” Parkinson said. “It's a big difference. When you're up on the mound, you miss pitches when you're not thinking or focusing in on this pitch and locked in on what you're doing. You have to lock everything out and just focus on this. They have preached that every since I got here. Coach B is a big believer on the mental game.” Parkinson sat back and listened to what Bianco said in 2016 but he really bought into it this offseason. “I never applied it until now. I talked to Wyatt Short who came back from the Cubs' organization and told me things like that and that's stuff they really believe in as well,” Parkinson said. “I bought into this offseason and I hope it will show up this season.” Being locked in for Parkinson means shaking off a hit or what's going to happen and instead focusing on where his feet are. “I do know the outs. It's really being about where your feet are and when you get on the mound and toe that rubber, it's
pitch. That's the only thing that matters,” he added. There were no set expectations for Parkinson to live up to from a wins standpoint. All he wants is for the team to do well, and pitch his best in the process. “I've always known that for years but again, I just really bought into it this offseason. I've never worried about if I'm doing good, just worried about if the team is winning,” Parkinson said, who raved about overall pitching staff. “We can be lights out. We got some insane talent on this team and it's one of those things we have to piece together. Once it does, it's going to be fun.” Bianco was pleased with Parkinson, saying his stuff, his velocity was even a little better than normal. “Friday throwing well was David, that’s him. That’s how he pitches,” Bianco said. “We know he has it it in his arm to run the ball into the low 90s and as high as 94 maybe. He hasn’t done that since the fall, but last year he did out of the bullpen. As a starter last year it was in the upper 80s. (In the opener) he held that velocity and held it throughout the whole start.”
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Stinnett was able to get out of the inning by striking out Troy Berry. The Eagle's five through nine hitters went 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts in the game. "He pounded the zone," Baughman said of Stinnett's performance on the mound. "He and I talked on the flip-side. The scouting report was that our offensive bottom of the order had to be better than theirs. On Carson's side of the deal, he's got to make sure that the bottom of the order beats us by earning their way on base. He didn't walk anybody, we kept the bottom of their order off base. He threw strikes, challenged them, and did a tremendous job his first outing. I
couldn't really ask for anything more out of him." Oxford (1-0) started the scoring in the second inning when Duncan Graeber was hit by a pitch. Perkins advanced him to second with a walk. Stinnett scored Graeber with his first double of the night to the left-center wall. Terrell cleared the bases with a hard single to right field and made it a 30 Charger lead. Oxford added three more runs in the third inning that started with back-to-back free passes to brothers Ben Bianco and Drew Bianco. Jacob Melendez was pegged in the leg to load the bases where Perkins was able to make TCPS pay with a two-RBI single to left field. Terrell drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to left field which made it 6-0 Charg-
ers. Four more runs in the fifth inning allowed Oxford to finish the contest in run-rule fashion. Stinnett led off the inning with a double that was followed by a Terrell walk to put two on base. Freshmen Sam Bianco got his first high school hit and drove his first two runners in when he launched a double to the right-center field wall. Clark Stovall drove in Sam Bianco with a triple to the left-center gap. Drew Bianco ended the game by driving in Stovall with a single to left field. Stovall was the only other player by either team with multiple hits in the game. Jolly took the loss on the mound for the Eagles. TCPS used six different pitchers in the game. The Chargers only allowed one runner past first base in the contest.
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