Oxford Citizen, august 11, 2016

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Volume 3 | Issue 33

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Inside 2 News

Bennett brings love of books to students at Della

3 News

CHANING GREEN | OXFORD CITIZEN

Barista Chase Caldwell steams a cup of milk at High Point Coffee. High Point donated 10 percent of their profits the made during their Monday morning rush this week to the Oxford Charger Booster Club.

Boosting Sales

'All Star' making an impact locally working with the LCSD

15 Sports

Local businesses work to help out Charger Booster Club CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Four Oxford business this week have set aside certain business hours in which they will donate a portion of their proceeds to benefit the Oxford Charger Booster Club.

Last month, the Oxford City Board and Mayor Pat Patterson officially declared this week to be known from this point on

as Oxford Charger Booster Club Week.

During this week, the booster club is working with local business to support student athletes in the Oxford School District.

One of the businesses working with the booster club is the Growler on the Square.

The Growler is craft beer spot that serves appetizers, a few entrees and a variety of different beer from all over the region and

beyond. General Manger Krisi Allen said that she was excited for the opportunity to give back to the community.

“We were so excited for the chance to contribute to the community by supporting the booster club,” Allen said. “I have a son in the Oxford School District, and though he isn’t old enough for sports TURN TO REALITY PAGE 13

QB Chad Kelly headlines talented group on offense

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Bennett brings love of books to students at Della

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

The library is an important fixture in any elementary school. It is a place for kids to learn to love reading, critical thinking and cooperative skills and discover a world of books with the guidance of knowledgeable librarian. One such librarian for Della Davidson Elementary School is the newly appointed Amanda Bennett.

Bennett accepted the position at Della in April. She has spent the last 14 years working as the circulations manager for the J.D. Williams Library at the University of Mississippi. She had a host of responsibilities including dealing with fines and overseeing the work-study students who stocked the bookshelves. Bennett began working for the university library when she was a student.

She helped out in Records and Special Collections while working on her bachelor’s in journalism. It was there that she first fell in love with library work. She landed a job with the library after graduating and stayed there for the next 14 years.

Despite having a deep love for her job and her colleagues at the J.D. Williams, Bennett felt like after more than a decade, she had grown as much as she could in the position and was in need of something new. She said that it was really hard to have to leave the coworkers that had become her family, but that she realized

CHANING GREEN | OXFORD CITIZEN

Della Davison’s newest librarian Amanda Bennett stands in front of the humors sign she put up in the hall outside the library. Bennett joined the Oxford School District after spending the past 14 years working at the University of Mississippi’s J.D. Williams Library. it was time for a new adventure.

In addition to that, her oldest child started third grade at Della this year and Bennett’s new position allows them to spend the day under one roof. She said she was really grateful to hold a position that will allow her summers off while her two children are still young. On top of her new job, Bennett will begin pursing her master’s degree in library science this month through the University

of Southern Mississippi’s online program.

Bennett is a native of North Texas, but ended up in Mississippi when she began to pursue her bachelor’s degree.

“I came to school here with a friend,” she said. “I met a boy and never left. I hear that’s pretty common, but that’s just how it worked out. This boy and I now have two lovely children.”

Bennett said that she recognizes the sig-

nificant shift she has made in her work life.

Though she is still a librarian, working at a university is very different from working at an elementary school. She said that she loves how hands-on her new job is and how she is able to work with such a great group of students.

“I know it’s only my second day, but they really are good kids,” Bennett said looking around the library Tuesday morning while a class of children sat in groups, talking quietly and flipping through pages. “It’s a lot different from what I’m used to dealing with at the university, but in a great way. I just love working with this age group, you know?

They’re all so optimistic and full of hope.”

Bennett had never really intended to work at an elementary school library. She said that 10 years ago, she would have never believed that she would be working in a public academic library, but things just worked out this way. Once she realized she wanted to move away from her work at the university, she found groups of people strongly discouraging her from going into the field of both public schools and public libraries. But she knew where she wanted to be. After being brought on board, Bennett said it only strengthened her conviction that there is no better place for her to be right now. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

PAGE 3

'All Star' making an impact locally working with the LCSD

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

ON THE BEAT

John Dukes made residents in Lafayette County proud playing football for the Commodores in the late 1990s. Now, he’s making people proud working for the sheriff’s department. Dukes has worked for the department seven years. Three months ago, he earned the rank of lieutenant. And it was just last week that he made the biggest impact of his career on a call. Dukes said working for the department was something he loved.

His younger brother, Jeffrey, got him involved in law enforcement. Jeffrey works for the Oxford Police Department, and he pushed his brother, who many know by his nickname All Star, into talking with Sheriff Buddy East.

“I feel like it’s an accomplishment I dreamed about. One of my goals was to help folks out in the community, and to be around kids and show them that this is what happens when you do the right thing,” Dukes said.

“That’s the biggest thing I try to teach the kids.”

Hard work, and family, has defined Dukes over his lifetime. It was his father who gave him the nickname that stuck at the age of 5 when he was playing baseball.

“My dad was like ‘I’m going to call you All Star’ and it’s been with me ever since,” Dukes said. “I lived up to it. I always worked hard and gave everything

John Dukes I got.”

Playing football, and sports in general, taught Dukes how to become a man, and how to take criticism and instead of using it as a negative, spin it into a positive for daily improvement. Following his time at LHS, Dukes played at Northwest Mississippi Community College and then he attended Mars Hill in North Carolina where he finished his career. Dukes also played arena football before he found a job at Whirlpool. It was after several years there when his brother talked him into pursuing a new career.

“It was the best thing I ever did. I came and put

an application in and Sheriff East called me for an interview. I had dreads in my head. That was the thing with football players,” Dukes said. “He said ‘Dukes, if I hire you, will you cut your dreads off?’

That night, I went home and cut my hair. I love it. I feel like I never work a day in my life. I try to give back to kids, so I do a lot of community service.”

In the moments Dukes is not on the job, he is busy coaching softball, baseball, basketball and football. He helps train kids from an athletics standpoint, and every kid he has taken under his wing changed their ways.

“I had one who was terrible and when I got

“

through with him, he was the best kid I ever taught,” Dukes said. “He didn’t have a mom or a dad and he was staying with his grand momma. And she said she needed some help. It was the best thing I ever did.”

When Dukes goes into the community, he wants people to feel like he is still a part of the community. A lot respect his new position of authority. At the same time, Dukes said there are others that don’t trust him now that he has on a badge.

“They feel like I have the right to arrest them if they’re doing something wrong and they’re cautious around me,” Dukes said. “Most of the friends I went to high school with are firemen or do things like this. The ones that I hung out with and was around, I don’t anymore.

I’m all about family. Life is all about change. I feel like some folks feel like the world owes them something and they never worked hard to get what

they wanted. It was always handed to them and they don’t know how to go out receive what they need. I was always taught that nothing in life is free.

If you want it, you have to work for it.”

Dukes felt like it was going to be tough in the future to be an officer of the law because of a certain mentality.

“Parents don’t care. I say it’s babies raising babies. They talk to their kids like friends. They don’t tell them how life is and it’s going to make it hard for us,” Dukes said.

The moment that has been the most impactful for Dukes so far just happened last week. He and Shequille Williams, who also works with the department, decided to ride 15 minutes more before heading back to the office to fill out reports. The duo decided to travel up Highway 7 towards Abbeville.

“We saw a lot of commotion. We got on up further and there was a head-on collision right

Most of the friends I went to high school with are firemen or do things like this. The ones that I hung out with and was around, I don’t anymore. I’m all about family. Life is all about change. I feel like some folks feel like the world owes them something and they never worked hard to get what they wanted. It was always handed to them and they don’t know how to go out receive what they need. I was always taught that nothing in life is free. If you want it, you have to work for it.

“

John Dukes, lieutanant for the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department

there at (county road) 288 and Hwy. 7 intersection,” Dukes said. “There was a white truck that was smoking and you knew it was going to catch on fire.

They told us they couldn’t get the door open. I called dispatch and said that the truck started burning. I went to the back door and ripped it open and got the guy out. And there was a woman in a car, and they were maybe five feet from each other, and she was on this other side. By then the truck was in full blaze.

She said her neck and back were hurting. I said ‘Ma’am, I got to get you out of this car because it might catch on fire.’ Her car was smoking, too, and I picked her up and carried her over to the side.”

Dukes felt like God intervened in the matter in order to save the lives of the motorists.

“If we were back in the office, we would have been 15 minutes away from it and it would have caught on fire and the guy would have passed,” Dukes said. “I put in God’s hands. He put us right there where it happened.

Everything happens for a reason. That was a day that could have gone bad, but it didn’t. That was my proudest moment so far.”

The goal for Dukes is to retire from the LCSD, and gain as much rank, and leadership, as possible.

“As far as it takes me, that’s as far as I want to go,” Dukes said. “It’s all in God’s hands for me. We’re getting young now, this TURN TO LCSD PAGE 13

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 4

OBITUARIES AUBREY EARL CARPER Aubrey Earl Carper, 55, passed away Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo.

Visitation will be held Thursday, Aug, 2016 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Coleman Funeral Home with the funeral service following at 2 in the chapel. Bro. Buster Wilson will officiate. Interment will be in the Garden of Memories. Coleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Gideon's Promise comes to UM Law School

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

GEORGE WILLIAMS

Meet the Teacher night August 18

Atlanta-based nonprofit Gideon’s Promise is holding an intensive training session at the University of Mississippi School of Law for the newest class of public defenders undergoing their three-year rigorous program. Gideon’s Promise is dedicated to churning out highly trained public defenders who are better able to efficiently operate in a justice system that often seems to be stacked against them and the clients they serve. This is the group’s second year in a row to hold an introductory session at the UM School of Law. The organization works to make sure that as many public defenders as possible are adequately trained and well equipped to deal with criminal cases involving almost exclusively socio-economically disadvantaged people, most of whom are minorities.

Gideon’s Promise takes it’s name from the 1963 Supreme Court decision in Gideon v. Wainright.

The decision ruled that under the Fourteenth Amendment, state courts are required to provide counsel to defendants in criminal cases if that defendant could not afford to hire a lawyer on their own. According to the organization, nearly 80 percent of the 12 million

Regents Classical Christian School will be holding their Meet the Teacher night next Thursday at 5 p.m. at the school. This is an opportunity for students and parents to come and meet the faculty and staff of the school and for the kids to become familiar with both their teachers and the classrooms in which they’ll be spending the school year.

“

BRIEFINGS Gallery on Square to exhibit “Night Sun” Southside Gallery on the Square has announced a group exhibition of painting curated by Philip R. Jackson called Night Sun. The collection will be on display at the gallery from August 16 to September 10. A reception for the artists will be held on Thursday, September 8 at 6 p.m. Jackson is an Associate Professor of Art at the University of Mississippi.

Dick’s hiring for Oxford location Dick’s Sporting Goods is now hiring new employees for their Oxford location. Ideal candidates will draw on their personal experiences and in-depth knowledge to guide, inform, equip and inspire customers The store promises competitive pay and store discounts. Those interested can visit dickssportinggoods.jobs to learn more.

O x f o r d F i l m Fe s t i v a l s e e k s e x t r a s The Oxford Film Festival is seeking extras to help be a part of this year’s Community Film. Each year, the festival turns out one film that is produced, filmed, written and starred in by locals. This year’s film is called “FireMax” and tells the story of an Oxford-based superhero who is working to find a replacement. Along the way, he meets a lot of crazy characters with some strangely specific superpowers. The film is in search of extras to help out with a large scene that they will be filming this Saturday on the Courthouse Lawn during the Arter Limits Fringe Festival. Those interested in taking part and being in a locally produced movie should email film fest Executive Director Melanie Addington at melanieaddington@oxfordfilmfest.com ASAP. The filming of this scene will begin at 9 a.m. and will end before noon.

Local organization awarded grant Good Food for Oxford Schools has just been awarded a grant for $9,250 by the United Way of Oxford and Lafayette county to aid the organization in its goal of helping students learn and grow in school gardens. This grant will support the nonprofit’s Growing and Learning School Garden Education Program. The goals of the program are to facilitate the growth of the Oxford School District’s garden program, provide teacher training regarding Farm-to-School Curriculum Integration, begin building a teacher resource library and much more.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIDEON’S PROMISE

The newest class of public defenders to participate in training and mentoring through the Atlanta-based nonprofit Gideon’s Promise stand on the steps of the Lyceum. For two weeks 41 young public defenders from across 12 states have gathered at the UM School of Law to undergo intensive training. Photo Courtesy of Gideon’s Promise. people who move through the American criminal justice system every year cannot afford a lawyer. Our system of public defense attorneys is overwhelmed with a caseload size so large that public defenders often find it impossible to spend a significant amount of time on each case, resulting in poor representation.

Jonathan Rapping, the founder and president of Gideon’s Promise, has advocated for change and support for public defenders for more than a

decade. Rapping moved to Georgia in 2004 to become the training director of the Georgia Public Defender Standards Council in 2004. He later moved to New Orleans to help rebuild the city’s public defender system after Hurricane Katrina.

Throughout this journey, Rapping saw a different side of the world of public defenders. His previous experience as a public defender had been with a well-resourced office in Washington D.C. The work environment was very different from

We are an organization that is responding to a criminal justice crisis across the country, largely in the South. Our mission is to train and groom the public defenders who are going to raise the standard of representation of poor people and challenge the sort of assumptions that have led to our acceptance of substandard levels of justice for poor people.

“

George “David” Williams, Sr., 55, passed away Sunday, July 31, 2016 at his home in Oakland.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Aug. 13 at New Life Fellowship Baptist Church in Oakland with Bro. Ricky Boyett officiating. Seven Oaks Funeral Home of Water Valley is in charge of arrangements.

Jonathan Rapping, Gideon’s Promise founder and president

the reality that he saw public defenders across the South living with every day. Rapping and his wife Ilham Askia founded Gideon’s Promise in 2007 after seeing that these public defenders being crushed by caseloads and circumstances that prevented them from the doing the job that was constitutionally required of them.

“As I worked my way across the South, I really started to see these young, passionate public defenders who went into this work because they believed they could change the world,” Rapping said during a phone call he made to the Citizen between training sessions Tuesday afternoon.

“They went into systems that were accepting a sort of substandard level of justice beforehand. These young folks just had the passion beat out of them.

So my wife and I founded the organization to support public defenders who try to push back against the system.”

Promise Gideon’s brings in a new class of TURN TO PROMISE PAGE 13

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 5

Hero in Rio this party is for foreigners.”

Deisi Alves, a 46-year-old maid, added, “With the money of one ticket, I could Jim Dees finish my home.”

Tales of the Town There will always be haves and have nots in this world and perhaps the distinction is sadder and more vivid in South America. Sam Kendricks is certainly an example of a have not who started out ’ve been watching the Summer “slow and small” and made himself into a Olympics with the sound off so I can have through dint of determination, true soak up the high def shots of Rio’s grit and his family’s love. In addition to beaches and surf without suffering the his dad, Scott, his mom Marni is supportcliché-ridden blather. I’m more of a Winive and his younger sister, Charlie, is a ter Olympics guy anyway (two-man luge) sophomore pole vaulter at Oxford High. but exotic Rio will do when you’re stuck Interestingly Sam has a twin brother, inside in Mississippi in August. Outside Tom, currently at Ole Miss. What a feeling the humidity gathers like a scalding wet that must be to see your twin soaring on blanket of woolen dread. the world stage. Of course, Tom and the Oxford has an athlete in this year’s rest of the family are well-acquainted games, pole-vaulter Sam Kendricks. I will with the idea of Sam soaring. His practice turn the sound up when he appears. How area at Bobby Holcomb stadium bears a often do we have an Oxonian in the plaque commemorating his accomplishOlympics? Basically never. About as often ments. His dad estimates he has peras I medal in the luge. (If they had sofa formed 15,000 practice jumps at the luge I would dominate). Sam is the first ever Olympian from Oxford and only the COURTESY PHOTO facility.

Yes, sports can be a beautiful pursuit, second Lafayette Countian after Jennifer A supermodel strutted in from Ipanema amid fireworks where tickets cost several times the especially if it’s women’s beach volleyball.

Gillom of Abbeville in 2008. average weekly salary.

(Whoever designed those uniforms took According to news reports, Sam was most of the day off.) For us old soreheads “We are close in distance, but far a Stegosaurus. When the suction cups are “too small and too slow” when he went who can only sit in the air conditioning away," Luiz Alberto Araujo, a 30-yearremoved they leave a circular mark that out for track as a seventh grader hoping and marvel, I say all best to all the athold doorman who works on Ipanema to make the team at Oxford High School. can last from three days to a week. letes. And for Sam Kendricks, I only have Although the procedure and apparatus beach but lives in the slums, told the Luckily he had a patient and understandAssociated Press. "We still have fun, but three words: “Jump, Sam, Jump!” look like some sort of New Agey hooey, ing coach, his dad, Scott. The duo has methodically planned and practiced Sam the therapy actually comes from ancient Chinese techniques learned by US into his current career, winning everyOlympic trainers while traveling in China. thing put in front of him: state high Some athletes told reporters they even school championship, SEC championship, NCAA, Olympic trials. Last month have their own do-it-yourself cupping kits so they can cup themselves. I too in Beijing he vaulted – or “jumped” as practice cup therapy, right here at the they say - 19.5 feet, the world’s second best mark for 2016. Now he has a chance house, but I normally wait until five o’to win some major jewelry in front of the clock.

All of this high tech pageantry is taking entire world.

Hopefully Sam can do his thing without place in Rio de Janeiro one of the poorest being “cupped.” This year’s swimmers, in- and in some areas, most violent cities on earth. What the struggling locals must cluding Michael Phelps, as well as nuhave thought as they watched the openmerous athletes from various countries, are using “cupping therapy,” suction cups ing ceremonies on TV and saw their city being represented with a supermodel affixed to their bodies to help relieve strutting in from Ipanema amid fireworks muscle tension and increase blood flow in sparkling new facilities where tickets to tissues. The suction cups are arrayed cost several times the average weekly across the back or down the legs giving the athlete the look of a prehistoric beast, salary.

I

OXFORD CITIZEN

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Horne finds new home at Lafayette

BY CHANING GREEN

GREEN: When you first got here, did you have a preference as to what district hired you?

HORNE: To be honest, I wanted to be in the county school. I knew that it would more similar to the environment where I was before and therefore something that I was more used to, but either one would have been fine with me. I did like the fact that Trip would be on the same campus as me and that I wouldn’t have to travel to go and get him or anything. Though there are obviously great things about both places, I felt at home here.

NEWS WRITER

Nycole Horne is a standout member of the latest group of educators that have been added to the Lafayette County School District this year. Horne will be beginning her 22nd year in the profession at Lafayette Upper Elementary School as a fourth grade language arts teacher.

She has spent nearly all of her career in the Lauderdale School District as both an elementary and middle school teacher.

Horne recently was recently married, and she and her new family decided to make the move to Lafayette County this summer where they have been loving it ever since. After helping children load the bus in the Mississippi summer sun Monday afternoon, Horne sat down with Oxford Citizen reporter Chaning Green to discuss her transition to the school district and her first couple days on the job.

CHANING GREEN: What are you teaching at Lafayette?

NYCOLE HORNE: I’m currently teaching fourth grade language arts. I’ll be doing reading, English, spelling, writing and basically anything under that umbrella. I won’t have one class of students all day. Up until third grade, they just stay in one classroom the entire school day. This is their first time to switch classes, and we try to make that as easy of a transition as possible.

CHANING GREEN | OXFORD CITIZEN

Fourth grade language arts teacher Nicole Horne is so far enjoying her new job at Lafayette Upper Elementary School. This is Horne’s 22nd year in the teaching profession. She comes to Lafayette from the Lauderdale County School District.

GREEN: Where were you before?

HORNE: I was in Lauderdale County before coming here and, in many ways, it was a lot like Lafayette. It’s a county school just outside of Meridian. It’s where I went to school, where my kids went to school, my mom taught there and my dad taught there.

My dad is still an educator there in Lauderdale County.

Moving here has been quite a bit of a change because, for the last eight years, I’ve been teaching middle school. Years ago, I did teach elementary, but it was very different back then. The transition from middle school to fourth grade has been a bit of a change, but everyone here has just been so helpful. I could not have done it without them. All of

the fourth grade teachers I’ve been working with here are amazing. They’ve made my transition smoother by making sure I always have everything I need and know what’s going on. I’m kind of learning how thing are done along with the kids right now. I’m learning the everyday processes, how we change rooms, where and when we go for recess and things like that. I don’t really know the campus that well right now, but I’m learning.

GREEN: Where did you go to college?

HORNE: I graduated from Mississippi State with a bachelor’s in elementary education, but I went to the Meridian branch of the school. I’ve lived in Meridian

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most of my life. I lived in Tupelo for a bit during my younger years, but from high school on, I was pretty much only in Meridian.

GREEN: Why did you choose to move to Lafayette County?

HORNE: I got married this summer. My husband lived in Memphis and I was in Meridian. We knew that this area’s county and public schools were both amazing, and that it was a place that he would be able to work. We decided to make the move and that wherever I got a job, Oxford or Lafayette, that was where Trip, my stepson would go to school.

So we came here and, thank goodness, I got a job. I was lucky enough to be chosen to work here.

GREEN: Why did you choose to be a teacher?

HORNE: Well, for one thing, it’s the only thing I’ve ever known.

My mom was a teacher, my dad is an educator, but the deeper answer would be that I was always a shy student. I was always scared of my teachers. I wanted to make sure that everyone I taught was confident in my class, that they were never scared, that they always felt good about themselves. I was always scared of school. And that’s the root, that’s the cause that I work for every single day. I want to make sure my students feel good about themselves while feeling secure and safe.

Being a teacher is the one place I feel the best about myself and most confident about myself. I really feel like I’m making a difference. That’s what keeps me coming back every day. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I might have to eventually find something else to do once I retire, but maybe I can still do something in the education field, just in another avenue. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

PAGE 7

LCSD FROM 3

force is very young. I feel like I’m one of the old heads and I’ve been here seven years. We have some that have been here 20 years or more and in five years or so they’re going to be into retirement. I feel like in the next five years, it will be set up for me to advance up further. And I want to go up further.”

Seven months ago, he was voted to be a member of the county SWAT team, and Dukes felt like that was a big accomplishment. His brother is on the Oxford SWAT unit, and Dukes enjoyed being able to share that with his family. He and Jeffrey both take care of their mother, who is battling cancer. Both are living in the same area, College Hill Switch, as they did growing up, so it’s a family affair just like it has been for years.

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Promise FROM 4

lawyers every year. These lawyers will spend the next three years meeting every six months for training.

Each new class that joins the program must complete a two-week intensive introductory course. That introductory course is what is currently being held at the Ole Miss Law School. Rapping explained that the three-year program is meant to do more

John Dukes used to make the community proud by his play on the football field at Lafayette. Now, he's serving the community as a member of the sheriff's department. than just train public defenders so that they can do their jobs more efficiently.

It is an attempt to change the system to the point where a person’s level of income and standing in life does not determine whether or not he or she receives a fair trial with well-trained counsel.

“We are an organization that is responding to a criminal justice crisis across the country, largely in the South” Rapping said. “Our mission is to train and groom the pub-

lic defenders who are going to raise the standard of representation of poor people and challenge the sort of assumptions that have led to our acceptance of substandard levels of justice for poor people.”

Rapping’s work has earned him quite a bit of recognition. He served as a MacArthur Genius Fellow in 2014, was the focus of an Emmy-nominated HBO documentary, delivered TEDx talks and much more. Currently, Rapping is an instructor on criminal

law at Harvard Law and serves as a professor and the director of the honors program in criminal justice at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School.

Afton Mallard is the program coordinator for Gideon’s Promise and deals with the logistics of the program. She is also in Oxford helping to make sure everything runs smoothly during the training sessions. She said that being a part of Gideon’s Promise is something that she knows is making a dif-

ference and that she is proud to be able to help the organization in any way she can.

“The work we’re doing is important for a lot of reasons,” she said. “It’s a movement we’re trying to implement to change the criminal justice system. It’s about criminal justice reform. This is a need that communities have. These public defenders are going into offices that are underfunded and lacking resources.

They need support, and that’s a major

part of what we’re doing here.”

Gideon’s Promise arrived at Ole Miss on July 29 and will wrap up training on Saturday. Right now, 12 different states are represented with 41 public defenders participating. The 30 faculty members who are teaching during these two weeks are volunteers who came in from all across the country to help out. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 8

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Festival FROM 13

there, he looks up to a lot of athletes. My nephew just graduated from Oxford and he was really involved in their football team. Having the chance to support kids like him by supporting the booster club is a no-brainer.”

High Point Coffee is in the same alley as the Growler on the Square and is participating as well. Of all sales made Monday morning from 6:30 to 9:30, 10 percent went to benefit the booster club. Owner and Operator Julie Mims said that she has done similar donations with schools in the past and was more than happy to help out the OSD anyway she could.

“Two of my kids graduated from the Oxford School District, and my youngest is still there now,” Mims said. “[The booster club] called me and asked if we wanted to participate, and I said yes. It was that simple. It’s for a good cause. The boosters do a lot for the student athletes that the schools don’t always have the money to do. The club provides the kids with things that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise. So it’s just a really great cause that we’re glad to help support.”

Out of every store participating this week, Chick-fil-a on Jackson Avenue is the only business donating 15 percent of their sales during their chosen time. From 5:30 to & 7:30 Tuesday evening, that 15 percent came off of dine-in sales. Owner and operator Lance Reed said donating a portion of the store’s proceeds is not only something

CHANING GREEN | OXFORD CITIZEN

Holli’s Sweet Tooth, the Growler and High Point Coffee are in the same alley on the Square. All three business as well as Chick-fil-a are donating a portion of their proceeds to benefit the Oxford Charger Booster Club this week. they like doing, but part of the founding principles of the restaurant’s ideology.

“We’re big on supporting local and community organizations,” he said. “A major part of our corporate position is giving

back to the community we are a part of while also helping to build up that community. This is a local school that is a big part of our community. This is just our way to give back to them.”

Holli’s Sweet Tooth is also participating in the event.

Sarah Rowlett is a National Board Certified teacher who teaches fourth grade gifted students at Della Davidson Elementary School. Rowlett is a parent involved in the booster club and worked to promote the event.

“I honestly think that the booster club benefits so many students in the district by helping them reach their full potential with

athletics,” Rowlett said when asked why she thinks the booster club is important. “It allows our athletic programs reach higher levels in their respective competitions without having to worry about equipment, uniforms, where they’re gonna get the money for travel and how to handle many of our students who simply can’t afford their own equipment. It also helps with funding newer equipment that meets higher safety regulations. I think it’s important to have parental involvement, and athletics is a great avenue for that.”

Oxford Charger Booster Club Week ends with a party Saturday night at the Library on the Square. The event is called Booster & Blues and will feature live music, dancing and food. Tickets to Booster & Blues are $50 and available at the OSD’s central office on the campus of Oxford Middle School. All proceeds go to benefit the Oxford Charger Booster Club. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Preventive measures have been key for city battling Zika, West Nile virus

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

A proactive plan to keep standing water minimized or eliminated in and around the city of Oxford has been a success this summer. As reports of the Zika and West Nile Virus come in from other states and towns in Mississippi, Oxford has been spared.

Both are spread by mosquitoes, and prior to the start of summer, the city made sure to take steps to minimize any threats by passing an ordinance related to standing water.

Jimmy Allgood is in charge of the spraying program. He has also worked to educate the public about steps to minimize or eliminate contact with mosquitoes over the past few months.

“I think it has raised people's awareness with what they need to be doing. I'm actually getting more phone calls about what do we need to do, how do we do it and those type of things,” said Allgood, who is also serves the city at the emergency management director. “It's definitely made the community more aware of what they can do to protect themselves and how to do it.

This is one of those deals where a good offense is a good defense. Playing to

your strengths, having education of keeping your water containers dumped and not having standing bodies of water, keeping them clean, I think it really has made a big difference.

We're ahead of other communities as far as being prepared and keeping our citizens informed.”

There are treatment methods that Allgood has recommended to those who own homes, apartments or other dwellings in order to kill the larvae that mosquitoes spawn in water. It's harder for people to wear longer clothing when temperatures are hot. Allgood agreed that it's hard to stay cool in August, but for individuals who venture outdoors, Allgood recommends using products with Deet that will repel all types of mosquitoes.

“You need to learn how you protect yourself if you don't wear long pants and shirts and that's through a Deet and other repellents,” Allgood said. “West Nile is going to be an issue. There is a vast difference between the two. West Nile, it is a danger to people with compromised immune systems, young people who are sick or elderly people. They are more likely to contract a fatal case of West Nile. An average healthy person, if they

get West Nile or Zika, they may show a few flu-like symptoms and have some aches and pains and not even realize that they have it until it goes away. The big danger with the Zika is the expecting mother that can be passed on to the fetus and cause the brain injuries.”

There are more actual deaths from West Nile, Allgood said, than from Zika.

Most of the cases of West Nile in the state occur in and around Jackson and then on the Gulf Coast.

“That's the reason the health department monitors the dead birds because it's transmitted from them to mosquitoes and on to humans. That's why a few years ago when people were finding dead birds on their property to report it to the health department so they can be tested,” Allgood said.

“The birds are a main carrier of the West Nile and the mosquitoes get it from them. We've been lucky. We've had a few scattered cases of West Nile in North Mississippi, but it seems like the major pools are in the central and southern part of the state.”

With the turnover in real estate in Oxford, Allgood urges people who see containers of water or abandoned hot tubs and

pools that have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes to let the city know.

“We can do something about it. We want to stay on top of this and there are only a limited number of city employees that can go out and help find it,” Allgood said. “We depend on people to call in and report these issues. So call us and let us know.”

Allgood's e-mail is oxfordema@oxfordms.net.

His number is also available on the city directory at http://www.oxfordms.net/ departments/departmentlist.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

PAGE 9

Local FFA students headed to national convention INDIANAPOLIS — The Oxford Lafayette Co HS FFA Chapter will send members to FFA Career Development Event at the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo as they vie for national honors in the area of Agricultural Tech. and Mech. Systems. National support for the Agricultural Tech. and Mech. Systems CDE is provided

by Caterpillar, Inc. and Firestone Farm Tires.

FFA members who will represent the chapter in the event include Baxter Abernathy, Joshua Leopard, Ryan Watkins, and Wesley Mills. The chapter advisor is Terry James.

Agricultural technol-

ogy and mechanical systems is one of 24 national CDE areas, covering job skills in everything from communications to mechanics.

The participants take a written test and demonstrate their skills through hands-on activities in the following system areas: machinery and equipment systems, electrical systems, environmental and natural resources systems, structural systems and energy systems,.

CDEs help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly and perform effectively in a competitive job market.

PAGE 10

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Lee Dentistry hosting Cookout with Cops Friday evening

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Local members of law enforcement, and those connected with the different public service organizations, will be treated to hamburgers by the staff of Lee Dentistry. Cookout with Cops will be held Friday evening starting at 5 in the parking lot in front the Dr. Preston Lee's office.

Corey Ussery manages both the Oxford and Senatobia offices for Lee and Dr. Jennifer Romero. The Cookout with Cops event was also held in Senatobia on Tuesday night, and the idea for the event stems from Lee reading an article about a man who used to cook steaks for local police officers who were on duty.

“We want to start out with cops and then work our way around,” Ussery said about the purpose of the community event. “We want to do one for the first responders. We want to have a lot of these just to show

the community that we're here for these guys. It's probably going to be every couple of months that we have different ones.”

It took several hours to get the event off the ground, from planning to ordering the food for the officers, and those that work in the different offices.

Still, the process of starting what could be a long-standing tradition in the community has been enjoyable.

“Honestly, it's been easy because we have such an awesome staff in those offices,” Ussery said. “They have donated their time and their supplies like tables and chairs. We thought we were going to have to rent a lot, but people had so many, we didn't end up having to rent anything because they had so much. They had supplies for dishes and baskets, so it's been a pretty easy process.

That's part of why we want to continue to put it together because it's been easy to put together. The first one is going to

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Dispatchers and those that work in the Lafayette County Detention Center are welcome to attend. So are all the support staff in the various offices.

Mayor Pat Patterson was invited to come by, while the chamber of commerce was alerted to the event.

“There may be some people that don't have anything to do with cops and we're certainly not going to turn anyone away.

If they want to show their support, they can come, too,” Ussery said. “With the numbers we got from the OPD, we're expecting around 50 but it could be more. So we're probably going to set up more for 75 to be on the safe side.”

And if there are those in the community that want to volunteer their time for future events,

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Chief Joey East said that he and his officers were looking forward to spending some time with Dr. Lee and the staff.

“We are very appreciative of

them and overwhelmed with the support they are showing us, just as we have been with the whole Oxford community,” East said. “Events like this is why I have such a deep affection for the people that live and work here.”

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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OXFORD CITIZEN

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

PAGE 15

John Davis Sports Editor

Rebel baseball making headlines even at start of football

F

ootball may be the sport Ole Miss fans want to read and talk about, but there is plenty of good news to report from the baseball diamond. The Rebels' fantastic signing class of 2016 all made it to school. There were no draft casualties this go around for coach Mike Bianco and his staff. And that is great news as the program looks to stay among the tops in the SEC. This year's crop of newcomers is arguably the best in the history of the program. Local standouts like Thomas Dillard and Grae Kessinger were rated among the top 100, 150 players in the nation, depending on which website you like to read. Cooper Johnson was labeled the best defensive catcher in the nation by another group of baseball pundits. Pitchers Ryan Rolison and Will Ethridge are also highly thought of. Rolison, like Dillard, Kessinger and Johnson, could have been drafted and playing pro ball. Luckily for fans that wear red and blue to Oxford-University Stadium, they will be on campus for a few seasons.

Summer workouts are now over for the talented group, and next week, it will be back to the grind as school starts to crank back up. Fall baseball will be here in no time, and before long, the Rebels will be ready to start 2017. This year's class ranked No. 2 in the country and many feel like this group is going to be the one that helps the Rebels return to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series.

“It's been a fun summer. From when we moved in, it just seems so long ago. I think we've really grown a lot,” Dillard said. “The first week, everybody was sore but we got through it. We've grown to know each other more and it's tested our mental toughness throughout. I think it's a great opportunity that Ole Miss gives you to come in the summer and get some hours and get acclimated to the workouts.”

Kessinger said after the first week of being in the workouts led by strength and conditioning coach Ben Fleming that he wasn't sure if he would ever walk again “As it went on, you get used to it. Like I've told people, there is no preparing for it. I thought I worked hard in high school in the weight room but once you get here, there is no comparison,” said Kessinger, who added 10 pounds to his frame. “It's been a lot of fun and I can't wait to get back here in the fall.”

Kessinger's father played at Ole Miss. So did his uncle. His grandfather also played at Ole TURN TO BASEBALL PAGE 21

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze praised the way Chad Kelly looked in the first few practices of the summer.

Skilled Rebels QB Chad Kelly headlines talented group on offense

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

A tough early schedule for the Ole Miss Rebels, one that features three teams ranked in top 15, is made better by depth on offense, and a veteran quarterback leading the way. Chad Kelly is the headliner of an offense that is expected to be potent in 2016.

The Rebels averaged 40.8 points per game a season ago in Kelly's first leading the team.

Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said Kelly was even more hungry and determined to have better numbers this fall.

“I thought he was very sharp, a little like he was at the end of the season last year,” Freeze said of Kelly Monday.

“Our skelly competition, which is an offensive drill, he completed the first 12 throws and was really sharp and the ball was going to the right place.

He’s getting the protections set right.

He looked really good.”

Offensive coordinator Dan Werner said there was definite carry over from the spring, which was evaluated as a big positive by the coaching staff.

“Chad hasn't missed a beat and neither have the other two quarterbacks,” Werner said. “You can see that our guys know what's happening. Instead of having to teach the play, we're now teaching the finer points of it. We're going faster and all the things we have wanted to get to. The thing I told the players was we set all these records last year, but now we have seven new starters at least. Someone has to step up and see what we can do, and it seems like they have.”

Even with the loss of Laquon Treadwell on the outside, and Laremy Tunsil at offensive tackle, the offense has depth, and experience Werner can work with.

“We have a lot of young guys that we feel really good about,” Werner said

about the offensive line. “I'm happy with the team we have. I love our attitude and the talent that we have, all the way from the older guys to the younger guys. We have some older guys that are really good and got some young true freshmen that are really good. And everything in between.”

All three of the wide receivers — DK Metcalf, AJ Brown and Tre Nixon — that signed with the Rebels this year have caught Werner's eye. He did think that it will be tough for them to see action due to the depth at wideout overall, but in time, Werner thought all three would be “big-time players.”

“Octavious Cooley is going to be a big-time player here, just depending on when he learns it and when he can fit in,” Werner said about the tight end from Laurel. “Those offensive linemen, it's hard to tell just yet because we don't have any pads on, but all of TURN TO OFFENSE PAGE 20

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Left, Lafayette's Julianna Ingram serves during action with Oxford Tuesday night. Lafayette lost the match 3-0. Right, Oxford's Haley Caradine gets ready to serve during the first game of Tuesday's match with Lafayette.

Lady Chargers look sharp in season-opening win over LHS

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

It didn't seem like the 2016 season opener for the Oxford Lady Chargers on the volleyball court. Instead of making early-year mistakes, the Lady Chargers played crisp and polished in a 3-0 win over Lafayette Tuesday evening.

Senior Maggee Hobson wore a smile a mile long when she talked about the effort and play of her teammates following the victory. Hobson, who finished with a team-high 12 kills, felt like the victory was the best start to a season during her career.

“I feel like our team effort and how we worked together was great. Our energy was there,” Hobson said. “We had a team meeting a week ago, and we talked about that togetherness and that team effort. That was absolutely shown tonight. There are things we need to work on like communication, but it can only get better.”

When Oxford and Lafayette normally meet up, even at the start of the season, the matches usually come down to the wire. That wasn't the case as the Lady Chargers won the first game, 25-7, which set the momentum firmly in their favor.

Hobson felt like the win had a chance to make an impression other teams they play early in the season.

On Thursday,

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford's McLain Hill sets the ball during Tuesday night's match with Lafayette.

Southaven comes to town, while other matchups with Lewisburg and Lake Cormorant are on the horizon.

“I think this win can not only help our reputation, but our journey to state,” Hobson said. “Playing good teams like that is the only thing that is going to get us ready. That's going to get us going, to start our

journey to the state championship, is playing teams like that and playing with that energy and that togetherness. We have the skill, we have the experience. All it takes is us being a team. If we play individually, we're not going to be successful. The only way we beat them is playing together.”

Oxford coach Tara Ross

did see some things that her team had to work on.

At the same time, she felt like her team played well.

“What was great about it was we won our first game of the season. No. 2, we beat your rival in a very positive fashion and I also got to see different people in different positions,” Ross said. “We got to play our game for the most

part. We got a little stagnant there. I think Jordan (Freeze) got a little tired because she was playing all around as a hitter which is different than just playing a setter all the way around. I thought (Hobson) played very smart tonight. She did a really good job. We've got a good, solid base to build on. We have a really good team coming in on Thursday and it's going to be tough.”

Clint Jordan, Lafayette's head coach, tipped his hat to Oxford, saying the Lady Chargers took it to his Lady Commodores.

“And there really wasn't a lot we could do. I was afraid this would happen, honestly, playing arguably the best team in the state when they do things the right way. I don't know if anybody can beat them,” Jordan said. “I would love to see them and Lewisburg because they are the two best teams in the state this year. When you're replacing as many experienced players as we are, things can get out of hand quick and that kind of happened to us tonight.

We had to play well together. We had to serve-receive well and we didn't do that. And a lot of that is how well they served.

Maggee, Jordan Freeze and McLain Hill, the three of them hurt us serving gaps and serving soft, which is something they haven't shown in the past.”

Jordan felt like there were things to build on coming out of the loss, and data for him to use in the coming weeks. After losing by 18 in the first game, Lafayette lost 25-17 in the second.

“That was our best and then in game three, there were some signs of life. Of what I saw, there were some very good things,” Jordan said. “There just wasn't enough of them to beat an Oxford tonight.

Again, it's experience versus inexperience. I fully expect when we play them again, I expect it be a dogfight. We're young, we're going to get better. So are they, but it will be at our place and near the end of the season. That rivalry matters.”

Ross agreed that the next matchup with Lafayette wouldn't likely be as easy because Jordan will have taught his Lady Commodores so much.

“Clint has a young team, but I always believe in Clint because he is an amazing coach,” she said.

“No matter when I see him, his team is always going to be 10 times better the next time I see them.

I'm always prepared for his teams to be ready.”

Grace Ann Joyce finished with nine kills for the Lady Chargers. Hill had 18 assists, while Ragan Freeze finished with three service aces.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

PAGE 17

SPORTS IN DEPTH 2016 OHS FOOTBALL Aug. 19 at Southaven Aug. 26 Starkville Sept. 2 at Madison Central Sept. 9 Lafayette Sept. 23 at West Point $ Sept. 30 Saltillo $ Oct. 7 at Lewisburg $ Oct. 14 New Hope $ Oct. 21 at Clarksdale $ Oct. 28 Center Hill $ Nov. 4 at Lake Cormorant $ $ - Denotes Division 1-5A opponents

2016 LHS FOOTBALL Aug. 19 Horn Lake Sept. 2 at Grenada Sept. 9 at Oxford Sept. 16 Louisville Sept. 23 Charleston Sept. 30 at Ripley * Oct. 6 Rosa Fort * Oct. 14 at New Albany *

Oct. 21 Senatobia * Oct. 28 at Byhalia * *- Denotes Division 2-4A opponent

2016 OLE MISS FOOTBALL Sept. 5 vs. Florida State, Orlando, Fla., 7 p.m.

Sept. 10 Wofford, 3 p.m.

Sept. 17 Alabama, 2:30 p.m. (CBS) Sept. 24 Georgia Oct. 1 Memphis Oct. 15 at Arkansas Oct. 22 at LSU Oct. 29 Auburn Nov. 5 Georgia Southern Nov. 12 at Texas A&M Nov. 19 at Vanderbilt Nov. 26 Mississippi State

DIVISION 1-5A 2015 Standings Overall Region WLWL Oxford 9 2 7 0 * ^

West Point 9 2 6 1 * Clarksdale 7 5 4 3 Lake Cormorant 7 5 4 3 Center Hill 6 5 4 3 Clarksdale 7 5 4 3 New Hope 3 8 2 5 Lewisburg 3 9 1 6 Saltillo 0 12 0 7 *-Denotes earned playoff spot ^ - Denotes 1-5A champion

DIVISION 2-4A Final 2015 Stadnings Overall Region WLWL Senatobia 9 1 5 0 * ^ Lafayette 9 2 4 1 * Rosa Fort 8 2 3 2 * Ripley 3 6 2 3 * New Albany 4 7 1 4 Byhalia 2 7 0 4 *-Denotes earned playoff spot ^ - Denotes 2-4A champion

Tournaments in Hawaii, Mexico, Puerto Rico highlight 2016-17 Ole Miss men’s golf schedule The schedule, which features 11 regular-season tournaments plus the SEC Championships, tees off Sept. 12 at the two-day Ocean Course Invitational in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. The Rebels then hit the road to Nashville, Tennessee Sept. 18-20 for The Grove Intercollegiate.

"We are extremely excited to get the season started and play against the best teams in the nation,” Ole Miss coach Chris Malloy said. “I am excited about this group of young men and we are going to find out how good we are right away in the start of the fall season.

We start out at Kiawah Island Ocean course, host of a Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. This is one of the most challenging courses in the world.

Mix that in with courses all across North America and we feel that we have

one of the better schedules of any team in the country.”

Ole Miss continues its fall slate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with the Marquette Intercollegiate Oct. 2-3, followed by a trip to Atlanta, Georgia for the Auto Trader Intercollegiate October 17-18.

The Rebel returns to Kauai, Hawaii to close out the fall campaign at the Princeville Warrior Invitational October 30-November 1.

The Rebels start up spring play with another visit out of the continental United States to Puerto Rico February 1921 for the Puerto Rico Classic. Ole Miss makes back-to-back trips to the west coast, where they will compete in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for the Querencia Cabo Collegiate February 26-28 and to San Diego, California for the Lamkin San Diego

Classic March 13-14.

Ole Miss closes out the regular season with the Hootie at Bulls Bay tournament March 26-28 in Charleston, South Carolina, the Old Waverly Invitational April 6-7 in West Point and the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate April 10-11 in Nashville, Tennessee.

"When making this schedule, we wanted to test ourselves against the nation’s best programs and on the best golf courses we could find," Malloy said. "I think that we have accomplished that. Now it's time to go out and get the job done."

The SEC Championships will take place at Sea Island, Georgia, April 21-23, while NCAA Regionals are set for May 1416 at various host sites.

The 2017 NCAA Championships will take place Rich harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois.

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PAGE 18

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

JOEY BRENT | OXFORD CITIZEN

Above, Lafayette Head Football Coach Michael Fair.

Left, the Lafayette Commodores are on the verge of starting up the 2016 season.The first test comes Friday against Southaven in jamboree action.

Fair likes how his Commodores have come along in practice

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

The first intrasquad scrimmage under Michael Fair at Lafayette didn't take long. He saw what he needed to from his Commodores early before they really got to bake in the sun on the artificial turf of William L. Buford Stadium this past Saturday. It was the first day in pads for the players, and Fair thought his group responded well to the heat.

“They still had something left in their legs after a pretty tough week,” Fair said about how in condition his team was after six practices. “It was tough on that turf last week. It was hot, but our kids responded well and we had some that really played physical which is what we were looking for and want to hang our hat on.”

Speed on defense is a strength for the Commodores, and in the scrimmage, Fair thought there were several who ran to the ball and looked sharp in regards to execution.

“That's who we want to be defensively, a team that tackles together. Running to the ball,” Fair said adding that the middle linebacker spot was the key to it all. “Tay Reed needs to be the leading tackler or close if he's not. We need him to be really good because we funnel a lot to him. And he's done well so far. We feel real confident. We have four linebackers that have really been playing well.

They're all active and they run well. That's really good for me to see until I start calling plays against them.”

Lafayette will be on the road at Southaven this Friday night for a jamboree. Fair said he wasn't planning to much for the Chargers.

His biggest goal to accomplish was for the team to line up and be sound in what they are doing from an execution standpoint.

Fair said that he has had to plan against his own defensive coordinator, Ben Ashley, in practices or else risk being shut down on offense.

“It's making us better coaches and our team has responded well to it so far,” said Fair, who wants to be powerful on offense in regards to the running game. “It may be just a little too early to know that, but that's where

JOEY BRENT | OXFORD CITIZEN

Lafayette’s sophomores will likely add extra depth in some spots during the season. we're going to be. I have a lot of faith in that's who we're going to be. We have some weapons out there. We're moving some things around offensively and I feel good about the changes that we've made. We just need a couple of more days to see it in action.

That's what jamborees are for. They're a dress rehearsal and I'm excited about Friday night, see what we look like and see how we respond to a little adversity.”

All of the work being completed in practice comes on the heels of a fantastic summer.

Fair raved about the way his Commodores worked in the weight room and in all of the allowed workouts that were held in both June and July.

“Our guys were here, our numbers were big. The work ethic was unlike anything I've seen. I was really excited about our summer and that just really spring boarded us into camp,” Fair said. “Even though we put on helmets for the first time last Monday, we were still doing the same things we had been doing

for the last couple of months with our passing league stuff.”

The Commodores were scheduled to practice in full gear all the way through the first part of the week. During the season, Fair was expecting to practice heavy on both Monday and Tuesday.

“We will get into a routine. Some folks don't go as hard on Mondays and then crank it up on Tuesdays and then back down on Wednesdays,” Fair said. “Monday and Tuesday are our two big work days. Wednesday will be more mental and Thursday will be all mental. But Monday and Tuesday, we're going to get after it. Once we hit late district play and playoffs, things can change a little bit. We're still trying to find who are dudes are.

“We have some hungry young football players that are fighting for a spot on this team. It's part of my job to help them win a job and that helps everybody, from the young guy fighting for a spot to the old guy that

thinks he has a spot,” Fair added. “We want to get them a lot of reps in the game, but if we don't have competition in the practice, it's going to limit us on how far we can get with our guys. We love competition and we will continue to compete in practice.”

The jamboree at Southaven will be approached like it's the start of the season. Fair said the Commodores will wear their game uniforms.

“Right before we go out, all I'm going to ask them to do is compete on every play. It won't be a rah-rah speech or anything like that. It's going to be a dress rehearsal practice and that's the way we will approach it,” Fair said.

“But when those lights cut on, we're going to compete. If we do that and leave from Southaven on Friday night and we're on our way home and have done that, I'm going to be a really happy coach.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

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JOEY BRENT | OXFORD CITIZEN

Above, OHS Head Football Coach Chris Cutliffe.

Right, the Oxford Chargers have played for the MHSAA Class 5A state title the past three seasons and will be looking to keep things rolling in 2016.

Oxford's Cutcliffe pleased with the work put in by team, staff

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Work was one of the first words out of the mouth of Chris Cutcliffe when he started to talk about his Oxford High football team. The first week of summer drills came and went for the Chargers, and the staff that coaches them, with both putting in a lot of good work.

“They did an outstanding job and I think our players really bought in to what they were being coached to do. I thought they gave great effort,” Cutcliffe said. “It was very hot and I don’t think they let that affect the way they went about business. And it’s even hotter on the turf. We had to replace a bunch of cleats because they were melting off.

Nobody complained and nobody had a negative attitude about anything. They just worked.”

Oxford scrimmaged last Saturday and Friday night, the Chargers will take on Charleston in jamboree action at Bobby Holcomb Field. Cutcliffe saw a lot of good things coming out of the scrimmage, especially on defense.

“I thought we moved the ball pretty well but we need to finish drives in the red zone offensively a little better than we did,” Cutcliffe said. “We did do a lot of good things on both sides of the ball.

We tackled well. And what was encouraging about Saturday was we didn’t turn the ball over. Defensively, you want to create turnovers but when you play a ninth and 10th grade quarterback in the scrimmage, having no turnovers from those two guys was very promising to me. They made good decisions and took care of the football.”

With sophomore John Reece McClure about to start at quarterback, Cutcliffe felt like his defensive players should take some ownership, set the bar and be the ones that carry the team, at least early.

“As a defensive player, that’s how I would look at it. It’s also capitalizing

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Chris Baughman has returned to the football staff to help coach this year’s running backs and tight ends. when you get good field position,” Cutcliffe said.

The offense is still a focal point for Cutcliffe, who is set to call plays this year.

He has learned more about defense and the kicking game now that he is the head coach. Last season, Johnny Hill took care of all the special teams, and this year, Cutcliffe has assigned those duties to the different members of the staff.

“I guess I’m overall running special teams but we do have coaches that are assigned to different parts of the special teams and they are a big part of that,” Cutcliffe said. “I’m certainly worried

about a lot more than just our offense where in the past I was focused on that one thing because Coach Hill handled the special teams and did a great job of it. I do have to make sure that all three phases of the game are prepared and ready to play Friday night.”

For those that are curious, Oxford’s offense should look similar to what they have done the past four seasons, Cutcliffe said.

“It’s grown and morphed, and it will always do that in order to fit the talent at a certain time,” he added. “We’re still going to be up tempo and still going to

play a lot of the time with a tight end/Hback guy. Three receivers. Then we’ll be in a lot of four wide receivers looks and we may be empty. We also have some tight end, two backs stuff. It’s a lot of the same stuff we’ve done in the past, it’s fitting to your personnel. I think we’re going to be fun to watch and running a lot of snaps. We will be multiple and we try to do a lot of different things to give people a lot to prepare for like we always have.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Offense FROM 15

JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN

Ole Miss offensive coordinator Dan Werner likes the weapons he has to work with this season.

those guys I think are good players. The guys at receiver are extremely talented but there are also extremely talented guys ahead of them. Where at the offensive line, we are a little bit short on numbers and some of those guys may play.”

While Kelly is the overall leader of the offense, Werner was looking to center Robert Conyers to be the leader of the offensive line.

“This is his fifth year and he's played a lot of football for us. It's always nice if the center is the leader of that offensive line,” Werner said. “I would hope that he would be the

guy, but we will see how that plays out.”

At the tailback spot, Jordan Wilkins and Akeem Judd have the most experience, but Werner was high on what Eric Swinney can do for the offense.

“We're going to get the ball in his hands and we're going to test those guys once we get the pads on to see who is the most physical runner,” Werner said.

“What we saw in the spring is (Swinney) will lower his pads and just run guys over, almost to the point where we have to say 'Look, sometimes you might want to make them miss you.' He loves contact. If it's 2nd and 4 and he runs for 4 more yards, it just gets the team fired up and the crowd fired up and it's some-

thing we haven't had here since I've been back.”

Jaylen Walton was the tailback that got outside of teams in the past for the Rebels. The one who Werner thought could do that this year was Wilkins due to his speed.

“Jordan is a low 4.5 guy so he can run. Eugene Brazley is probably more of that type of a back and if decided we wanted to use a package in there we could,” Werner said.

“We're going to put the best guy in there and work the offense around that. If we feel like one of those bigger backs is really physical and will help us win, we'll be a more physical football team.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

McCorkle brings experience, work ethic to OHS Chargers

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

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Experience only begins to describe what Sam McCorkle brings to the table for the Oxford Chargers. The veteran coach is a selfless worker, according to head coach Chris Cutcliffe, and he is a great technician in regards to his teaching style.

McCorkle, who has worked at the college and high school levels, has well over 30 years of experience in coaching. He is replacing Jason Russell as the Chargers’ offensive line coach in 2016, and Cutcliffe feels fortunate to have landed a man that has also spent time at Auburn and Ole Miss, among other places.

“He brings head coaching experience from the college level and lots of head coaching experience from the high school level. He’s been an assistant coach at Ole Miss and Vanderbilt and he was at Auburn in 2006 and 2007,” Cutcliffe said. “To get somebody like that for your offensive line with that kind of experience and knowledge of the game, you can’t beat that. He brings so much to the table. As late as it happened, it all worked out perfectly to bring somebody with his experience on board. There is no replacing that.”

Cutcliffe said to have the successful career that McCorkle has had, it’s evident that he is willing to do anything on the staff to help.

“He will do anything and everything in order for us to be successful. He cares about our players a lot already and I think that’s obvious to them,” Cutcliffe said. “I think he brings a lot of toughness and aggressiveness to our offensive line. He teaches all the little fundamentals that are so important to offensive line play. I think the toughness that he brings is the biggest trait that I would point out. You have to be tough, physically and mentally, when you play offensive line

JOEY BRENT | OXFORD CITIZEN

Oxford football coach Chris Cutcliffe has been very pleased with his new offensive line coach, Sam McCorkle, who has over 30 years of coaching experience to offer the players. and I think those guys are really buying into that and playing physical and doing a lot of things well.”

McCorkle is one of three newcomers to the staff, and Cutcliffe believed the group has to come together early in order to have success later in the year. Going back to the start of the 2014 season, only Cutcliffe and Bobby Sanders are back on the staff for 2016.

“It’s a very new staff and a lot of new faces.

Chris Baughman is new and then Logan Dodson and Matt McCrory have both been here one year,” Cutcliffe said. “Then you have Stan Robertson that is new. So we’ve had a ton of turnover and newness on the staff over the last couple of years.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2016

Baseball

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Whether we're ranked high or not, we've got a lot of good players that I think can help us hopefully get to Omaha in the fuFROM 15 ture.”

Kessinger said that in group chats, the Miss, and the coached the Rebels, leading discussion centered the idea of it being them to the NCAA Tournament in 1995. “cool” to all play together and went to Even though Grae Kessinger has grown up Omaha. in Oxford and been around the program, he “With everything going on with the draft still didn't know where all the buildings stuff, there is just a lot going on. Every now were on campus when he first started going and then, the conversation would come to class. back up and really sit in on you, that it “There is definitely newness. Dorm life, would be an awesome feeling to have there is a lot I'm still getting used to. I've eneverybody get here and knowing that everyjoyed it. Hopefully I will know where I'm body, one through 16, can play,” Kessinger going easier in the fall,” he said. “It will be a said. “We can do special things.” little less stressful when I figure it all out.”

Johnson called the recruiting rankings “a Johnson, who is from Illinois, didn't know money maker” and he didn't pay much atmany of the players he signed with before tention to where the Rebels ended up. he came for summer school. The big thing “I know that we have the best recruiting for him was to build up relationships with class in the country and nobody cares his teammates, and the bonding experience JOHN DAVIS | OXFORD CITIZEN about rankings when you're out there on paid off, Johnson said.

“When you build the relationship with Ole Miss signed one of the nation's best signing classes for baseball. These five newcomers, the field,” he said. “I know from playing this group of people, and everybody does it Will Ethridge, Cooper Johnson, Thomas Dillard, Ryan Rolison and Grae Kessinger, were play- with some of these guys, we have the most together, it creates a group morale,” Johners who could have been playing professional ball right now, instead of working out for the talented recruiting class in the country. I have no doubt in my mind that we're going son said. “I know for this group of guys, the 2017 season. to go out and perform in the fall and in the draft thing was very realistic. None of us respring.” ally knew where we would be in a month, “It takes up a lot of time. You talk to so many the workouts tough, Rolison said.

Rolison, who is from Jackson, Tennessee, Ethridge thought getting the month of whether we would be playing pro ball different people and a lot of your attention July behind them was a key to getting accli- was able to come to some football games somewhere or in school. I think that put a go towards that. It was hard to stay in conand he attended the regional this past seamated to college. hitch in the relationship with everyone betact with everyone. Now that we've gotten son. He said the atmosphere at O-U Sta“It's been really helpful getting ready for cause there wasn't that constant contact. to campus, everyone forgot who you were dium persuaded him over pro ball. the fall,” he said.

But once we all found out that we would be back home. Now we're working as a group “I think that had a big say in what I did, to Dillard said he was confident in what the coming down to campus, then we got a lot rather than individuals.” throw in that kind of atmosphere, was big,” tighter.

The pitchers go through the same work- class could do, regardless of the rankings.

“It's a system that people form about our Rolison said.

“When we came down on our official, we outs as the position players. There is a players, and I'm really confident in our all clicked pretty well but that whole draft slight difference when it comes to the class, one through 16,” Dillard said. “Everyprocess, I think I can speak for everyone, upper body, to keep the range of motion john.davis@journalinc.com down, but Fleming is fair about keeping body can play. They're here for a reason.

Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd but it's pretty taxing,” Johnson continued.

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