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Celebrated Mississippi recording artist Ace Cannon played the National Anthem prior to the South Panola-Madison Central game Friday night. The Tigers travel to Jackson Friday for a state title. The Panolian photo by Myra Bean
 
Tigers travel to Jackson for first-ever 6A championship

By Myra Bean

For the eighth straight year, the South Panola High School football team will make the trek to Jackson to play in the state championship.

The Tigers have the opportunity to claim the first-ever 6A championship in a new division developed this year for the state’s largest schools. South Panola has won five 5A championships (2003-07) in this decade. SPHS also won the state championship in 1993 and 1998.

In last year’s state championship game, Meridian defeated South Panola 26-20 in an overtime battle, ending the Tigers’ 89-game winning streak.

The Tigers will play the Oak Grove Warriors (11-2) Friday with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

The championships will be televised on Mississippi Public Television, Channel 18.

The state championships will begin Thursday night with the 1A championship game at 7 p.m. between Durant and Mount Olive.

The 2A game will be played Friday at 3 p.m. between Ackerman and Bassfield.

On Saturday, the 3A game begins at 11 a.m. between Aberdeen and Tylertown. At 3 p.m. the 4A clash between Lafayette County and St. Stanislaus kicks off.

A highly anticipated match in 5A will kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday between West Point and Wayne County.

Tickets are $10 and available at South Panola High Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. At the gate, tickets are $12.

As in the past, school will be dismissed on a Tuesday (early release) schedule on Friday in order for fans to have time to travel to the game, according to Superintendent Dr. Keith Shaffer.

South Panola will occupy the “visitors” side, the north side of the stadium, opposite the press box.

Dr. Ennis Proctor, director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association, has challenged teams to sell 3,000 tickets each, of which their school gets to keep half of the proceeds.

Video streaming of the game will be available on pay-per-view at psa360.com or at misshsaa.com.

Locally, WBLE FM 100.5 will broadcast the game live and through www.panola.com.

The Panolian staff is planning a special commemorative section for Friday’s edition. Sports editor Myra Bean will have an interview with SP coach Lance Pogue. The section will also include a “pull-out” banner, a feature story and rosters of both teams.

Advertisers should call 563-4591 to reserve a space.

Visitor Comments
 
Submitted By: devans3428 Submitted: 12/1/2009
Tigers back in the national spotlight where they belong...ranked in USA today #21

Submitted By: willie Submitted: 12/2/2009
I noticed that the Jackson paper has picked Oak Grove to WIN, I also noticed they had MC ranked #1 all year, could we sent someone down there that knows somthing about football.

Submitted By: 55 south Submitted: 12/2/2009
There are plenty of people down here that know a lot about football. No need to senD anyone down. MC was ranked right where they should have been. The game is over now and and there is nothing that can be done about it now. However there will be formal complaints filed, the officiating crew will be asked to be reviewed, and resignations in administrations will be sought. It's amazing that every team that comes to Batesville complains about the same thing. Officiating. Wonder why? And what makes it even worse is Doc Proc sat up there in the spHS stands and allowed it to happen

Submitted By: Lewie Submitted: 12/2/2009
Oh poor 55 South. Your team lost. You have to blame somebody. Doesn't matter that SP was actually penalized more times than MC for more yardage. Doesn't matter that SP usually leads the stats, even in penalties and yardage. Doesn't matter that SP doesn't get to hire the official squad they want. They get the ones that are assigned to them. Check your facts, suck it up, learn how to take defeat and quit trying to blame your problems on someone else.

Submitted By: devans3428 Submitted: 12/2/2009
55 south...AKA Coach Bobby Hall

Submitted By: 55 south Submitted: 12/2/2009
Lewie, if you're going go into facts, make sure you have Yours right. SPHS was penalized more times that MC but for LESS total yardage. MC player gets punched in the head by SP player, which should call for a personal foul penalty and ejection, but instead MC gets penalized for pushing the subject that punched him in the head off of him. And a Definsive CHOP BLOCK, come on, seriously... And I said it was over with now and there was nothing that could be done about it now. Sure would have been nice to see how a fairly called game would have turned out though.

Submitted By: spear Submitted: 12/2/2009
Oak Grove will win big

Submitted By: Submitted: 12/3/2009
55 South-you may be right about penalties but the fact remains that both teams were penalized often. It also appears that extra officials are brought in for playoff games which puts more eyes watching. A respected official once told me that a penalty could be called on every play in high school football. I felt the flow of the game was interupted on several occasions last Friday, much like the long time outs on televised games in college. Also, as a fan, you know that it is often the second punch thrown that gets the penalty. It's not right but it's the human aspect of the game.

Submitted By: 55 South Submitted: 12/3/2009
Thank you. At least you seem to be looking at it in a level headed manner. All I was trying to say is I would've loved to have seen that game called fairly. And in regards to the extra officials, tell me how much sense it makes that TWO of those officials Friday night were IN TRAINING???? Call me crazy, but i'm thinking a Championship game is not the time to be training officials. It's just frustrating to work so hard for something and you end up with what happened Friday night in Batesville, Mississippi. And for who commented earlier, I never said SPHS piicked the officials. The officials are assigned by a person who's name we won't mention, but he's from Clinton. And who hates MC more than Clinton?? I'm thinking Nobody...

Submitted By: 55 South Submitted: 12/3/2009
And no Devan, i'm not Bobby Hall, nor any other Coach or a player. Though i was on the sideline and had a pretty good view of things.

Submitted By: sp fan Submitted: 12/3/2009
55 South theres nothing worse than a grown man sitting around CRYING. SP had TOUCHDOWNS called back on calls that I feel were not penalties so the score could have been worse. face it the best team WON! stop crying.

Submitted By: Fishnlawyr Submitted: 12/3/2009
55 south said: "and resignations in administrations will be sought" Petulant little loser, aren't you?

Submitted By: Fishnlawyr Submitted: 12/3/2009
55 south said: "MC was ranked right where they should have been" Well, if that's so then we must accept that they were the best team. But, when it came head-to-head didn't SPHS beat 'em by two touchdowns? So, maybe you and those guys who rank the teams at the Clarion Ledger were wrong. You can gripe all you want but MC got out-scored 30 to zilch...before they added a couple of worthless touchdowns to make it appear a little more decent. But you know...and we all know...and you can go ahead and say it because here in the online edition of the newspaper from Panola County you can say it without your neighbors reading your words....the SPHS Tigers beat your faux #1 team. Beat 'em pretty bad, too.



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