By Angie Ledbetter

The 2009 South Panola football coaching staff was faced with many uncertainties when the new season started. Changes were made on the coaching staff and players were switched to new positions but that never stopped anyone. Starting the new season with young players, the coaches found out quickly the talent of the kids and the heart they had for the Tiger team.

The season began with a win but two games later, the team was faced with a huge loss. That loss turned them around and they never looked back even when their fans didn’t believe. The coaching staff believed and had the faith it took to get the young team to the first ever 6A State Championship and brought home the first ever ‘Snow Bowl’ gold trophy.

“Our team displayed so much heart and our team had so much togetherness and unity,” said head coach Lance Pogue. “When I say team I mean coaching staff and players. We all believed in each other. It is an unbelievable display of heart and character. The state championship game was along the same line. They were real physical and tough. When we won that Madison Central game, I felt like they had a wouldn’t-be-denied attitude and it never crossed my mind that we’d lose the championship game. I had that much confidence in them. If I can put it all in one word and it would be ‘heart.’”

David Wilkerson coached quarterbacks Lee Self and Kendrick Market and receivers Nick Brassell, Marcus Henry and Montez Griffin.

“I thought we grew up as the season went along,” he said. “We were real young when we started. For me, I think we really progressed and learned a lot from the loss to MUS. It showed us some thing we could and couldn’t do. It exposed some weaknesses in our team. After that loss we really came together as a team. We got on a roll after that. After the Olive Branch game we really started playing with confidence. We got better and better every week.

“The state championship game was total domination from the start,” Wilkerson added. “Our kids were well prepared and ready to play. In my opinion it wouldn’t have mattered if it was clear, snowing or raining. It was real evident who the best team was and best prepared one was once the game started. Our kids had fun and were ready to win.”

Offensive coordinator Trey Dickerson coached the offensive line of Austin Douglas, Martez Wallace, E.J. Jones, Deshondrick Hines and Kenyahti McMurray.

“To me the season was watching young, inexperienced guys turn into football players learning how to play the game,” Dickerson said. “When we first started we were so young with so many new starters. They were out there playing but didn’t know exactly how to win. As the season went along they grew and learned what it took to win. That’s how it ended.

“We played great in every aspect of the game at the state championship,” he added. “To me, we just overwhelmed them with our defense sitting on their speed and offensively we were so physical. That was the difference in the whole game.”

Eddie Maxon coached defensive lineman Devin Clark, Temario Strong, Taylor Rotenberry and Issac Gross.

“It was a memorable season and domination sums it up,” Maxon said. “The state championship win couldn’t have happened to a better group of players and coaches who love each other in a great city of Batesville.”

Jamie Easley coached defensive backs Al Hentz, Antonio Conner, Dennis Draper, Pierre Conner and Nick Brassell. This being his first state championship season, he said it is the most memorable.

“We took a pretty good knock last year in the state championship but the kids came in and worked hard and overcame so much,” Easley said. “A lot of folks didn’t give us a very good chance of winning or getting there much less. We had a lot of young new faces that came through for us and they weren’t going to be denied. You could tell in the weight room and the practices that they wanted it really bad.

“The State championship game was the same deal,” he continued. “The kids had their minds set to finish the deal. Again they weren’t going to be denied.”

Eric Rice who coaches tight ends and fullbacks said, “This was a very exciting season with our team being so young. With the full backs and tight ends, I started two new starters with Taylor Rotenberry moving to defensive end. Donnell Chapman, a junior, started at tight end. Hunter Lawrence, a sophomore, and Matthew Brown, a senior, split time at full back. They all did a great job. Donnell Chapman broke his leg in the Clinton game and Taylor Rotenberry had to play both ways. We got better as the season went on, both as a team and as a position. I thought by the end of the season we were playing our best ball and that’s what you hope for as a coach.”

Winning the championship was a dream come true for Rice.

“It was a long year from the loss to Meridian last season,” Rice said. “It felt like a load taken off our backs. I thought the players were focused and ready to play. It was a great end to a great season. Almost hate to see it end but great to hold up that gold ball.”

Mark Weaver coaches outside linebackers Montez Griffin, Dennis Draper and Timothy Gleaton. He said the players worked really hard to be successful.

“We started out with a very young team that had a lot of guys that had never started before,” Weaver said.

“When we got to the MUS game, we lost it because of lack of experience. The guys hadn’t had time to learn the system, what to do and the effort they had to play with to win a game. We got better all year and when it came to Madison Central, that was a big challenge but they rose to that challenge.

“When it came to the state championship game, some of them knew what it felt like from last year when we lost to Meridian. This year they went down there to not be denied,” Weaver added.

Arnie Oakes coached running backs Nick Parker and Dominique Carothers.

“Great players make coaches look good,” Oakes said. “It was nothing I did because they have great talent.

“Every game throughout the season the kids got better and better each game,” Oakes continued. “Even losing the game to MUS, that game brought us closer together as a team more than any others even though no one wants to lose.”

The championship game was the explanation point to a great finish, according to Oakes.

“The championship game was a great ending without a doubt with the margin of victory that we had,” Oakes said. “The kids were hungry and played really well. They went down there last year and lost it but were fortunate enough to make it back. They had their minds made up that they were coming back with the big gold ball.”

Trey Higdon, who helps with the offense and long snappers said, “This season showed the passion our kids have for their community, school and players of the past. Our players take each game with a business approach. At the state championship game, we took care of business.”

Artee Smith who helped with the offense said the season was trying.

“We strive to try and come out to play a full game,” Smith said. “Several times we came out and played a great first half or second half but the few games when we did play, it was hard for teams to match up with us. We’re extremely young but extremely talented. The turning point of the season in my opinion was the MUS game. We hated to drop that game but it was an eye opener for the kids. We would much rather drop one during the year than that one in December.

The team was firing on all cylinders Friday night, according to Smith.

“It seemed like from kickoff that Oak Grove was out matched like they really didn’t want to be there,” Smith said. “Our kids were extremely excited about the game. We knew they were going to fight hard because they had a bad taste in their mouth from last year’s loss because we had a chance to win that game. They didn’t want to leave it on the field again.”

Gary Sims who helped with the defense said, “Panola County is full of so many good people. It’s a known fact that a few turned on us after last year’s championship game and a few more announced that we were done with after the MUS game. However, our players and staff never doubted what we could do. This win is a testament to hard work and faith. It’s also a gift to the good people of Panola County that believed in us. It’s also a polite smile, nod of the head and wink to those that did not. We have the best support of any team in Mississippi. I want those magnificent people in those stands to know that.”