SP Football
Published 12:00 am Friday, January 28, 2011
South Panola head coach Lance Pogue accepted the Rivals.com National Championship trophy from representative Dallas Jackson Tuesday. Rivals moved South Panola to the top of the poll on August 31 and the team remained there throughout the season. It was also the first poll to name the Tigers National Champions. The Panolian photo by Angie Ledbetter
The South Panola football team coaches, city board members and others traveled to the Mississippi State capitol in Jackson for South Panola Day in Mississippi as decreed by Governor Haley Barbour. Hosting the entourage was the Panola County contingent in the state legislature Senator and Mrs. Nolan Mettetal, Representatives Warner McBride and Joe C. Gardner and Supreme Court Justice George C. Carlson. The team was recognized by the Senate which was in session, and toured the House of Represent
By Myra Bean
It has been quite a week for the South Panola Tiger football team, as members were treated like royalty.
Accolades, proclamations, trophy presentations and receptions have all been done to honor the 2010 National Football Champions as decided by three national polls.
Rivals.com, MaxPreps and USA today declared the Tigers the national champions in December. Since then, t-shirts, outer wear and banners have appeared to permanently mark the occasion.
The Tigers are the first football team from Mississippi to be named National Champions.
To make the event more momentous, the Mississippi State Legislature hosted the team and coaches Wednesday morning with a proclamation from Governor Haley Barbour declaring it was South Panola Day in the state of Mississippi and a concurrent Resolution from the Mississippi House and Senate congratulating each and every team member.
It was an emotional event to Senator Nolan Mettetal, a former SP Tiger himself, to be able to host the team and introduce them before other Senate members.
Numerous standing ovations came from the Senate as the proclamation and resolutions were read and after head coach Lance Pogue, who also celebrated his 42nd birthday Wednesday, spoke.
The celebrations are not yet over. Next to the presentation of the rings which will take place just before the end of school, another celebration of sorts is in the works.
The Panolian is finalizing a book which celebrates and immortalizes this national championship season.
To help get this book off the ground, Smith-Phillips-Mitchell-Scott & Nowak, LLP Law Firm has agreed to help underwrite the book as a main sponsor to supply each team member a book.
“We appreciate the Smith, Phillips, Mitchell, Scott and Nowak law firm for stepping up and making sure that every team member will receive this book,” said Panolian publisher John Howell. “Their initiative assures that the historic moment of this season will live long in the memory of this community.”
To insure a copy of the national championship book, pre-ordering is required. See page B10 for an order form.
