Those who were there and watching or listening remember the South Panola Tigers trying to earn a perfect season and a state title game against Warren Central in 1993. 

South Panola Football had never participated in a state championship. We fans didn’t know what to expect or how to act.

It was a key punt block, recovery and touchdown by Malikia Dunsha Griffin in the fourth quarter that sealed the deal and helped SP to a perfect 15-0 season, state championship and the beginning of a football dynasty and SP fans’ perspective forever changed.

Griffin has been named to the South Panola Athletic Hall of Fame and will be recognized with other Hall inductees in an April ceremony.

A three sport athlete Griffin had earned  multiple defensive and offensive Player of the Week awards. He would also help win a State Track Championship anchoring the 4×100 Relay Team. 

Griffin accepted a scholarship to Ole Miss as a defensive back and helped the Rebels win their first bowl game coming off of probation in 1997 according to his bio when the Rebels beat Marshall in the Ford Motor City Bowl in Detroit.

After graduation he continued his football career in the Canadian Football League with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Memphis Explorers of the Arena Football League. 

After his playing days Griffin continued with his football interests by coaching defensive backs at South Panola, Bolivar Central and Northwest Community College.

He is presently residing in Southaven with his wife, Cassandra Lasha and two children, Cameron and Christina. A small business owner, he is the son of Otis Griffin and Emma Hines.  

The SP Athletic Hall of Fame committee will induct classes for two years, 2021 and 2022 (a maximum of five per year) to catch up following two years of Covid cancellations.

Included with Griffin in the 2021 class are Durwood Gordon, Wayne Pitcock, Marilyn Foshee, and Coach Ronald Lee (Runt) McMinn.

The 2022 Class includes athletes Elliot Smith, Josh Bright, Kevin Jones, Amanda Ivy and Coach Willis Wright.

Also to be honored with the 2022 class for Community Service recognition are Von Sanford and Patrick Sykes.