Mississippi

Friday night football: A thriving Mississippi tradition begins again

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2022

Friday night football: A thriving Mississippi tradition begins again

Jefferson Davis County celebrates the 2021 MHSAA Class 3A championship gained at Roberts Stadium at Southern Miss.(Keith Warren photograph)

The Mississippi Excessive Faculty Actions Affiliation (MHSAA), the governing physique of the state’s public colleges athletics, begins its one centesimal yr of operations with this soccer season.

Mississippi highschool soccer is barely older.

On Dec. 5, 1905, Yazoo Metropolis defeated visiting Winona 5-0 within the state’s first highschool soccer recreation. No, there wasn’t a area objective or a security. A landing counted 5 factors again then. Yazoo scored the one one. There have been no shoulder pads, no helmets. The biggest gamers on both staff tipped the scales at about 145 kilos. The Winona staff and supporters rode a practice to Yazoo to play the sport. You possibly can look all of it up. I did. Particulars are sketchy. There have been no sports activities writers in Mississippi again then.

The 1905 Winona Excessive Tigers performed Yazoo Metropolis in Mississippi’s first highschool soccer recreation.

Little did these nation boys from Winona and Yazoo know, however they had been beginning a convention that has not solely endured however flourished. Mississippi highschool soccer has produced an inordinate quantity of the best gamers within the historical past of the game. Friday evening soccer has turn out to be virtually part of the state’s tradition as Sunday morning church companies.

Years in the past, somebody requested me why highschool soccer has such a maintain on the state’s citizenry. Why can we find it irresistible a lot? I wrote my reply in a column. It follows:

It’s the dimly lit, small-town area, carved and leveled from a cow pasture or a bean area, and surrounded by picket bleachers that sag towards the center on a Friday evening.

It’s the bugs, by the hundreds of thousands, that swarm within the stadium lights.

It’s the mamas who wince and canopy their eyes each time their boy will get hit.

It’s the dads who fidget and fret, simply as they did in a hospital ready room 16, 17 or 18 years in the past.

It’s the grandmas and grandpas, aunties and uncles who scream themselves hoarse.

It’s the railbirds, too nervous to sit down, who prowl the sidelines shouting encouragement to the gamers, recommendation to the coaches and issues we are able to’t print right here to the lads in stripes.

It’s the rivalries: Brandon-Pearl, Booneville-Baldwyn, Mendenhall-Magee, Laurel-Hattiesburg, Forest-Morton, Pisgah-Pelahatchie and so many extra.

It’s the cheerleaders, smiling, bouncing, clapping and screaming. They reside for this evening, and it exhibits.

It’s the managers and ballboys, typically small boys with towels wrapped round their necks, who eagerly race onto and off the sphere with water bottles all through the evening.

It’s the bands, some massive, most small. It’s an typically off-key model of our nationwide anthem that followers on the guests’ facet can’t hear.

It’s the majorettes shivering on a cold November evening.

It’s the little youngsters, behind the bleachers, enjoying their very own spirited video games with footballs manufactured from crumpled paper cups, dreaming of their activate the striped area on the opposite facet of the bleachers.

It’s the homecoming court docket, daddies escorting daughters, praying their darling’s title will probably be referred to as.

It’s the smoky aroma of hamburgers and scorching canine grilling simply exterior the concession stands. It’s a steaming cup of scorching chocolate on that first brisk, late October evening.

It’s the explosive crack of a linebacker’s shoulder pads crashing right into a fullback’s intestine.

This was the scene when Madison Central and Brandon performed within the 2021 MHSAA Class 6A Soccer Championshipg. (Keith Warren photograph)

It’s the coaches, some who act as generals and others extra like drill sergeants. Most of the time they’re as edgy as a cat in a canine kennel. Wouldn’t you be in case your job trusted the capricious bounces of an rectangular ball and the fickle focus of teen-aged boys?

It’s teaching legends comparable to Jim Drewry, Mike Justice, Willis Wright, Ed Steele, Jack Bailey, M.C. Miller, Marion “Chief” Henley, Ricky Black, Mac Barnes, Stanley Blackmon and so many extra.

It’s these teen-aged boys, themselves, pounding one another’s shoulder pads, shaking their fists, bouncing on the information of their toes simply previous to kickoff.

It’s the big-bellied, gray-haired head linesman in a striped shirt, telling the 15-year-old large receiver he must again up a little bit bit.

It’s that brutally scorching first recreation in August when everyone seems to be undefeated and everybody’s expectations are so excessive.

It’s that first Friday and Saturday in December when the most effective of the most effective play within the State Championship video games and entire cities comply with them.

It’s so wealthy a heritage: a thin large receiver named Rice, a drum major- turned-running again named Payton, a freckle-faced redhead named Archie, a coach’s son named Favre, a mama’s boy named Stevie McNair.

It’s all these broad-shouldered, rangy, raw-boned nation boys named Poole.

“Boys, have I discovered us a recreation to play,” Buster informed Ray and Barney, and, boy, had he. . .It’s the sports activities writers, from huge each day newspapers and small weeklies, thanking heaven somebody really pays them to write down about these weekly ardour performs.

It’s how vital all of it is. It’s how whole communities rally across the staff. It’s our tradition, a part of our cloth.

It’s a fall Friday evening in Mississippi.

And it doesn’t get any higher. Anyplace.

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by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi At this time
August 26, 2022

<h1>Friday evening soccer: A thriving Mississippi custom begins once more</h1> by Rick Cleveland, Mississippi At this time August 26, 2022 <determine class=”wp-block-image size-large”><img src=”https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Mancuso-1200×800.jpg” alt=”” class=”wp-image-1019434″ /><figcaption>Jefferson Davis County celebrates the 2021 MHSAA Class 3A championship gained at Roberts Stadium at Southern Miss.(Keith Warren photograph)</figcaption></determine> The Mississippi Excessive Faculty Actions Affiliation (MHSAA), the governing physique of the state’s public colleges athletics, begins its one centesimal yr of operations with this soccer season. Mississippi highschool soccer is barely older. On Dec. 5, 1905, <a href=”https://mississippitoday.org/2017/11/30/winona-tigers-play-in-state-title-game-only-took-them-112-years-to-get-there/” goal=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Yazoo Metropolis defeated visiting Winona 5-0</a> within the state’s first highschool soccer recreation. No, there wasn’t a area objective or a security. A landing counted 5 factors again then. Yazoo scored the one one. There have been no shoulder pads, no helmets. The biggest gamers on both staff tipped the scales at about 145 kilos. The Winona staff and supporters rode a practice to Yazoo to play the sport. You possibly can look all of it up. I did. Particulars are sketchy. There have been no sports activities writers in Mississippi again then. <determine class=”wp-block-image alignright size-full”><img src=”https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Winona-football-team.png” alt=”” class=”wp-image-112900″ /><figcaption>The 1905 Winona Excessive Tigers performed Yazoo Metropolis in Mississippi’s first highschool soccer recreation.</figcaption></determine> Little did these nation boys from Winona and Yazoo know, however they had been beginning a convention that has not solely endured however flourished. Mississippi highschool soccer has produced an inordinate quantity of the best gamers within the historical past of the game. Friday evening soccer has turn out to be virtually part of the state’s tradition as Sunday morning church companies. Years in the past, somebody requested me why highschool soccer has such a maintain on the state’s citizenry. Why can we find it irresistible a lot? I wrote my reply in a column. It follows: It’s the dimly lit, small-town area, carved and leveled from a cow pasture or a bean area, and surrounded by picket bleachers that sag towards the center on a Friday evening.  It’s the bugs, by the hundreds of thousands, that swarm within the stadium lights. <determine class=”wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized”><img src=”https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Rick-Cleveland2-crop.jpg” alt=”” class=”wp-image-1022343″ width=”204″ peak=”204″ /><figcaption>Rick Cleveland </figcaption></determine> It’s the mamas who wince and canopy their eyes each time their boy will get hit. It’s the dads who fidget and fret, simply as they did in a hospital ready room 16, 17 or 18 years in the past. It’s the grandmas and grandpas, aunties and uncles who scream themselves hoarse. It’s the railbirds, too nervous to sit down, who prowl the sidelines shouting encouragement to the gamers, recommendation to the coaches and issues we are able to’t print right here to the lads in stripes. It’s the rivalries: Brandon-Pearl, Booneville-Baldwyn, Mendenhall-Magee, Laurel-Hattiesburg, Forest-Morton,  Pisgah-Pelahatchie and so many extra. It’s the cheerleaders, smiling, bouncing, clapping and screaming. They reside for this evening, and it exhibits. It’s the managers and ballboys, typically small boys with towels wrapped round their necks, who eagerly race onto and off the sphere with water bottles all through the evening.  It’s the bands, some massive, most small. It’s an typically off-key model of our nationwide anthem that followers on the guests’ facet can’t hear. It’s the majorettes shivering on a cold November evening. It’s the little youngsters, behind the bleachers, enjoying their very own spirited video games with footballs manufactured from crumpled paper cups, dreaming of their activate the striped area on the opposite facet of the bleachers. It’s the homecoming court docket, daddies escorting daughters, praying their darling’s title will probably be referred to as. It’s the smoky aroma of hamburgers and scorching canine grilling simply exterior the concession stands. It’s a steaming cup of scorching chocolate on that first brisk, late October evening. It’s the explosive crack of a linebacker’s shoulder pads crashing right into a fullback’s intestine. <determine class=”wp-block-image size-large”><img src=”https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Brandon-fans-1200×800.jpg” alt=”” class=”wp-image-1019436″ /><figcaption>This was the scene when Madison Central and Brandon performed within the 2021 MHSAA Class 6A Soccer Championshipg. (Keith Warren photograph)</figcaption></determine> It’s the coaches, some who act as generals and others extra like drill sergeants. Most of the time they’re as edgy as a cat in a canine kennel. Wouldn’t you be in case your job trusted the capricious bounces of an rectangular ball and the fickle focus of teen-aged boys? It’s teaching legends comparable to Jim Drewry, Mike Justice, Willis Wright, Ed Steele, Jack Bailey, M.C. Miller, Marion “Chief” Henley, Ricky Black, Mac Barnes, Stanley Blackmon and so many extra. It’s these teen-aged boys, themselves, pounding one another’s shoulder pads, shaking their fists, bouncing on the information of their toes simply previous to kickoff. It’s the big-bellied, gray-haired head linesman in a striped shirt, telling the 15-year-old large receiver he must again up a little bit bit. It’s that brutally scorching first recreation in August when everyone seems to be undefeated and everybody’s expectations are so excessive. It’s that first Friday and Saturday in December when the most effective of the most effective play within the State Championship video games and entire cities comply with them. It’s so wealthy a heritage: a thin large receiver named Rice, a drum major- turned-running again named Payton, a freckle-faced redhead named Archie, a coach’s son named Favre, a mama’s boy named Stevie McNair.  It’s all these broad-shouldered, rangy, raw-boned nation boys named Poole. “Boys, have I discovered us a recreation to play,” Buster informed Ray and Barney, and, boy, had he. . .It’s the sports activities writers, from huge each day newspapers and small weeklies, thanking heaven somebody really pays them to write down about these weekly ardour performs. It’s how vital all of it is. It’s how whole communities rally across the staff. It’s our tradition, a part of our cloth. It’s a fall Friday evening in Mississippi. And it doesn’t get any higher. Anyplace. This <a goal=”_blank” href=”https://mississippitoday.org/2022/08/26/high-school-football-tradition/”>article</a> first appeared on <a goal=”_blank” href=”https://mississippitoday.org”>Mississippi At this time</a> and is republished right here below a Artistic Commons license.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MT_square-thumb.jpg?match=150percent2C150&ssl=1″ fashion=”width:1em;peak:1em;margin-left:10px;”><img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&put up=1079675&ga=UA-75003810-1″ fashion=”width:1px;peak:1px;”><div class="mvp-post-ad-wrap">Advertisement<div class="mvp-post-ad"> <div id="M815923ScriptRootC1332091"> </div> <script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.co.uk/n/e/newspub.live.1332091.js" async> </script>  </div></div>

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Mississippi

MPCA testing the entirety of the Mississippi River within Minnesota

Published

1 hour ago

September 2, 2024

Press Room

MPCA testing the entirety of the Mississippi River within Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. —It winds 650 miles, rushing past the cities, industries and landscapes that make up Minnesota.

However, the Mississippi River has never gotten this type of attention from water quality professionals.

For the first time ever, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is testing the entirety of the river, from Itasca to Iowa, in a single year.

The governor’s office wants the river to be swimmable and fishable, but right now, parts of the river are polluted.

The MPCA says the upper Mississippi is largely healthy up north, but quality drops south of St. Cloud where metro development and tributaries from agriculture muddy the waters. The National Park Service says stretches of the river exceed water quality standards for things like mercury, bacteria and sediment.

Think of the testing like a checkup for one of our state’s most valuable and powerful resources. Researchers will check temperature, transparency and levels of pollutants like phosphorus, nitrogen and ammonia.

Crews also check fish for those contaminants and collect insects to test in a lab to identify any concerning trends.

“If we find the fish community is suffering — maybe the water is too warm and maybe there’s a thermal pollution source upstream or maybe it’s too much runoff — that sort of stuff. Temperature is an important indicator especially for sensitive species,” Isaac Martin with the MPCA said.

Also for the first time, the agency is looking for PFAS contamination with money from an Environmental Protection Agency grant to identify and stop the forever chemicals from streaming into the Mississippi.

PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals for industry and consumer products that don’t break down in the environment. While research is ongoing, the EPA says exposure to the chemicals can cause human health issues. It’s why the federal agency just lowered the amount allowed in drinking water.

“They go to parts per trillion, which is incredibly sensitive. You get that low, you’re talking drops in an Olympic swimming pool,” Martin said. “Part of the reason why it was chosen is because it’s a primary drinking source or potentially could be a primary drinking source. We’re just finding them in places we never expected to find them. We’re finding them almost everywhere and being that it is new, there’s just a lot of ‘I don’t know’ that goes with it.”

It’s too early to know what this complete snapshot will reveal, but we know this powerful river is part of our community, economy and health.

“Maybe you don’t use the resource yourself, but maybe you know someone who does or future generations of your own will,” Martin said. “In Minnesota, we’re just trying to be the best stewards we can be.”

The data from this testing will be available early next year. Researchers will use that data and compare it to 10-year pollution averages to determine which parts of the river are improved or impaired.

A full report will be released in 2026.

Erin Hassanzadeh

Erin is back home in the Twin Cities after stops in South Korea and Omaha. The Jefferson High School grad (Go Jags!) is excited to get back to storytelling in the community that raised her.

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Mississippi

Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)

Published

9 hours ago

September 2, 2024

Press Room

Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for August25-31. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. The poll will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email Tyler@scorebooklive.com. For questions/issues with he poll, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.

Editor’s note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Kohl Bradley, DB, George County: Racked up 17 tackles and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in a 33-7 win over East Central.

DaJuan Colbert, DB, Natchez: Recorded 15 tackles, forced one fumble and returned another one 75 yards for a touchdown in a 58-50 win over Hancock.

Garrison Davis, QB, Holmes County Central: Completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-6 win over Vicksburg.

Xzavion Gainwell, DB, Yazoo County: Recorded nine tackles, an interception and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Panthers’ 20-16 win over South Delta.

Elijah Jones, RB, West Jones: Had 24 carries 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Laurel.

Kingi McNair, WR, Pearl: Caught four passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over Neshoba Central.

Ashton Nichols, DB, Clinton: Recorded six tackles to go with two big pass breakups, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown in a 26-20 win over Warren Central.

Ethan Prater, RB, Pisgah: Rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries with three scores and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 33-32 win over North Forrest.

Glen Singleton, RB, Madison Central: Rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries with all four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Ocean Springs.

Damarius Yates, RB, Kemper County: Rushed for 193 yards on 17 carries and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a 38-15 win over Kosciusko.

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Mississippi

‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations

Published

16 hours ago

September 2, 2024

Press Room

‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.

Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.

Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.

CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.

“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.

Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.

Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.

“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.

Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.

“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.

Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.

“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”

The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.

“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.

All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.

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