Senate Resolution 37

(As Adopted by Senate)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 2021 MANCHESTER ACADEMY "LADY MAVERICKS" GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH EMILY POE FOR WINNING THEIR FIRST STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, Manchester Academy (Yazoo City) Head Coach Emily Poe and her "Lady Mavericks" Girls Basketball Team had one singular thought embedded in their collective brains since day one of the 2020-2021 season: winning the State Championship. All the conditioning, sprints, weightlifting, intense practices, and games were just stepping-stones on the path to the title. The Lady Mavs reached the end of the road on February 27, 2021, at Benton Academy, defeating the Columbus Christian Lady Rams 52-38 to bring home the 2020-2021 MAIS Academy Class 2A State Championship and the first title in school history for the Lady Mavericks; and

WHEREAS, "After what happened to us last season when we hit that bump in the road, we made it our mission to get to this game and win it, it means everything to me and everything to the girls," said Coach Poe. "They worked hard all year and we accomplished what we set out to do"; and

WHEREAS, from the opening tip, the Lady Mavs, who never once trailed in the Championship Game, were firing on all cylinders, led by forward Karley Martin. Martin opened the game scoring five points during an 8-0 run that eventually ended in a 14-7 first quarter advantage for the Lady Mavs. The Lady Rams were able to narrow the Manchester Academy lead to one at 21-20 but Lizzy Carpenter connected on one of two free throws and Sydney Porter had a steal and a layup to boost the Manchester Academy lead back to 24-21 at the half. A strange thing happened early in the third quarter, however, with the Lady Mavs leading by three, 26-23, a power surge shut the lights off in the Benton gymnasium, leaving the teams and fans in complete darkness. The 15-minute delay might have been just what the Lady Rams needed to slow the Lady Mavericks down, but Poe had other plans in mind. When play resumed, Poe's troops did just that, as Potter scored 10 straight points (including two three-pointers) and the Lady Mavs closed out the quarter on a 14-2 run to take a 40-25 lead into the final frame. Manchester increased their lead to as many as 17 points before pulling away for the 14-point win; and

WHEREAS, the 2021 Lady Mavs Championship Roster is: Lanie Potter, Anna Kate Griffin, Ivy Sowell, Olivia Fulton, Aubrey Anna Martin, Lizzy Carpenter, Karley Martin, Sydney Porter, Anna Grace Ellison, Lexie Greenlee and Presley Trammell; Head Coach Emily Poe, and Assistant Coaches David Dew and Robyn Kelly; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this special group of talented student athletes who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the 2021 Manchester Academy "Lady Mavericks" Girls Basketball Team and Head Coach Emily Poe for winning their first State Championship, and extend to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors our best wishes for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Emily Poe and Manchester Headmaster Bryan Dendy for the team, forwarded to the Manchester Academy Board of Trustees, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.