House Concurrent Resolution 102

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE MOUNT OLIVE HIGH SCHOOL PIRATES FOOTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH PERRY MURPHY FOR WINNING THEIR SECOND CONSECUTIVE MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, the Mount Olive High School Pirates won their second straight Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 1A Football Championship with a 20-14 victory over Durant High on December 12, 2010, at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson; and

WHEREAS, Mount Olive finished with an 11-4 record and earned their third state football title in school history; and

WHEREAS, for the second straight year, the Pirates put on a near flawless show in the Class 1A Championship game, led by senior quarterback, Rueben Duckworth, with Mount Olive scoring on its second and last possessions of the first half; and

WHEREAS, Duckworth rushed for one touchdown and threw for one touchdown for a 14-14 half-time tie, with Rueben Duckworth rushing for 240 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns (23-yard touchdown pass to Rayshad Duckworth); Kensey Drake caught two passes for 28 yards; Rayshad Duckworth caught three passes for 38 yards and caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Rueben Duckworth; Rueben Duckworth scored on a 23-yard run on the Pirates first possession of the second half for the winning touchdown; Rueben Duckworth had 15 tackles, Tim Feazell had 14 tackles, Cooley Davis had 12 tackles, Darion Griffith had 11 tackles and Rayshad Duckworth had 9 tackles; Joseph Owens, Kensey Drake, Tim Feazell and Reuben Duckworth all had an interception to help the Pirates hold the Tigers to 14 points (the Tigers were averaging 48 points per game); and Rueben Duckworth finished the year with 2,965 yards rushing and 41 touchdowns; and

WHEREAS, Coach Murphy received his Gatorade bath with one minute left in the game and when time ran out, the Pirates celebrated their back-to-back championship; and

WHEREAS, in July 2009, Coach Murphy was named the Head Varsity Football Coach at Mount Olive High School and in his first season, the Pirates compiled a 10-5 record and won the South 1A and State 1A Championships, with Murphy being awarded the 2009 1A Coach of the Year and WDAM Coach of the Year and currently he serves as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Mount Olive High School; and

WHEREAS, the 2010 Mount Olive Pirates Football Team roster is as follows: William Autman, John Baggett, Jonathan Bain, Keiterrian Buckhalter, Devin Burch, Josh Carr, Zaneil Chatman, Cooley Davis, Kensey Drake, Rayshad Duckworth, Reuben Duckworth, Antawn Easterling, Paris Edwards, Kenneth Feazell, Timothy Feazell, Nirobian Gray, Tazmaun Gray, Thomas Gray, Darion Griffith, Larue Hayes, Jonathan Hinton, Kendal Hooker, O'ryan Hooker, Zarrick Jenkins, Desmon Langston, Preston Lockhart, Jamario Magee, Robert McInnis, Jordon Odom, Mark O'neal, Joseph Owens, Jeremy Rivere, Jacob Runnels, Billy Smith, Willie Stewart, Donaldvan Tatum, Cameron Tillman and Girek Wheeler; Coach and Athletic Director Perry Murphy; Assistant Coaches Kermit Milloy, Norman Johnston, Fred McNair and Jarrod Jordan; Manager Marquavious Sims; and Athletic Trainer Erica Barham; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize outstanding student athletes such as the Mount Olive Pirates who bring honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Mount Olive High School Pirates Football Team and Head Coach Perry Murphy for winning their second consecutive Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 1A State Championship, and extend best wishes on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Coach Murphy, Principal Clay Anglin, Superintendent Ike Sanford and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.