Senate Concurrent Resolution 659

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE OLIVE BRANCH HIGH SCHOOL "LADY QUISTORS" GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND COACH JASON THOMPSON FOR WINNING THE MHSAA CLASS 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, while the method of digging itself out of a double-digit hole and holding up the Gold Ball Trophy as the 6A State Champions may have not been the preferred way to go about it, it was nonetheless effective. Using a grinding full-court trap Olive Branch High School "Lady Quistors" Girls Basketball Team defeated Starkville 57-54 on March 10, 2017, in the Mississippi Coliseum; and

WHEREAS, after its third visit to the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) 6A State Championship Game in the last four years, the Olive Branch Lady Quistors finally pushed through and won the school's first girls basketball "Gold Ball" Trophy; and

WHEREAS, the Championship marked the seventh time in Jason Thompson's coaching career that he has carried off the title trophy at the end of the game. "With all the energy and the things that had to happen in the game, this one is at the top," Thompson said. "It's right there at the top"; and

WHEREAS, several players factored into the rally that led to the Lady Quistors State Title, but Mahogany Vaught and Myah Taylor turned second-half pressure defense into key points to finish off the Lady Jackets. Taylor finished as the scoring leader for Olive Branch with 16 points, but 12 of those points came in the final eight minutes of the title victory. Mahogany Vaught scored 14 for the Lady Quistors and was named Player of the Game; and

WHEREAS, the Olive Branch title, the first Girls' Basketball Championship in the school's history, also puts DeSoto County in the unique situation of having two State Champions in two different states this year, as Northpoint Christian School took the Tennessee Division II-A Title one week previous in Nashville, Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, the 2016-2017 Lady Quistors Championship Roster is: Myah Taylor, PG; Sarena Shipp, G; Shadavia Sims, G; Mahogany Vaught, G; Dasia Harden, G,F,W; Sarah Cararas, C; Tyriana Gilbert, C; Trinity Murray, PG; Olivia Jecty, Marika Owens, W,F,G; Jocelyn Welch, PG; Dominique Walls, G; Katie Blackmon, C; Endya Buford, PG; Dallas Hullett, C,F; Nadia Gillespie, F; Kira Morris, Meka Dodson, Neisha Eason, Shelise Blackmon, Tymera Wheeler; and Head Coach Jason Thompson; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this group of 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, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Olive Branch High School "Lady Quistors" Girls Basketball Team and Coach Jason Thompson for winning the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A State Championship, and extend our best wishes to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors for future success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Jason Thompson and Olive Branch Principal Allyson Killough, forwarded to the DeSoto County Board of Education, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.