Senate Concurrent Resolution 568

(As Adopted by Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 2017 JACKSON PREP "PATRIOTS" FOOTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH RICKY BLACK FOR WINNING AN HISTORIC SIXTH STRAIGHT MAIS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, Mississippi high school football history was made on Friday, November 17, 2017, and Jackson Prep was behind it. "Six straight, baby!" There was no way to pinpoint exactly who was shouting it because it seemed to be coming from everyone's mouth at Robinson Hale Stadium following Jackson Prep's 38-3 win over Parklane, the sixth straight State Championship for the program; and

WHEREAS, it is the longest streak in Mississippi high school football history, beating South Panola's five straight from 2OO3-2007. "You don't ever envision winning a bunch of games," Coach Ricky Black said. "You don't ever envision winning six championships in a row. It's just unreal to think you could win six in a row. I think it's a tribute to our guys to take the pressure of this season and do that"; and

WHEREAS, the winning tradition built by past Prep teams laid the groundwork for this 2017 squad. What it also did was inspire them to leave their own mark, and be their own Jackson Prep team. Jackson Prep's 2017 teams were set on being remembered and, for them, they will be as not just a team that dominated the MAIS but competed with the MHSAA as well. Prep won all 14 games it played in the 2017 season. "We opened up playing MHSAA teams," Quarterback Chance Lovertich said. "Proving that we're not just the best in the MAIS, we can go out of our league and play with anyone in the state"; and

WHEREAS, the championship game was a slow start by Jackson Prep's standards. Running back Jerrion Ealy said it was championship excitement. The offense sparked when Lovertich started looking to his receivers. Parklane did a good job containing Ealy to start but once they had to worry about the passing game it was game over. All season long the attention has gone to the dynamic tandem that is Ealy and Lovertich. When you're beating teams by an average of 35 points per game it's easy to see why. Prep's defense has held teams to an average of 15 points a game, has had two shutouts and had five games where they've held their opponent to under 10. In the championship, they came up big again, holding Parklane to a field goal; and

WHEREAS, the 2017 Jackson Prep "Patriots" Championship Team Roster is: Javon Magee; Jerrion Ealy, RB, CB; Spence Graves; Wilson Mink; Chance Lovertich, QB, SS; Nevin Wells, FS, LS; Russell Roberts, WR, K; Russell Weathersby; Peyton Greenwood, WR, FS; Adam Norsworthy, RB, DT; Spivey Gault, MLB; Cooper Carroll, SS; Maddox Henry, CB, WR; Alex Gibbs; Parker Gleason; Ryan Myers; Kelly Crumpton, QB; Bennett Johnston, QB; Jake Lange, QB; Carter Stockett; Ford Lange, WR; Landon Wilbanks, WR, CB; Clark Beard; Hayden Hill, OLB; Bryson Weeks; Jay Waits, WR; Christopher Russell, TE, DE; Reed Peets, FB; Jack Gideon, NG, DT; Mitch Kincaid; Gatlin Hixon; Gannon Hayes; Trey Currie, SS, WR, OLB; Brooks Martin; Preston Oden; Even Young, DE, FB; Colt Blough, TE; Andrew Griffin, WR, T, CB; Alex Turner, CB, WR; Talbot Fletcher; Hayes Bufkin, MLB; Robert Griffis; Seth Bagwell, WR, CB; Tripp Cory; Charlie Ott, G; Duncan Jones; Thad Crawford, G; Brooks Gobbel, DT, T; Caleb Gay, C; J.P. Guillbeau, DT, G; Emory Maxwell; Barron Liston; William Cotton, DT; Knox Loposer; Logan Osborne, NG, T; Ben Burnett; Patrick Phillips; Nelson Ramsey, G; Jack Myers; Parkman Speights; Forrest Smith; Greg Vance; Dixon Hughes; Andrew Beard; Nick Sanford; Jake Maloney; Will Fletcher; William Bronzi, WR, CB; Ashton William Heath, OLB, WR; Matt Clair, TE; J.C. Polk, TE, DE; Roaman Zhou; and Jack Drennan; and Head Coach Ricky Black; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this group of student athletes whose historic season has 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 2017 Jackson Prep "Patriots" Football Team and Head Coach Ricky Black for winning an historic sixth straight MAIS State Championship, and extend our best wishes to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors for future championship success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Ricky Black for the team, forwarded to Prep Interim Headmaster Denny Britt, the Prep Board of Trustees, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.