Senate Concurrent Resolution 509

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE LAMAR SCHOOL "RAIDERS" FOOTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH MAC BARNES FOR WINNING THEIR THIRD STRAIGHT MAIS CLASS AAAA DIVISION II FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, we join the students, coaches, parents and faculty of Lamar School in honoring the "Raiders" Football Team for winning a "three-peat" MAIS Class AAAA Division II State Championship at Jackson Academy on November 15, 2018. Lamar defeated Simpson Academy for the second time this season to win the Championship; and

WHEREAS, with just under two minutes left in the third quarter, Joseph Hutchinson collected the snap from center before appearing to shove the football into the waiting arms of Daulton Nelson. Nelson and Hutchinson sold the play-action fake well enough to give Payton Mayatt time to slip in between two Simpson Academy defenders and Hutchinson effortlessly floated the football in between the two Cougar defenders and into Mayatt's hands. The Hutchinson-to-Mayatt play culminated in a 44-yard touchdown and helped send the Raiders to a 34-20 win over Simpson Academy; and

WHEREAS, the win was Lamar's (10-3) fifth-consecutive over Simpson Academy (10-4) dating back to the 2016 regular season, and it was the second time in as many years that the Raiders defeated the Cougars in a State Title Contest; and

WHEREAS, the Lamar defense was responsible for three Simpson turnovers, but none was more decisive than the one the Raiders forced midway through the fourth quarter. With Simpson driving and Lamar clinging to a seven-point lead, Cougar Running Back Caleb Garner took the handoff, and Raider Linebacker Ben Bryan locked onto the Simpson runner before putting his head down and reaching in for the football. As the ball dropped to the turf, Lamar defensive back Josh Bakane fell on it near midfield. The Raider offense took over and engineered a six-play drive, which Hutchinson punctuated with a one-yard touchdown run with 2:03 remaining in the game to put the Raiders ahead 34-20 after the successful point after touchdown (PAT) by Jake Davidson; and

WHEREAS, Hutchinson, one of Lamar's 17 seniors, was 10 of 15 for 163 yards passing with a touchdown, and he added another 99 yards rushing and one touchdown on 14 attempts. Hutchinson broke a 41-yard run in the second quarter that ignited the Raider bench when he juked a Simpson defender and sent him falling back on the turf. The Championship game capped a decorated prep career that includes winning three State Championships for the Princeton commit; and

WHEREAS, the Lamar School 2018 Raiders Championship Football Team Roster is: Daulton Nelson, LB, RB; Chet Williams, WR, CB; William Lamar, SS, WR; Logan Lamar, CB, WR; Leland Mosley, LB; Payton Mayatt, WR, S; John Gordy, WR, DB; Miller Hodge, S, QB; Jake Davidson, WR, K; Horatio Wilson, WR, CB; Joshua Bakane, WR, DB; Ben Bryan, RB, LB; Jacob Patridge, WR, CB; Jake Ransier, WR; Brooks Brock, CB, WR; Joseph Hutchinson, QB; Wade Mosley, WR, S; Ethan Bowers, DE, OT; Kennon Nelson, WR, DB; George Arrington, WR, DB; Zach Honeycutt, RB, LB; Hayes Hinson, LB, RB; Sharan Singh, WR, S; Hayden Farrar, WR, S; Colby Allen, OLB, RB; Marshall Ward, WR, S; Jackson Morgan, WR; Sam Degeneres, LB; Evan Dirksen, LB; Collier Mcrae, WR; Lake Morgan, WR; Jackson Bryan, LB, RB; Christian Chambers, DT; Miles Axtell, MLB, FB; J.T. Aldridge, OL; Amhed Pasha, C; Eli Mitchell, OL, DL; Shelton Gray, DE; Matthew Evans, C, DL; Evan Reed, OL, DE; Jason Qiu, OL, DL; Tim Seymour, T, DE; Pal Parker, OL, DE; Benjamin Sills, OL, DL; Keimoni Ruffin, DT, OG; Coach Mac Barnes; and Assistant Coaches Mo Dale, Charles Shaffer, Parker Neal and Will Vollor; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this special group of student athletes whose three-peat 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 Lamar School "Raiders" Football Team and Head Coach Mac Barnes for winning their third straight MAIS Class AAAA Division II Football 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 Mac Barnes for the Raiders Championship Team, forwarded to Lamar Head of School Leigh Ann Ballou and the Board of Trustees of Lamar School, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.