Sisk earns ‘Pop Star’ Award
Erika Sisk’s second trip to the Metro Jackson area in less than a week produced another set of awards Wednesday night. Sisk was nominated and then won the Pop Star Award given annually by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. (more…) (May 17, 2012, Page 7A)
Balance, strong finish key Oxford’s latest victory
PEARL — Oxford senior Mollie Beth Ott had an idea that her first-place finish in the pole vault was very important to how the Lady Chargers closed out Friday’s MHSAA Class 5A state track meet at Pearl High School when some extra teammates came over to watch her last few attempts.
With Oxford ahead of Pearl by only three points (72-69) with two events left to be scored, Ott’s finish — as well as how teammate Sally Rychlak fared — in the pole vault was critical to deciding a third straight state championship for the Lady Chargers.
Ott knew that Kristen Dickerson had fallen in the 300 meter hurdles and did not record a point. She was vaulting when members of the 4×100 relay team collided and finished eighth, which meant only one point for a team that should have finished fourth. Ott also knew that 3,200 runner Audrey Dayan was held out of Friday’s meet due to an injury, meaning no additional points in an event she was seeded third in. (May 14, 2012, Page 1B)
Fondren, Super, McGhee pace Chargers to fourth
PEARL — Three first-place finishes, highlighted by the final high jump of Justin Fondren’s prep career in Mississippi, paced the Oxford Chargers in Friday’s MHSAA Class 5A state meet held at Pearl High School.
Oxford scored 30 of its 51 points thanks to Fondren’s leap of 7 feet, Michael McGhee’s throw of 45 feet, 10 inches in the shot put and Austin Super’s mark of 14-3 in the pole vault. The Chargers finished fourth overall in the meet that was won by Pearl with 73 points.
Fondren finished first in the high jump and then attempted 7.25 to tie the overall state meet record of Marcus Jackson from J.Z. George but was unable to clear the bar during his three attempts. Fondren has cleared the height before but an athlete has to do it at the state meet in order for it to be a state record. (May 14, 2012, Page 2B)
Three-peat: Lady Chargers capture third track title
BLOG — It came down to the wire, but the Oxford Lady Chargers came out of Friday’s MHSAA Class 5A state track meet at Pearl High School with another trophy to take back home. (more…) (May 12, 2012)
Arnold hits shot heard around the course
Oxford golf coach Steve Herring didn’t actually see the shot that changed the momentum of Wednesday’s MHSAA Class 5A state meet at the Columbus Country Club, but he sure did hear about it. The Chargers won their first golf title in 5A, and first since 1998, through a legendary round of golf, Herring said.
The shot — an eagle on a par-4, 380-yard hole — that made the biggest impact and turned the momentum firmly in the Chargers’ favor was provided by junior Turner Arnold. A day after shooting a round of 87, Arnold’s nine-stroke improvement Wednesday turned out to be a huge turning point for the Chargers, who were tied with a couple of teams after 12 holes. (May 11, 2012, Page 7A)
OHS Lady Chargers have big aspirations
Today’s MHSAA Class 5A state track meet at Pearl High School will be decided between Oxford’s incredible depth in field events and long-distance running events against Pearl’s overall depth. The Lady Chargers are the two-time defending state champions and looking to win yet again. In order for that to happen, Oxford will have to continue to perform at a high level like they have the past three weeks in the division, region and North Half meets. (May 11, 2012, Page 7A)
Oxford could win several individual state titles
Oxford may not really be in contention to win a team state title this year at the MHSAA Class 5A state meet, but three or four Chargers are heavy favorites to win individual state championships.
Led by the nation’s best high jumper, Justin Fondren, the Chargers should still finish in the top five even if they don’t end up winning a state title this year. (May 11, 2012, Page 8A)
Oxford tops Stone to win fifth state title
CLINTON — For anybody who may have ever wondered if Oxford tennis coach Louis Nash could fly the answer is yes. Moments after the Oxford Chargers wrapped up their fifth straight MHSAA tennis championship at Brighton Park, Nash leapt into the air and straight into the arms of senior mixed doubles player Judson Watson, who joined with teammate Cari Hansen to defeat Stone County’s Josh Johnson and Beth Owen 3-6, 6-4 (10-5) in the deciding match of the day. (May 10, 2012, Page 6)
Chargers clobber field to win 5A
The Oxford Chargers’ second trip to the Columbus Country Club in a matter of two weeks produced a third MHSAA state golf title for the program Wednesday. Just two weeks after capturing the Division 2-5A golf championship in Columbus, the Chargers returned to Columbus and wiped away the competition in Class 5A.
A day after finishing the first round in third place with a 339, the Chargers blistered the field on the final day with a round of 326 to finish with a 665, 11 strokes better than second-place finisher Pearl River Central. West Jones finished third overall with a 678. East Central shot a 689 to finish fourth, while Pascagoula was fifth with a 703. A total of 12 schools competed in the match. (May 10, 2012, Page 6)
OHS athletics makes history Wednesday
COLUMN: Oxford High’s tremendous athletic balance was firmly on display Wednesday at two different spots across the state and in two different sports.
Just hours after the OHS tennis team won its fifth straight MHSAA state title at Brighton Park in Clinton, Oxford’s boys golf team wrapped up its third state title, and first since 1998, at the Columbus Country Club. (more…) (May 10, 2012, Page 6)
