Oxford looking to knock off Pearl

It doesn’t matter that the last time the Oxford Chargers and Pearl Pirates faced one another was a year ago. The Chargers’ 28-14 loss is still fresh in their minds and head coach Johnny Hill has made sure that his team learns from the past.

Sure, then-junior quarterback Guy Cameron Billups had suffered a broken finger on his throwing hand the week prior and as such his throwing ability was inhibited by a cast.

But that’s not what stood out most to Hill when recalling last year’s first-round loss. (November 11, 2010, Page 6)

Billups, McNeal pace OHS in latest win

The first really cold night of the 2010 football season had no impact on the Oxford Chargers’ passing game Friday night. Senior quarterback Guy Cameron Billups was near flawless throwing the ball as he helped lead the Chargers to a 40-21 win over Saltillo in the regular season finale.

For the Chargers, who will try to build on their 8-3 overall record on the road at Pearl in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, Friday’s win was another example of just how complex and in sync the offense under Billups has become. (November 8, 2010, Page 3B)

LHS, WVHS begin playoff runs tonight

For the Water Valley Blue Devils and Lafayette Commodores, the time to be clicking on all cylinders is now, as both teams begin their respective runs at Class 3A and Class 4A state titles.

The Oxford Chargers will also hit the gridiron tonight, concluding their regular season with a road game at Saltillo. (November 5, 2010, Page 6A)

Saltillo not an easy foe for Chargers

Last week the Oxford Chargers’ football team essentially named its score against the struggling Indianola-Gentry Rams.

Despite Saltillo’s 3-7 overall record, OHS head coach Johnny Hill doesn’t anticipate tomorrow’s matchup on the road being as easy to conclude the regular season. (November 4, 2010, Page 6)

Chargers explode on offense, Rams

As a program in the midst of rebuilding, the Indianola-Gentry Rams never really stood a chance on Friday against an Oxford Chargers squad that has hit its stride.

The Chargers found the end zone four times in the first quarter en route to a 42-8 victory at Bobby Holcomb Field. (November 1, 2010, Page 3B)

Chargers host Gentry Rams on Friday night

An opportunity to build on last week’s road success is what the Oxford Chargers hope to do Friday night against Indianola-Gentry.

The Rams will be the Chargers’ Homecoming opponent this season and coach Johnny Hill they pose a challenge up front because of their size. (October 28, 2010, Page 6)

Defense steps up in victory for Chargers

The smile on Oxford defensive back D.J. Blake’s face told the story of the Chargers’ 26-19 win over Lake Cormorant Friday night. Blake was a major factor in why the Chargers earned the important Region 1-5A win, as was several other defenders.

Oxford’s defense definitely made the difference in the win as it forced four second-half turnovers by the Gators (5-4, 2-3), including three on their final three possessions of the game. (October 25, 2010, Page 3B)

Playoff seeding on the line tonight

Important region games are on tap for all three area high school football teams tonight. The No. 1 ranked Lafayette Commodores have an opportunity to not only remain perfect on the season and win 10 or more games again this year, but wrap up the region title with a win at Tunica-Rosa Fort.

Oxford will try to keep pace and finish at least third in Region 1-5A with a win at Lake Cormorant. Water Valley, meanwhile, hosts Winona in an important Region 2-3A game that will go a long way in figuring out which team finishes second or third in the region.

Kickoff for all three games is set for 7 p.m. Lafayette’s game can be heard locally on 93.7 FM. Oxford will be broadcast on 95.5 FM, while the Blue Devils can be heard on 105.5 FM. (October 22, 2010, Page 7A)

Hill expecting to get a test from Gators

An explosive offense and a defense that uses several different wrinkles to gain success is what the Oxford Chargers will be facing when they travel to take on the Lake Cormorant Gators Friday night.

Oxford bounced back from its second loss in Region 2-4A play with a home win over Hernando last week. The Chargers (5-3 overall, 2-2 in the region) have three games left on the year and they need to win at least two to secure a third-place position in the upcoming 5A playoffs. (October 21, 2010, Page 8)

Chargers top Tigers in region rivalry game

Longtime coaching rivals Johnny Hill of Oxford and Anthony Jenkins of Hernando played another chess match Friday night at Bobby Holcomb Field and, in the end, it was Hill’s Chargers that made more right moves in a 31-19 victory.

Oxford scored two touchdowns in the first quarter to jump ahead to stay and added two more scores in the final period to turn back a rally by the visiting Tigers in the game that carried postseason playoff implications. The Chargers evened their Region 1-5A record at 2-2 and improved to 5-3 overall; Hernando dropped to 4-4 and 2-2. (October 18, 2010, Page 1B)