Evan Sobiesk is currently the kicker for the Warrior football team and has been recruited by many Division 1 schools this year. This article has followed him throughout the decision making process and allowed us to see which college he will choose in the end.After months of visiting campuses, meeting with coaches, and making many difficult college decisions, Signing Day has finally come and gone, and athletes no longer face the stress of deciding where they want to play football during their college careers. After a series of football offers, Evan Sobiesk made his long awaited college plans official after signing with Mississippi State on Wednesday.Sobiesk chose Mississippi State for many reasons. “My brother goes to Mississippi State, and I have friends that go to State,” Sobiesksaid. Sobiesk also mentioned that the school’s proximity to home aswell as its engineering program appealed to him. One of his ultimate deciding factors, however, was that Mississippi State is part of the Southeastern Conference which has been a dominant force in NCAA football.Since Sobiesk has had offers from many schools, there is no doubt that choosing which school to play college football for was no easy decision to make; however, we can all be assured that Sobiesk has a bright future ahead of him as a college athlete and will, one day, leave all the students and faculty at Oak Grove remembering when we once had the opportunity to kick it with Evan Sobiesk.

Sobiesk, pictured with parents, signed a letter of intent to play football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs on National Signing Day./ Photo by Raven Jones

After having a great season, the Oak Grove boys’ and girls’ basketball teams are set to head to the district playoffs. On January 20th, the basketball teams faced Oak Grove’s fierce rivals, the Petal Panthers. The Warriors proved their worth after both teams emerged victorious over the Panthers in front of a massive cheering student section. This win has helped boost their confidence going into the district playoffs. Through much work and a hard-fought season, the boys’ team has achieved a 10-16 record while the girls’ team has put together an impressive record of 21-6.

Christian Hathrone, senior forward for the Warriors, sets up on defense in recent action agains Petal./ Photo by Raven Jones

The teams will face off against Sumrall for a final regular season matchup February 3rd, and then they will head into the first game of district playoffs on February 6th against Meridian High School, a huge rival of the Warriors. In order to advance to the state playoffs, the teams must emerge from the district playoffs in either first or second place. The top two teams in each of Mississippi’s eight districts will go on to represent that district in the State Championships. “Our boys’ basketball program hasn’t been to State since 1988. If the team makes it to the playoffs this year, it would surely be a historical and memorable event for Oak Grove High School,” senior guard Nathan Sims stated. Although this would be a historical event for the Warriors, they must first get past Petal, Meridian, and Hattiesburg. Although these teams stand in their way of making history, the teams are focused and ready to face any challenges which may lie ahead. The girls’ team is also prepared and ready for the upcoming challenge, and they are looking eagerly towards the District Tournament with high hopes of making it all the way to the State Championships.

by: Nan Buti

The Warrior soccer teams have practiced energetically and played games vigorously almost every week since November of last year. Their hard work definitely paid off and both the boys’ and girls’ teams earned the right to be named District Champions. The Lady Warriors finished the season at 4-4-4 and the boys finished at 4-2-4. Both teams faced tough opponents throughout the season in powerhouses like Ocean Springs and Biloxi.
Despite putting up tough fights in the playoffs, both teams’ seasons came to a close in January. The Lady Warriors, who made it to South State last year, were put out in the playoffs by Biloxi 3-2. The boys’ team progressed to South State beating Biloxi in the first game 1-0. They fell short in the second game losing to Gulfport 0-1.
This season’s games kept fans and players on edge with very close scores and a couple of ties with West Jones, Poplarville, and Clinton. The boys’ team faced a talented Brandon team that also ended in a tie.
Success on the soccer field requires dedication and a lot of hard work, and many players feel this year’s season was very rewarding. “I think soccer prepared me to be competitive and has helped me learn to think in different ways,” junior Hayley Allen said. “Soccer teaches you to make decisions quicker and definitely gets you in shape,” junior Clay Richardson said. The teams faced a lot of challenges this season and felt prepared by enduring tough practices and learning to work together. “I think when we played with heart, we did our best,” Allen said. “We aren’t just a team; we are a family, and we are carrying on the Lady Warrior soccer tradition. I love my team, and they are the best people to play with because they understand me.”The intense games and cheering fans definitely encouraged the teams to play their hardest this season. The players and coaches feel fan support provided them with motivation the whole season. “We really appreciate all of the support the students have given us this year,” girls’ coach Kayla Lalley said. “We are tremendously proud of the teams’ performances and efforts this year. They represented Oak Grove very well.”

Evan Sobiesk is currently the kicker for the Warrior football team and is being recruited by many division one schools. This article follows him throughout the decision making process and allows us to see which college he will choose in the end.

When we first checked in with Evan, he said he was looking for a school with good academics, good athletics, and a good atmosphere. “I’m also looking for a school that has a culture similar to here at home,” Sobiesk said. So you might be wondering, how has that affected Sobiesk’s decision so far? As you may remember from last month’s article, Sobiesk visited Montana State; however, this is one school in which he noticed a cultural difference. “When I went for my visit, it was kind of…out there,” Sobiesk said.

Sobiesk has since continued his college search and focused his sights elsewhere. Sobiesk visited Oklahoma State last weekend, a school which has just recently contacted him. He will also take an official visit day at Mississippi State in January. With all of his offers coming in, Sobiesk still says that he has not narrowed his sights on any one school yet, especially considering the fact that he could be looking for colleges until the spring.

One thing, though, is definite: Sobiesk is not limited in his college choices. As universities continue to contact Sobiesk, it becomes more apparent that he will have a promising career no matter which school he chooses.

Warrior basketball has gotten off to a strong start with the boys’ team losing only three  games, one to Harrison Central 49-44 one to Laurel 51-49, and one to Wayne County 20-68 giving them a 8-3 winning record. Helping lead the Warriors to this record is senior shooting guard Connor McNelis. “Connor, first of all, is an outstanding young man,” Coach Ladner said about McNelis. “He’s got a bright future in front of him, and Connor does a good job of helping lead the team as a senior. He is an outstanding shooter; he’s one of the better shooters in South Mississippi, and I think that’s his primary contribution at this point.  We’re really proud of him.”

McNelis has played basketball since he could dribble the ball and has played on the Oak Grove boys’ basketball team since his freshman year. McNelis averages 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. He prepares for games by practicing everyday and staying concentrated and focused on the game. McNelis commented on the relationship with the team, “As a team, we have great chemistry together, and we’re really flowing pretty well.” As for the experience with the new coach, Jay Ladner who is a former Oak Grove basketball player, McNelis added, “He’s great. He really demands a lot and expects much from us.”

Meridian, the defending State Champions, should be the varsity basketball team’s toughest competitor, yet the team is shooting for the 6A State Championship. According to McNelis, Wayne County is also another strong competitor. The team practices everyday on ball handling, passing, shooting, rebounding, and defense fundamentals. Rebecca Lampshire, the boys’ basketball team manager, exclaimed, “I am so very proud of the team! They work so hard, and it shows on and off the court.”

When asked about his inspirational figure, McNelis expressed, “My parents – my parents have grown up with basketball all of their lives, and that’s just what I’ve been raised up in.”

The Lady Warrior basketball team has also begun a winning season with a record of 11-1, losing only to Harrison Central. Leading the Lady Warriors, Alexis Calomese has been steering them in their successful season, playing as guard. “Alexis is a great leader. She’s got a tremendous attitude,” Coach Swindle said.

“She puts the ball on the floor really well when going to the basket. I think her main attribute though is her positive nature. She’s never negative. She gives me all she has.” Calomese has played basketball since she was six years old. She has played on the OG basketball team throughout high school and plans to pursue basketball in college. Calomese has faith in the team: “I believe that we will go all the way this year and hopefully bring home a state title.” To practice and prepare for the vigorous games, Calomese practices six days a week and listens to music to stay focused.

The team practices on basic skills such as passes, dribbles, and fundamentals everyday to work toward the success of the team. They also focus on cleaning up the offense. “We’re really looking forward to this year. We have a good [core] of experienced players along with a good [core] of young players. Our inside game is really good,” Swindle said about the future outlook of the season. Calomese averages 1.5 rebounds, 1.2 points, and 0.4 rebounds per game. “It has been a great experience with my teammates so far, and hopefully, we will continue to be successful throughout the season,” Calomese said.

After a few weeks of preparing for their division games, the Oak Grove soccer teams are proving to be fierce competition. Both varsity teams dominated their Hattiesburg High School opponents on November 29th in the first division game of the promising season.

Kyle Roblin (#3) boots a ball out of trouble as Brooks Becton (#2) and Mauricio Hernandez (#9) look on in a recent match against Biloxi. / Submitted Photo

The varsity girls’ team started off the night with a 7-0 win against the Tigers. Despite the freezing temperatures, the girls remained focused. Freshman Isabella McVeagh, sophomore Ashley Bryant, and junior Suzanne Copeland each scored a goal for the Warriors. To add even more to the scoreboard, sophomore Kayleigh Henry and senior Kayla Stricker both scored twice over the course of the game.

After the first win of the evening, the varsity boys took the field. Junior Kyle Roblin, senior Josh Hinton, and senior Nathan Tavai each scored in the first half, giving the Warriors a three-point advantage over the Tigers.

In the second half, Nathan Tavai continued to make his way past the Tigers’ defense to score three more goals for the team. Already six points ahead, the Warriors weren’t about to let the Tigers show up on the scoreboard. Sophomore Andrew Glaze and junior Jakob Muller added to the Warriors’ victory and scored two more points in the opening of the second half.  At the end of the game, the varsity boys won 8-0.

However, this isn’t the first game the Warriors have played so far. Both teams recently had a strong showing against Poplarville at the November 14th home game. The girls’ team defeated their opponents 4-0, and the boys’ team claimed a 6-0 win.

This year, the soccer teams host a wide range of talent among their players. Despite the amount of individual skill, the players have been focusing on another important key to their success: teamwork. Senior Brooks Becton said, “We have a really strong group of guys who have played together for years. We all get along well, which is something we couldn’t say in the previous years.” The varsity girls have also been focusing on working together. “We have spent time getting to know each other because there are so many new girls on the team. It’s going to help us have a good season,” senior Olivia Shook said.

Fans of Oak Grove soccer can look forward to another exciting home game on Friday, December 16th. The varsity boys’ and girls’ teams will face Petal in the fourth division game of the season.

Jaylen Adams (#24), sophomore, and Dramond Ellis (#30), senior, get in position to rebound a shot taken by Zac Barlow at Meet the Warriors.

By: Nathan Maxwell
Staff Reporter
There’s a new face on the court. Joining the Oak Grove faculty this year is Jay Ladner, new head coach of the Oak Grove Warriors boys’ basketball team. Though he might be a new coach, he is no stranger to Oak Grove. Ladner played basketball under legendary coach, Harry Breland, and graduated from Oak Grove in 1984.  Having previously coached at St. Stanislaus for 20 years with a career record of 493 – 167 and being the 2011 recipient of the Mississippi Coach of the Year award, Ladner has plenty of experience to lead the Warriors to victory.

“We are in a building mode,” Ladner said. He expects the Warriors to play with great effort and intensity each and every day. Ladner hopes to surprise fans late in the season. The team’s goal this year is to make the playoffs. Ladner says that he tries to model traits of dedication, self discipline, and honesty as well as strong work ethic for his players; what motivates Ladner to coach is the chance to be an influence on the development of each of his players’ Christian character. Ladner says the one thing that will make the team stronger is the desire to sacrifice individual goals for the success of the team.

Coach Mark Swindle expects great things from the Lady Warriors this season. He says that the team is exciting and full of talent and experience capable of taking them a long way. Swindle noted the key to making a team stronger is working together to achieve the same goal – I is not in the word ‘team.’ Alexis Calomese says Coach Swindle has taught her how to overcome adversity in times of struggle and to never give up. Swindle’s biggest motivation to coach is seeing athletes perform at their highest expectation on and off the court. “My motivation [to play] is the love I have for basketball and the faith I have in myself and my teammates [to win],” senior Anteria Berry said.
Coaches Ladner and Swindle both agree that fan support is a big deal. It’s intimidating to opponents, helpful in lifting up a player’s spirit, and vital to home court advantage. Swindle wants to see the student body filling up the bleachers this season supporting the Warrior teams. Boys’ manager Rebecca Lampshire said, “I am very excited about the upcoming games. The team has improved so much and with Coach Ladner’s help, I believe they will go far this year. Everyone should come out and support!”

When choosing a college, many seniors visit the schools they are considering to attend. Evan Sobiesk, just like his fellow classmates, has decided to visit some of the universities that have contacted him about playing football. Due to Sobiesk’s growing recruitment, however, this list is continually getting longer.
In order to narrow his choices for a college, Sobiesk has already begun visiting these various schools. He will continue to make these trips throughout the semester including an upcoming visit this month to Montana State and the University of Alabama and a trip to Brown University in December.

Aside from campus visits, however, Sobiesk continues to stay busy in many different ways. First, Sobiesk has stayed in touch with some of the universities that have already contacted him including Harvard, who called him again in October. Secondly, Sobiesk has also proven himself to be a valuable player by participating in the National Nike Combine in Dallas in October. He has also been selected to play in the Mississippi North-South All Star football game, a game that showcases some of the most talented football players in the state. Many of the coaches for the Warrior football team have recently made light of Sobiesk’s talents by nicknaming him the Flying Squirrel, a name he received after making a tackle in a recent game.

Sobiesk has since proven himself to his coaches and teammates by showing his athleticism not only in football but also in tennis. “I’ve never played tennis before. I just went out there and hit a few balls at the tryouts,” Sobiesk said of making the Warrior tennis team. With accomplishments like this, we are all left to wonder – What can’t Evan do? Well, I guess you will all just have to stick around to find out as we continue to kick it with Evan Sobiesk.

Jay Lang, senior, directs a shot into the top corner of the net at a recent OG boys soccer practice.

The boys’ soccer team has been working out and conditioning since June. They practice five days a week and have also started practicing twice a day. Eventually, the boys will compete against the top five teams in the state. Coach Lang, head of the boys’ team, said, “We have a large group of seniors playing for their fourth year. This is their opportunity to step up and be leaders.”

The girls’ team also has high expectations for the next few months. Olivia Shook, a senior on the team, said, “We have so much talent on the team, and as long as we work together, I think we can win.” The girls have been preparing by running, lifting weights, and perfecting technical work like dribbling.
With the start of the season just around the corner, the teams are more than ready to compete against their toughest competition.

Warrior cross country runners have performed well all season and are aiming to represent OG well at the State Championship.

The Warrior cross country team has had an outstanding season thus far, which was reflected by their rankings in the Regional meet on Thursday, October 27th,  at Mississippi College’s Choctaw Trails. Both the boys’ and the girls’ teams placed first in the region, an

d 13 runners (seven girls and six boys) placed in the top 20 out of all the individual competing runners, earning them the title of All Region. Will Murphy and Christie Stricker, sophomores, both won first place in the meet.

The team’s successful season has earned them a spot at the State cross Country meet on Saturday, November 5th, again at Choctaw Trails. All of the rigorous training early in the season has clearly paid off, so now to prime for the State meet, Coach Robin Ryder says the runners are “tapering,” or reducing the amount of  running they do in preparation for the important event. Also, before every meet, each of the members of the team eats honey in order to boost energy naturally without upsetting their stomachs.

Last year, the girls’ team placed second in the state, and the boys placed third. The girls’ team plans to surpass last year’s record and are preparing for the meet in basically the same way as last year. Chloe Sanders, junior, plans to make her personal record at the meet. “I feel confident that this is our year to win,” Sanders said. The boys are taking a different approach from last year, though. Since one of the team’s most gifted runners, Chad Moore, graduated, the boys’ team is focusing on running more as a team instead of individually. “I want to do my part on the team. We have a really great chance of winning State, but we all have to run our best,” senior Jackson Shahady said. “It’s a team effort, not a single man effort.” Some of the team’s biggest competition this year are Madison Central for the girls’ team, Ocean Springs for the boys’ team, and Tupelo, which has won the

Senior Kayla Stricker has consistently finished with great times and is preparing for the State Championship on Friday, November 5th.

meet ten years in a row. Coach Ryder has made it clear that he is already proud of his runners no matter where they place. “I’m proud of the senior class because they have really improved the way cross country has been viewed at Oak Grove,” Ryder said. The team’s new strategy of working together combined with confidence could be just what they need to bring home the title of Cross Country State Champions to Oak Grove.