Tag Archives: Sports

March 1, 2013 · 12:30 pm

Powerlifting teams pull their own weight

By: Samantha Papp

Staff Reporter

With the 2013 season already in action, the boys’ and girls’ powerlifting teams are hard at work readying themselves for South State and State competitions.    The boy’s team has been practicing twice a week along with individually working out, and the girl’s team has been practicing once a week as a team as well as individually working out.

Both teams are expecting returning members to help lead the teams this season.  The boys’ team will be looking to their returning seniors for leadership: Christian Gomez, Jay Jordan, Trevor Neely, Johnathan Pride, and Joey Arnau.  The girls’ team will look to returners such as Christie Stricker, Kim Franklin, Nan Buti, Rachel Peyton, and Anna Kathryn Colbert for guidance.

After winning a State championship in 2012, the boys’ team has much to live up to in 2013.  While being faced with expectations might be considered intimidating, the boys’ team has instead taken the expectation in stride. The members who competed last year have personal goals of exceeding their total points from last year, and the team as a whole hopes to match last season’s accomplishments.

“With key guys returning from a 2012 State Championship team, anything besides a State Championship would be disappointing,” boys’ powerlifting coach Anthony Myers said.

The girls’ powerlifting team will be looking to beat its accomplishments from last season. The team hopes to get each girl to advance to South State championships and then to State championships.

“Our goal for the team this season is to place at our upcoming major competitions: South State and State,” girl’s powerlifting member Nan Buti said.  “We also hope to improve each girls’ lift and increase experience.”

After competing in Regionals in February, both teams will advance to the South State Championships in March and then State Championships in April.

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December 14, 2012 · 1:32 pm

Run, Murphey, run: Junior goes for gold

By: Tyler Lee

Staff Reporter

For Will Murphey, cross country is a lifestyle. Murphey, junior, trains every day, running 30-50 miles a week, depending on where the team is during the season. Murphey began running cross country the summer before his freshman year of high school. During Murphey’s freshman year, he finished 21st in the state championship with a time of 17 minutes and 34 seconds, but that has changed since then. Just one year later, as a sophomore, Murphey finished first with a time of 16 minutes 27 seconds, cutting off over a minute from the year before. On November 10, Murphey made the 5,000 meter trek around Choctaw Trails in 16 minutes and 29 seconds to claim his second straight state title. Murphey believes winning next year will be harder than ever. “It basically means I have to work twice as hard to go for the three-peat,” he said. Murphey plans on training harder than ever to capture his third title. “Not many people have won three straight state championships. Hopefully I can graduate with three state championships.”

After graduating from high school, Murphey plans on running in college, but he is still undecided on where he wants to go. If Murphey is not out running on the trails, he can be found mixing beats in his studio as DJ Moreau Murphey.

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· 1:30 pm

Lady Warriors dominate opponents, rack up wins

By: Tyler Lee

Staff Reporter

The Lady Warrior basketball team has gotten off to a hot start, winning their first eleven games. This streak has landed the Warriors at number three in the latest MHSAA girls’ basketball poll. The Lady Warriors are led by third year head coach Mark Swindle. During this hot stretch, the Warriors have outscored their opponents 623 to 374. The Warriors faced off against the Dexter Lady Bulldogs last Tuesday night and won 65-27. After defeating Dexter, the Warriors turned around and played East Marion on Friday, defeating the Lady Eagles 63-21. The lady Warriors hope to continue this streak when they face off against Ocean Springs at home tonight at 6:00 and against Wayne County at home next Tuesday before heading off to the Wayne County Invitational next Friday. The Lady Warriors will participate in the Bay High Invitational over the holiday break. The Warriors hope to continue winning when they begin district play after the holiday break.

Young boys’ team looking for wins

The Warrior boys’ basketball team started the year under their fourth head coach in four years. The Warriors have had a bumpy start to the season, starting 4-7 even though they won the Lamar County Tournament. This years’ squad is very young, composed of mostly sophomores and is only returning one starter from last year. The Warriors will look to their MHSAA’s Fab 15 point guard Nick Vasquez to lead this year’s team. The boys also faced off against Dexter last Tuesday but could not quite pull off the victory. Losing 58-45, the Warriors struggled in the second and third quarter, scoring only twelve points. Last Friday, the Warriors hosted the East Marion Eagles. At the end of regulation, the game was knotted up at 48, but the Warriors could only squeak out two points, falling 58-50. Like the Lady Warriors, the Warriors host Ocean Springs tonight at 7:30 and Wayne County next Tuesday before participating in the Wayne County Invitational next weekend. The boys will also participate in the Hattiesburg Coca-Cola Christmas Tournament over the Christmas holidays.  Like the girls, the boys will begin region play after the holiday break.

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November 9, 2012 · 12:30 pm

We Are OAK GROVE

By: Samantha Papp

Staff Reporter

 Meagan Baggett, senior varsity soccer player, has played soccer since the age of six.  Along with playing soccer, Baggett maintains an exceptional academic record of All-A’s (while taking advanced courses) and participates in BETA Club, National Honor Society, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Baggett tried out for the high school soccer team her freshman year and made junior varsity.  However, she did not make the team her sophomore year.  During the year, Baggett dedicated herself to improving.

“I worked extremely hard that year.  I played select soccer, trained with a private goal keeper trainer, and worked out by myself,” Baggett said.  “I know that everything happens for a reason.  Instead of spending all that time being upset and disappointed, I spent that time trying to get better.”

Baggett’s hard work paid off; she tried out again her junior year and made the varsity team.  Now, as co-captain her senior year, her primary focus for both herself and her teammates is positivity.  “I believe smiles speak volumes,” Baggett said.  “My motto is ‘Never give up.’  I know what I am capable of, and I always work to achieve my best.  I encourage others to do the same.”

Clay Smith, varsity soccer coach said, “[Baggett] is a hard worker and is one of the most coachable players I’ve had.  I believe these are some of the reasons her teammates picked her as co-captain.  Meagan is a true leader.”

Baggett has done much more than simply perform well in school and sports. Baggett has proven to be an exemplary role model through her athletic dedication, academic excellence, and positivity toward everything she faces.  Through all these aspects, Baggett has shown what true Warriors are made of.  Meagan Baggett is Oak Grove.

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· 12:30 pm

Warrior swimmers make splash at State

By: Nan Buti

Staff Reporter

On Saturday, November 3, at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS, the Oak Grove boys’ and girls’ varsity swim teams

READY FOR TAKE OFF
Oak Grove senior Morgan Eguia and other competitors prepare to begin the 100 yard backstroke at the State Swim Meet. | Photo by Hayley Higgason

participated in the State meet.  The 2012 State meet marked the end of a very competitive 2012 swim season.  On October 17, the OG swim teams qualified for the State Championships by winning both the boys and girls 6A South State Championships for the first time in four years.  There were 22 swimmers from Oak Grove at the South State. The OG girls’ team won first place with 108 points, while the OG boys’ team tallied 116 points.

Beginning in August, the team started training for speed and endurance using techniques both in and out of the pool.  The swim team trains every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday for two hours each day. Their practices include dry land running to build much needed cardio strength, abdominal work, and continuous swimming consisting of 200 meter warm ups and timed swims. Although final results from the State meet are yet to be posted, individual races did include: 50, 100 200, and 500 yard races. Eight boys and eight girls from Oak Grove performed at the State meet. Races also included two relays with three individual swimmers that placed in the top eight during preliminaries Saturday morning. Those top three swimmers were also qualified to swim in the finals that night. Morgan Eguia paced the girls team, winning second place in the 100-yard backstroke and fourth in the 100-yard butterfly. On the boys’ team, Cole Sisson placed sixth in the 500 freestyle. Throughout the season, the Oak Grove teams were able to win meets against Ocean Springs, Biloxi, and West Jones. The boys’ team came in 1st at every meet they participated in this season before the State competition. The girls’ team won second place at every meet until South State where they were able to move up a spot and finish first. Senior Hayley Higgason had expressive gratitude towards her teammates as captain of the girls’ swim team. “I’m really proud of the team this year. Everyone worked hard and was so dedicated. I couldn’t have asked for a better senior season,” Higgason said.

The teams say that next year should be even more successful despite losing several senior swimmers. The swimmers have gained much needed experience, and they faced tough competition during the 2012 season.  They hope that experience, along with the excellent coaching they receive, will help them find success next year at major meets including South State and State. “I feel like our captains made us all better swimmers because of all the things they did. We swam exceptionally better this year because we had people on the team that knew how serious this sport is,” Kaylee Humpherys, senior said.

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· 12:30 pm

Boys, girls soccer look to build on winning tradition

By: Kirk McCarty

Staff Reporter

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Senior goalie Hayley Allen defends her goal as the Warriors practice for upcoming matches. Photo by Mary Kate Waldron

The boys’ and girls’ Oak Grove soccer teams kicked off the 2012 season by participating in Gulfport High School’s Preseason Tournament on Saturday, November 3rd.

The boy’s team suffered two tough losses to Gulfport and Ocean Spring, 1-0 and 4-0 respectively. Two losses and no goals scored may bring fear to the Warrior faithful but the losses come to two of the most highly regarded soccer teams in the state of Mississippi, both of which played for a South State Championship just last season.  The 2012 squad will feature some new faces as well as some seasoned players.  Key losses include goal keeper Graham Thomas and leading scorer Jay Lang, who graduated last year, but sophomore Alec Willis looks to man the vacant spot as goalie while Guy Thornton and Kyle Roblin look to pick up the slack with the loss of a key scorer. Center back Brennen Terrill is a returning starter who looks to be the leader of this year’s team in his senior season.  Andrew Glaze, a junior defender, said “We’ve got a good team that is ready to face the challenges ahead. We’ve got a shot to go all the way.”

The girls also participated in the preseason tournament and fared a little better than the boys, splitting games with Long Beach and Gulfport, winning 4-0 and losing 2-3 respectively.  Five different players scored goals for the girls including Isabella McVeagh, Holly Pike, Ashley Bryant, Carmin Childs, and two by TeAnna Culberson. The girls’ team features many new faces, including an all freshman and sophomore defense. Last year’s leading scorer, Kayleigh Henry, returns for her junior season and looks to lead the girls to a 6A State Championship.

Both teams begin their regular season play Thursday, November 8 as they travel to Pascagoula in a non-region match up against the Patriots.

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September 11, 2012 · 9:44 pm

Foley: manager scores touchdown with football team

By: Kirk McCarty

Staff Reporter

In any sport, on any team, fans come to watch the players and judge their performance. Ultimately, the players’ game performance does determine the team’s success, but every sports team is compiled of more than just the players. Coaches, trainers, film crew, and managers also play a key role in the success or failure of a team. If its success were measured only on the performance of its manager, the Warrior football team would be in a category all its own. Michael Foley is in his second full year as the team manager, and his performance is bar none.  “Foley is more than a manager,” Coach Bobby DeLeon said. DeLeon enjoys the time he spends working with Foley, or “Coach Folicheck” as he is known around the field house for his fierce love for the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Bellicheck. “I’ve found Foley in the back washing clothes, folding shirts,

MANAGER IN ACTION
Michael Foley gets things prepped on the sidelines as the Warriors prepare for their next matchup on the field. | Photo by MARY KATE WALDRON

putting up jerseys, getting pants ready at seven or eight o’clock at night,” Deleon said.

In between organizing equipment and fixing shoulder pads, Foley can be seen walking around the field house with his signature mini David Ortiz baseball bat which he carries “to gain the respect of the team.” Foley is very confident he has gained that respect, and he’s correct. “Not only does the team respect him, but the coaches have built up a level of respect for Foley because he’s such a great kid; he will give you anything he’s worth. He’s never asked us for a thing, and he says thank you for everything he is given,” Deleon said.

This respect is very rare among high school football teams; most schools wouldn’t embrace a manager like the Warriors have with Foley, but most teams don’t have a manger who could compare to him. Foley doesn’t plan to stop after he graduates this year. He said that he hopes to manage a team in college, preferably at The University of Southern Mississippi, before he moves on to bigger and better things as a manager in the NFL.  “Hopefully, I’ll manage  the Patriots or the Lions, but I’ll take any team that offers me $80,000 a year.” Michael Foley could be the first Oak Grove product to make it to the top of the football food chain in the NFL.

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· 9:32 pm

OGHS volleyball: new coach, new attitude

By: Caitlynn Broome

Staff Reporter

Coach Kelsea Seymour, former setter for the University of Southern Mississippi’s volleyball team, has taken over as the new OGHS volleyball head coach.  Seymour is a 2012 USM graduate and brings extensive experience to Oak Grove. She was named 2012 MVP, C-USA Setter of the Year, First Team All-C-USA, and USM Female Student-Athlete of the year.

The Warrior volleyball team is scheduled to play 26 games this season with several tournaments.  The team is off to a great

AK-47 STRIKES AGAIN
Anna Kate Karstens, sophomore middle-hitter, spikes earlier this season in a win at the Petal tournament.
Photo by MARY KATE WALDRON

start with a 9-1 record and an ultimate goal of making it to the final state competition. “I believe Coach Seymour has been great with pushing us to where we need to be to compete for state this year.  She has really worked with our individual skills to help us be the best team we know we can be,” Catherine Smith, senior right side hitter, said.

Seymour started the volleyball season off right by making the team adapt to new training techniques that have proved to be an asset so far this season.  Unlike past seasons, the team worked out during the summer several days a week to get in shape. Once the school year started, they began working out every day after school for several hours.

All of their hard work is sure to pay off as they face off against district rival Meridian on September 13th and Terry on September 17th.

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April 13, 2012 · 1:30 am

OG powerlifting pulling for win at State

by: Nan Buti

Staff Reporter

The girls’ and boys’ powerlifting teams have successfully placed in Regionals and South State this season. The Lady Warriors powerlifting team has been at Oak Grove for two years and has excelled to State both years. Both the girls’ and boys’ teams’ State competitions will be Saturday in Jackson. Both teams have been practicing multiple times a week and are determined to place at State. The girls’ team has seven out of nine lifters traveling to Jackson while the boys’ team has nine out of twelve attending.

Girls powerlifting celebrates a successful showing at South State. / Submitted Photo

Powerlifting is a sport which consists of three lifts in consecutive order: squat, bench press, and dead lift. Each lifter is placed in a weight class and must maintain that weight range throughout the season. The boys’ team coaches are Lonny Schraeder, Chris Tran, and Knute Douglas. “Major things that have happened are our winning back-to-back region titles and this year’s South State championship,” Douglas said. The boys’ powerlifting team has had a successful streak in such a short time. Body builder, personal trainer, and co-owner of No Holds Barred, Amanda Micka is the girls’ coach, along with the assistance of Jeff Douglas. “I’d love to continue coaching the team in the future. It’s such a great sport and something you can continue to do even after high school. It’s great for your health, too,” Micka said. Being a new team at Oak Grove, the girls’ powerlifting team began in 2011 when Kayla and Christie Stricker asked Micka to coach the team. Oak Grove is known for its competitive spirit in sports. Even in powerlifting, other schools rival to beat the Warriors. “Dedication is the main thing to have as a powerlifter, but it also takes a lot of heart,” Coach Jeff Douglas said. “You have to train because you are competing against yourself, too.” Powerlifting is often said to be unlike most sports. “It’s nerve-wracking. There is no cardio involved, and everyone must show individual skill,” powerlifter Rachel Payton said. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are prepared to squat, bench, and pull major loads at State.

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December 9, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Kicking it with Evan Sobiesk

By: Allison Slusher
Staff Reporter

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.

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