Warrior Sports Notes

Football

The Warriors ended this year with a winning regular season advancing to the play-offs. With a record of 8-2 in regular season, the players were proud of their achievements, especially both big wins against the Meridian Wildcats.
A number of star Warriors have been nominated for the All-Area Team.  Steve McNair, Jr. finished the season leading the team in a number of categories on both offense and defense.  Other offensive players such as quarterback James McMahon, Jonathan Duncan, Jay Hughes, Dillon Fedora, and Robert Johnson all posted impressive numbers on the offensive side of the ball.

Defensive lineman Vince Taylor led the team in tackles and other key defensive areas.  In addition, LeBrandon Moseley, Charles Bolton, Cort Brinson, and Trey Barnes were key contributors to the Warrior’s defensive success.
Despite the many ups and downs as well as injuries, the Warriors managed to end the season successfully.

Soccer

The boys’ soccer team started the season off strong with a 1-0 victory over rival Petal.  The lone goal was scored by center midfielder Garrett Head.  The following weekend the team continued its success with a huge upset win over the preseason number six team and defending state champion, Clinton.  The Warriors toppled the Clinton Arrows 4-1.  The third game of the season turned out to have a drastically different result with the Warriors falling to the Pascagoula Panthers 3-0.  This weekend the Warriors look to bounce back with games in a Gulfport tournament against two very tough opponents: Long Beach and St. Patrick High School.  Although their focus will be on these two games this weekend, the team plans to use the games to prepare for the most important game of the season.  Next Tuesday, the team will play a crucial district game at home against the team’s arch-rival, Brandon.  The girls soccer team also promises a successful season with a current record of 4-0.

Basketball

The varsity boys’, junior varsity boys’, and girls’ basketball teams are off to great starts with records of 5-0, 3-0, and 4-5, respectively.  With great season starts so far, the boys and girls look foward to continuing their successes.
In their last two games, the Lady Warriors defeated both Bassfield High School and Laurel High School with scores of 59-29 and 60-35.  In the most recent games against Gulfport High School, the varsity boys’ came up short 29-50, varsity girls’ fought hard but in the end lost 46-49, and junior varsity boys’ were defeated 24-30.
The next game is the first district game of the season against Hattiesburg High School in the Oak Grove High School gym on December 15 with games beginning at 5:00 p.m.  The teams will also face off against George County, and will compete in the Hattiesburg Tournament over the Christmas holidays.

Warrior basketball shooting towards future

By: Sydney Sanders

With junior varsity boys 3-0, varsity boys 5-1, junior varsity girls 0-1, and varsity girls 4-6 records, the future of Warrior basketball is already looking bright.

In addition to great season starts, the changes in this year’s basketball program have been hard to miss. Faculty and club nights were two additions incorporated into this year’s schedule to bring crowds to the home games. Coaches Jones, Bradley, and Hershenhahn are to thank for these boosts in the program.

“It all started at the end of the summer leading up to my ninth grade year when Oak Grove had just hired the new head coach, Vandarel Jones,” senior Antonnio Benton said. “We had a talented class coming in, not only in basketball, but in all sports. Coach Jones quickly came in and told us what potential he saw in us and the future of Oak Grove basketball, and it was bright. Even though it didn’t turn around as quickly as we would have liked our first year, things began to change my sophomore year. We won 17 games and posted one of the best records in Oak Grove basketball history. The girls’ new head coach, Crisla Hershenhahn, and boys’ and girls’ assistant coach, Edmond Bradley, bring new dimensions to our team from their experience with basketball on the coast and on the college level. The efforts they have put into making us better have transformed us into one of the best teams in the area, if not the best,” Benton said.

Each month, Coach Jones and his team participate in a different community service project. “It’s really exciting to see the boys participate in their community,” Jones said. “We’ve recently completed a Habitat for Humanity project and rang the bell for the Salvation Army at Sunflower on Hardy Street. Our next act of service is a Christmas project at Turtle Creek Mall.” Jones and the 23 junior varsity and varsity teammates also attend a different church service each month. So far this year, they have attended West Pointe, Temple Baptist, and Mt. Olive and plan to visit First Baptist this month.

Not much can top these boys’ acts of service, but the girls teams are also doing their part to make a difference on and off the court. Every Wednesday, coaches Hershenhahn and Bradley travel with the girls teams to the elementary schools for their Hot Shot clinics, where they focus on the youth – the future of Oak Grove basketball. In addition to this, Hershenhahn and Bradley put together the Pine Belt Hoops League, where 8-13 year old girls and boys have the opportunity to practice and scrimmage on the high school courts with the coaches and varsity players.

“If you look at our 8th grade team and 9th grade junior varsity team, we have had more participation in recent history,” Bradley said. “By paying attention to these younger kids, we’re gradually building up this basketball league for the future of Oak Grove sports.”

In addition to Hershenhahn’s Lady Warriors Web site and newsletter, she and her 21 girls recently submitted ten shoeboxes at Macedonia Church in Petal to the Samaritan’s Purse for Operation Christmas Child.
“The reason I’m here is to build a program – plain and simple,” Hershenhahn said. “By giving the kids a good foundation to live and play by, our program is progressing. I believe in what we’re doing. Sometimes, I want it to happen overnight, but I know we’re taking the right steps in the right direction.”

The coaches and teammates are hoping their efforts will inspire more fans to come out and support them this season. They take on the Hattiesburg High School Tigers Tuesday, December 15th, with the junior varsity game beginning at
5:00 p.m.

Warriors shoot for wins

By: Amelia Landers, Editor

The 2009-2010 boys’ and girls’ basketball season is underway. Both teams began preparing for this season last year. They worked during the summer and have had practices during and after school. Both teams with the help of their coaches, are ready for the season ahead.With a jamboree held at Oak Grove on Saturday, October 31, both teams were able to test their skills and competition before the season actually started. The jamboree featured teams from Petal, Purvis, South Jones, and West Jones.

The varsity boys’, coached by Vandarel Jones and Edmond Bradley, had their first victory on Saturday, October 7, at home against Indianola. After overcoming obstacles prior to the tournament, the team came together with the win of 50-47. Last Tuesday, the boys played Northeast Jones and had an outstanding game with a 60-35 win. Next Tuesday, Oak Grove will play Laurel High School at home at 7:30 p.m.

The varsity girls’ are coached by Crisla Hershenhahn and Edmond Bradley. The girls had their first
game on Saturday also against Indianola. Last Tuesday, at home, the girls also had a great game with a defeat over Northeast Jones with a score of 53-20. The girls will also play Laurel High School at home at 6:00 p.m.
The boys and girls basketball teams both ask for everyone to come out and support them as they prepare for the anticipated season ahead. Both teams have a very promising season ahead of them and are aiming for the championships. This is only the start of a great year for the 2009-2010 girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams.