By By Jeff Byrd/The Meridian Star
Nov. 27, 2001
JACKSON Eight champions were on display here at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on Monday as the Mississippi Private School Association conducted its championship week press conference.
Two of the teams present were the Wayne Academy Jaguars and the Trinity Episcopal Saints. The two teams will battle for the MPSA Academy A state title on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Robinson-Hale Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton.
MPSA Executive Director David Derrick and MPSA Director of Activities Les Triplett welcomed the teams to Jackson and the Sports Hall of Fame.
The Academy A combatants were the first two teams introduced. Wayne Academy head coach Tom Boszor was quick to praise his 11 seniors for help leading the team to the finals for the third time in four years.
Wayne did just that, winning three straight playoff games including last Friday's North State title game in a come-from-behind 14-7 win over DeSoto School in Waynesboro. The Jaguars bring a 12-1 record to the title game. They won state crowns in 1998 and 1999.
Boszor brought with him four of the Jaguar seniors: running back/receiver Cory Cochran, quarterback Steven Wood, defensive end/kicker Jaret DuVall and safety/running back Jacob Ferguson.
They will face a Trinity Saints ball club that is led by one of the top athletes in the MPSA in quarterback/return man Chad Ridley. Ridley, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior, has accounted for 41 of Trinity's touchdowns this season either running, passing or on returns.
Saints head coach David King said a tough schedule prepared his team for a trip to the state finals.
The Saints have scored 414 points this year in compiling their 11-2 record. That makes for an average of 31.8 points per game. Last Friday in Minden, La., Trinity eliminated Glenbrook School 28-21.
The Saints losses came against Tensas Academy (21-12) and a 30-14 decision to AAA power Central Private out of Baton Rouge, La.
The other three title games set for this week include: AA – Magnolia Heights School vs. Oak Forest Academy, 7 p.m. Thursday; AAA – North Delta School vs. Silliman Institute, 1 p.m. Friday; and AAAA – Jackson Academy vs. Jackson Prep, 7 p.m. Friday.
Jeff Byrd is a sports writer for the Meridian Star. He can be reached at 693-1551 or by e-mail at jbyrd@themeridianstar.com.