jjacob@themeridianstar.com



Tuesday, community leaders jumped on the opportunity to express their pride in the state championship winning Meridian High Wildcats at the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation’s Business Before hours.

The Wildcats won the MHSAA Class 5A state championship against five time defending champions South Panola at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Jackson Friday, snapping South Panola’s 89 game winning streak, the third longest in history for a high school team.

Percy Bland took the podium at the MSU-Meridian auditorium Tuesday morning to pay his glowing respects to the team, immediately prompting the crowd of business people to a standing ovation, asking them, “Are there any Meridian High School Wildcat fans in the house tonight?”

“Through everything that happened, you guys played as a team,” Bland told the players, comparing their character and perseverance on the field to the qualities that are looked for in the business world.

He went on to describe how various players contributed to the game, making sure to recognize players of every position, telling the defense players, “As good as we are on offense, we won that game through defense,” and praising the offensive line for giving Quarterback Tyler Russell “enough time to write a book back there.”

Though most of the team was present at business before hours, Russell was not there because he was playing in the Mississippi-Alabama All Star game.

“From this day forward,” Bland told the team, “You guys will all be champions… It wasn’t by chance that you all made it here this day. It took a lot of hard work from your coach and from you guys.”

Bland also took the opportunity to blast Jackson newspaper The Clarion Ledger for saying that Meridian couldn’t win. “Because where you all come from or what side of the street you grew up on, that doesn’t matter,” he said. “It doesn’t matter at all.”

MHS Director of Athletics and Student Support Jermaine Brown also spoke, congratulating the team and saying, “Meridian, this is your team. This is your championship. And we appreciate this honor.”

The final speaker was Miss. Senator Billy Hewes (R-Gulfport), who quipped, “In this season of giving, I’m glad South Panola gave it up.”