Since the beginning of 2017 until the end, Marion County sports never failed to disappoint. The sports year was flush with comebacks, walk-offs and buzzer-beaters and records, titles and scholarships.
It was tough to pick just 10 and some of them are lumped together to make one, but these 10 certainly do stand above the rest.
Basketball Trio
The 2016-17 high school basketball season was amazing for Marion County schools as Columbia Academy, East Marion and Columbia each went undefeated in district play and won their respective district tournaments. Columbia Academy followed its district title with a South State title Feb. 18, beating Simpson Academy 46-38.
Cardiac Trojans
The West Marion Trojans baseball team had its best run in nearly two decades, advancing to South State for the first time since 1999. Jacob Boone delivered a walk-off single to top Morton in the first round, Trace McNabb had a walk-off single against Choctaw County in the second round and the Trojans swept Franklin County to advance to South State before falling to Seminary.
Cougars Title
Following a historic run in which the Cougars led the nation with a mind-numbing 61 home runs, Columbia Academy captured its first state title in baseball since 1996, beating Central Hinds 6-0 in the deciding Game 3. The Cougars finished the season 32-10.
Alford Debut
Columbia native Anthony Alford made his big league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays May 19 and had a few big highlights in his brief four-game stint. Alford robbed J.J. Hardy of a home run during his debut game and smashed his first hit in The Show May 23, coming up inches shy of a home run that instead caromed off the wall for a double. Unfortunately for Alford, though, he fractured his hamate bone in his wrist in his next at-bat and remained in the Minors following his return from injury. He recently concluded the regular season of winter league ball in the Mexican Pacific League, batting .352 with 10 extra-base hits (2 HR), 15 RBI and eight steals over 26 games with Charros de Jalisco.
Little League Titles
Columbia All-Star teams showed their dominance over the summer with the Columbia 6u, 9u and 11u boys and the 8u 12u girls teams winning Mississippi state titles. The Columbia 6u and 8u boys took their dominance a step further, claiming World Series titles.
Oatis Garners Attention
As a 14-year-old heading into his eighth-grade year, Jefferson Middle School student athlete Jaheim Oatis became a national story during the summer after attending football camps at Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama with his performances landing him scholarship offers from each of the three SEC West rivals. While Oatis missed much of the 2017 football season with a knee sprain, he flashed his immense potential during limited action and has become a key cog in the Wildcats rotation on the hardwood.
County Rivalry Born
For the first time in the two schools’ history, West Marion and Columbia Academy matched up on the gridiron in late September and sparked what will likely become a fierce annual rivalry moving forward. West Marion claimed the inaugural game of the series, beating the Cougars 58-40, on its home field. The two schools will meet on the football field once again in 2018, this time at Columbia Academy.
Game of the Year
There were a lot of great games played throughout the county in every sport in 2017, but the “Game of the Year” designation goes to the Dec. 1 thriller at Columbia High School between the East Marion and Columbia boys basketball squads. The atmosphere was absolutely electric and Columbia appeared to have the game sewn up after TJ Monroe scored six straight points to give the Wildcats a 47-42 lead with 55 seconds remaining, but the Eagles pulled off an improbable comeback to win 51-50. Columbia took a slim 50-49 late lead following a Nick Averett free throw, but Flenard McLin drove the length of the floor and drew contact to get to the charity strip with the game in the balance. McLin drilled both free throws with 2.5 seconds left, and the Eagles held on for the win.
Bilderback
Following the resignation of Columbia head football coach James Harvey, Columbia School District Superintendent Jason Harris and the School Board tabbed Perry Central head coach Chip Bilderback as the next Wildcats head coach. Bilderback went 16-8 in two seasons at the helm at Perry Central and is the son-in-law of Mississippi coaching legend Perry Wheat.
Athletic Scholarships
Twenty Marion Countians inked collegiate scholarships for their athletic prowess in 2017, including Fred Peters (Jones County Junior College, football), Antonio James (Hinds Community College, football), Adrian Miller (East Mississippi CC, football), Damien Johnson (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC, football), Garry Martin (Pearl River CC, football), Lorenzo Armstrong (Southwest Mississippi CC, football), Bryce Livingston (Hinds CC, tennis), Skylar Graves (Mississippi College, archery), Wiley Cleland (PRCC, baseball), Cam Havard (PRCC, baseball), Luke McKenzie (JCJC, baseball), Reid Havard (SWMCC, baseball), Colby White (Mississippi State, baseball), Logan McDowell (UL-Monroe, baseball), Trace McNabb (PRCC, baseball), Trey Hobgood (PRCC, baseball), Jordan McNabb (SWMCC, softball), Caleb Batie (Missouri Southern State, football), Money Gaddis (West Alabama, football) and Didravious Henry (Jackson State, football). Slade Wilks, a sophomore, committed to Southern Miss to play baseball as well.
