Legends of the Gridiron honorees announced
Published 6:30 am Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Stan Smythe, George Carlson (center) and Bob Norris in the booth during a 1996 playoff game against Greenwood. (File)
Jamarca Sanford (back) at one of his football camps at South Panola. He stands near one of his buddies, Devon Sanford. File Photo
Historic gathering of SP Tiger football greats expected
The South Panola Tigers football program and its supporters are making final preparations for what is being billed as an historic night of recognition of one of the most successful and celebrated high school athletic teams in Mississippi sports history.
The Batesville Civic Center will be the setting for the Saturday, June 24, Legends of the Gridiron event. Dress is semi-formal and the festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. Honorees and their families will have choice seating. The public is invited to attend.
Organizers hope to spotlight the different facets of the program’s success, including honors for coaches, players, support staff and the Tigers’ fan base.
The program will be divided into several subsets of recognition. The main honorees will be members of all State Championship teams, all head coaches of State Championship teams, the late Coach Darrel Arnold, the late Coach Robert Lightsey, the late Coach Danny Ray Cole, Coach Ron McMinn, Coach Will Robertson and Coach Arnie Oakes.
The Tigers have had 24 Dozen Dandy football players who will be recognized.
Under the heading of Trailblazers, the following will be honored: Joe Norwood, the 1970 Delta Valley Conference championship team, the 1977 Chickasaw Conference championship team, William Connor, Ronald Shegog, the 1993 State Championship team, Deshea Townsend, Jermarcus “Yoshi” Hardrick, Marcus Griffin, the 2010 National Championship team and the late Demetric Wright.
Golden Voice of the Gridiron recognition will go to the broadcast personnel, including Judge George C. Carlson, P.R. Roberts, Stan Smythe, Steve Calvert, and the late Bob Norris.
Gridiron historians will be Otis Griffin, Robert Shegog, Ken Hopper and Chris Ware.
Super Fans that will be recognized are Devon Sanford, Glyn Glover, Steve Robinson, Fred Hentz, Dexter Chapman, Patrick Sykes, James Whitten, Otis Cooper, and the late James L. Pope, Herman Ellis, Charles Johnson and Jerome Pope.
Pay-It-Forward will be the final group of honorees, and they include the high school team’s Feeder Program, Jamarca Sanford, Michael Oher, John Jerry, Peria Jerry, Darrell Henderson, Roosevelt Jones, Sr., the Batesville Tigers Little League, and Coaches Malikia Griffin, Artee Smith, John Davis, Terrance Pope, Justin Lee, Anthony Kirkwood, Jackie Chapman and Tillman Ballentine.
