Pearl River Community College running back Scottie Merrill, a former Picayune Maroon Tide standout, was selected as an alternate for the recent state juco all-star game.
Photo by Mitch Deaver

By Curtis Rockwell

Picayune Item

A Pearl River Community College defender ended his juco playing career in fine fashion last week.

Pearl River Community College defensive lineman Carl Green of McComb High School was named the South Division’s Most Valuable Defensive Player in the 40th-annual MACJC All-Star Football Classic played here Thursday at Northeast Mississippi CC.

The sophomore Green played a major role in the South Division defeating the North 6-3 in the annual contest. He was joined on the South squad by sophomore teammates Shauntez Ball, a defensive back out of Madison Central High, Wesley Haas, an offensive lineman out of St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis, Shaun Jones, a wide receiver out of North Forrest High, Carson Miller, an offensive lineman out of West Point High, Ty Northern, a defensive back out of Rosa Fort High, Emmanuel Ray, a linebacker out of Lumberton High, and Martez Simpson, a linebacker out of Madison Central High.

Pearl River’s first-year head coach William Jones and his staff coached the South team, while Mississippi Delta head coach Jeff Tatum and his staff coach the North.

East Central placekicker Austin Franklin booted two first-half field goals to ice the victory for the South Division, while his two boots sandwiched a 30-yard effort by Holmes’ Matt Spencer for the North’s only points. Franklin’s two kicks were for 20 and 16 yards, respectively.

Jones County wide receiver Taylor Higgason out of Petal High was the South’s Most Valuable Offensive player.

North Division honorees included Northeast Mississippi’s Razean Prather grabbing the defensive award, while Mississippi Delta’s Edward McCadney took offensive honors.

Holmes’ Jammie Johnson won the overall Most Valuable Player honor.

Northeast has served as the host of the annual meeting of the MACJC’s best athletes for 27 consecutive years dating back to the mid-1980s.

Sophomores from all 14 institutions of the MACJC are eligible to participate in this yearly tradition. Thirty-three players comprise both the North and South rosters with each college contributing three athletes.

The MACJC All-Star Football Classic has been a springboard to the next level since its inception. Numerous athletes from past matchups have gone on to sign scholarships at four-year universities in NCAA Divisions I, II and NAIA.

In other juco news in South Mississippi, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College head coach Steve Campbell has resigned to take the job at Central Arkansas.

Campbell, 47, had been head coach at Gulf Coast since 2004. In that time, he compiled an 87-22 record with six MACJC South Division championships, three state titles and a share of the 2007 NJCAA championship.

“Gulf Coast was a blessing for me and my family,” Campbell said. “We had tremendous leadership here and a tremendous administration and support for athletics. Perkinston is a great town. My two oldest children were able to go all the way through high school and all the way through Gulf Coast Community College. It will always be a special place for us.

“This was just the right time to go.”

Campbell will replace Clint Conque, who resigned earlier this week to take the job at Stephen F. Austin. Conque was 105-59 in 14 years at the Conway, Ark., school, leading the Bears to three Southland Conference championships.