STARKVILLE – After months of preparation, show time has arrived for the Mississippi High School Activities Association.
For the first time in more than two decades, the high school football state championships will dominate the state’s headlines from a venue other than Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson.
The first-ever games played at Mississippi State University in the Gridiron Championship series take place today and begin with an 11 a.m. start between St. Aloysius and Natchez Cathedral for the Class 1A state championship.
Three games will be played today and Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. Admission for all games will be $13.
“Been at Memorial Stadium from 1992 to 2013, so this certainly something new and something different,” MHSAA Director of Development Todd Kelly said. “We have modeled after what Alabama did. They have had great success at both Auburn and Alabama, and we feel like we can have similar success.”
In 2008, the Alabama High School Athletic Association moved its (then six but now seven-game) championship weekend from historic Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The finals are now rotated annually between Alabama and Auburn. The original four-year contract has since been extended through 2020.
The MHSAA now has a similar deal in the works. MSU will host state championship weekend in 2014 and 2016, while Ole Miss will host the games in 2015 and 2017 as per the new four-year arrangement.
“This is really a great opportunity for the kids,” said South Panola coach Lance Pogue, whose team plays Oak Grove at 7 Saturday night for the Class 6A title. “Mississippi State and the MHSAA are both going to give these kids a memorable experience. You always want bigger and better. I think this will be an exciting move for the championships.”
New Hope High School has hosted a preseason jamboree at MSU on numerous occasions. Noxubee County played in that event this season and will now return for Saturday’s 3 p.m. Class 4A championship against St. Stanislaus.
“The players are really looking forward to this opportunity,” Noxubee County coach Tyrone Shorter said. “Having played in the stadium is a good thing. There is always a lot of anticipation for a state championship game. Hopefully, we can go out and play our best. Our goal was to start the season at MSU and end it there, too.”
With Memorial Stadium becoming more outdated by a constantly upgraded stadium at both MSU and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Ole Miss, a potential move had been rumored for a couple of years. The proper financial package for all sides was hammered out in the summer.
Jackson State University now owns Memorial Stadium. To offset the loss of the football championship weekend, some high school basketball state tournament games will now be played on the JSU campus.
“We have had great reaction from the move,” Kelly said. “A lot of people from around the state will be amazed when they come to games here. They don’t get a chance during the regular season to come up for a weekend and see a game, so this will be a new experience for them. For our young people, band members, cheer leaders, younger brothers and sisters, this will be a big deal and something they always remember.
“Special thanks to the people in Starkville who have welcomed us with open arms. The Greater Starkville Development Partnership has been there from the beginning to make sure this was a great event. The people at Mississippi State, from (Director of Athletics) Scott Stricklin and (Senior Associate Athletic Director) Mike Nemeth on down, have been incredible to work with. We are lucky to work with people such as this. They are first class in every aspect. That is how you put on a first-class event.”
Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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