It was a dream season for Parklane Academy’s football program this year.
On their way to claiming their first state title since 1994, the Pioneers cruised to an undefeated mark in district play, took down MHSAA 3A champs Choctaw County and capped the season with a resounding 70-42 win over Leake Academy in the MAIS 5A championship game.
It’s a team that is sure to be remembered fondly for generations to come, and such an incredible campaign deserves plenty of celebration.
Thus, Parklane honored its 2024 team with a postseason banquet at Oak Hill Estates on Sunday. With the many members of the football program present alongside the school’s administration, family and friends, the community had a chance to celebrate this special group one last time.
Members of the Parklane staff spoke to honor individuals on the cheer, dance and junior varsity teams before head coach Ron Rushing took to the podium to talk about the year that was.
The head coach thanked a long list of individuals for their contributions to such a successful campaign, and the members of his staff who spoke reciprocated that sentiment and made sure to point out that Rushing was named 5A Coach of the Year.
Also during the afternoon’s festivities, awards were handed out to select players for their efforts throughout the season. Rushing called out each All-State and All-District performer, and awards that were unique to Parklane Academy were also handed out.
The overall team MVP was none other than 2,000-yard rusher Jax Toler, while senior quarterback JD Dumas was named Offensive Player of the Year. Senior lineman Camp Lott earned Defensive Player of the Year Honors, while sophomore kicker Miles Carter was named Special Teams Player of the Year.
The Most Improved award went to junior linebacker Jace Jones, and the Pioneer Spirit recipient was senior receiver CJ Wall. Last but not least, Dumas, Lott and Toler were all honored with the Paul Ott Carruth Award.
On each table at the venue, there were also early depictions of what the state-title rings would look like. Each player’s name and number will be featured on each ring, as will the team’s 12-2 record and logo.
The football program is actively taking donations for the purchase of the rings, as Parklane’s goal is to not have to make the athletes pay out of pocket for anything.
Now, Rushing and his program turn their attention to the 2025 season. The Pioneers will have to deal with being the “hunted” rather than the “hunter” as the reigning state champions, but plenty of talent returns to mount another strong campaign.
