Gulfport High School Football Team; commend on winning MHSAA Class 7A State Championship.

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Hulum, Haney

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 44

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 1
GULFPORT HIGH SCHOOL ADMIRALS FOOTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH BLAKE 2
PENNOCK ON WINNING THE 2025 MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES 3
ASSOCIATION (MHSAA) CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. 4
WHEREAS, on December 6, 2025, in an unbelievable game that 5
will surely forever be remembered in the annals of state 6
championships in Mississippi, the Gulfport High School Admirals 7
Football Team clinched its first title in school history when the 8
team reigned supreme against the Tupelo High School Golden Wave 9
Football Team with a 21-20 last-second win at Davis Wade Stadium 10
on the campus of Mississippi State University; and 11
WHEREAS, finishing the team's most successful season of all 12
time with several program records being made, the Admirals victory 13
in their first ever matchup with the Golden Wave set a school 14
record for the most wins in a season, with the phenomenal 15
championship title being the 12th consecutive win after rebounding 16
from two early season losses; and 17
WHEREAS, the Admirals, flawlessly 6-0 in region play, 18
recorded its first district title since 2019, while impressively 19
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racking up an amazing 514 points in 2025, setting yet another 20
program record for the school's history books; and 21
WHEREAS, making their first appearance at a state 22
championship in 43 years, the Gulfport Admirals entered halftime 23
with a 7-point lead over the defending state champs after Cooper 24
Crosby, named Most Valuable Player for the championship game, ran 25
for a 20-yard touchdown in the first quarter before doubling the 26
score early in the second quarter on a 54-yard touchdown run; and 27
WHEREAS, Tupelo, roaring to win and retain its championship 28
title, strongly emerged from the midgame break and tied the score 29
with a third quarter touchdown before adding six more points in 30
the Golden Waves' final play with only 27 seconds remaining in the 31
fourth quarter, bringing the nail-biting game to a 20-14 lead for 32
the Tupelo squad with less than half a minute before the final 33
buzzer for the Admirals to answer back; and 34
WHEREAS, with just two seconds on the clock, in an 35
unbelievable way seen only in the movies, quarterback Parker 36
Nettles launched a Hail Mary pass on the last play of the game 37
which was tipped in the endzone but, in no less than miraculous 38
fashion, fell into wide receiver Mylan Stubbs' arms, tying the 39
score 20-20 before kicker Carter Platt added the extra point of a 40
lifetime with the clock having expired; and 41
WHEREAS, while the Admirals' brilliant offense racked up a 42
total of 376 yards over 49 plays, the exceptional defense, led by 43
linebackers Andre Peters III and Deandrew Williams, who combined 44
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for 21 tackles, were no less impressive in this storybook 45
championship contest; and 46
WHEREAS, the team's success throughout the season would not 47
have been possible without, in Coach Pennock's words, "the heart 48
and resilience of our guys never quitting" and the endless 49
training and hard work of each of the following talented 50
student-athletes who comprise the 2025 Admirals team: Cannon 51
Parker, Syniker Taylor, Amuai Frederick, Javon Anderson, Faviour 52
Hales, Cooper Crosby, Cordarious Payton, Pierre Felder, Jackson 53
Wolverton, Jamarion Davis, Shaw Killabrew, Geziah Davis, Eli 54
Carter, Camden Morgan, Jayonne Pollard, Parker Nettles, Deuce 55
McDonald, Myles McNair, Deandre Williams, Mylan Stubbs, Andre 56
Peters III, Lawrence Peek, Tyrell Seales, Jaden Jones, Carter 57
Platt, Cortell Crandle, Isaiah Ellison, Tyson Otumfor, Kaleb 58
McDonald, Lawrence Robertson, Taijeohn Bruks, Noah Fitzgerald, 59
Jayqualan Peters III, Amari Davis, Avery Amos, Jerondric Dortch, 60
Dalyn Saucier, Zander Carter, Dailen Perkins, Talvador Harry, 61
Mavin Daniel, Jacob Bealer, Cole Hunter, Ty Bush, Micah Bullard, 62
Kayun McDonalds, Neyovaughney Tavale, Kydus Reese, Phillip Towner, 63
Grant Hunter, Darius Davis, Dylan Davis, Braxton Boswell, Jacoby 64
Ray, Antoine Ray, Ja'Marion Moses, Bruce Davis, Jerimiah Lightner, 65
Hunter Smith, Timothy Brown, Chris Harper, Christian Scruggs, 66
Abdual Lovett, Jr., Malachi Smith, Parker Smith, Truett Freeman, 67
Lavell Hall, Khamron Brown, Brantley McKinney, Austin Ray, Cooper 68
Gouin, Jy'savian Causey, Nick Strickland, Aleaton Ausmer, Q'Uron 69
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Price, Traylon Rockingham, Kylan Easterling, Jaqurean Smith, 70
Samuel Barnes and Jordyn Fernandez; and team managers and 71
trainers: Colton Ladner, Elijah Warren, Jordyn Crawford, Jakirah 72
Keyes, Jakayiah Robinson, Serenity Wrice and Tyanna Reid; and 73
WHEREAS, the players have been superbly coached and inspired 74
by Head Coach Blake Pennock and assistant coaches Patrick 75
Mooneyham, Zach Green, Cameron Tawater, Justin Jones, James 76
Antonini, Don Smith, Richaud Floyd, Adarius Haralson, Jamal Hall, 77
Chase Cooley, CJ Anderson, Ryan Strong, Lasavon Mangum, Brandon 78
Barna and Carlos Evers, all of whom have broadened the players' 79
knowledge of the game while refining their skills in execution; 80
and 81
WHEREAS, the Admirals' phenomenal achievement in defeating 82
Tupelo in the state championship is a testament to the steadfast 83
support of Athletic Director Matt Walters, School District 84
Superintendent Glen East and the entire Gulfport community, whose 85
encouragement and unwavering belief in their team continue to 86
inspire success on and off the field; and 87
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Legislature to recognize and 88
honor the achievements of student-athletes such as the Gulfport 89
High School Admirals Football Team, who have brought honor to 90
their families, school and community and the entire State of 91
Mississippi: 92
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 93
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING 94
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ST: Gulfport High School Football Team; commend
on winning MHSAA Class 7A State Championship.
THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Gulfport 95
High School Admirals Football Team and Head Coach Blake Pennock on 96
winning the 2025 Mississippi High School Activities Association 97
(MHSAA) Class 7A State Championship and extend best wishes for 98
continued success in all their future athletic and academic 99
endeavors. 100
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 101
furnished to Head Coach Blake Pennock on behalf of the Gulfport 102
High School Admirals Football Team and to the members of the 103
Capitol Press Corps. 104