Read the full stored bill text
H. R. No. 115 *HR26/R2715* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
26/HR26/R2715
PAGE 1 (DJ\KW)
To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Roberson, Taylor, Hood
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 115
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE STARKVILLE 1
HIGH SCHOOL LADY YELLOWJACKETS GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAD 2
COACH MATT WILBANKS UPON WINNING THE 2026 MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL 3
ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION (MHSAA) CLASS 7A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. 4
WHEREAS, the Starkville High School Lady Yellowjackets Girls 5
Basketball Team delivered a commanding performance to defeat 6
Harrison Central High School 39-22 and capture the Mississippi 7
High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Girls Class 7A State 8
Championship on March 6, 2026, at the Mississippi Coliseum, 9
joining the Starkville High School Boys Basketball Team in 10
bringing home a state championship to the Yellowjackets program; 11
and 12
WHEREAS, the victory secured the sixth state championship in 13
the history of Starkville High School Girls Basketball and marked 14
the program's first state title since 2018, while also 15
representing the first career state championship for Head Coach 16
Matt Wilbanks; and 17
WHEREAS, the Lady Yellowjackets completed a remarkable 2026 18
season with an outstanding record of 31 wins and three losses, 19
H. R. No. 115 *HR26/R2715* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2715
PAGE 2 (DJ\KW)
beginning and ending the year ranked the consensus No. 1 team in 20
Mississippi and dominating opponents throughout the season with an 21
impressive average margin of victory of 24 points; and 22
WHEREAS, Starkville established control early in the 23
championship contest, building an 11-5 lead by the end of the 24
first quarter and continuing their strong performance into the 25
second half, where a 10-4 run extended the lead to 31-11, as the 26
Lady Yellowjackets carried a commanding 31-16 advantage into the 27
fourth quarter before sealing the victory with an 8-2 run to 28
secure the 39-22 championship win; and 29
WHEREAS, Southern Miss signee Jada Gay delivered a standout 30
performance with a game-high 15 points and nine rebounds, earning 31
the honor of Most Valuable Player of the championship game, while 32
Zariah Brown added 12 points to help lead the Lady Yellowjackets 33
to victory; and 34
WHEREAS, additional honors highlight the extraordinary talent 35
and accomplishments of the team's players, including Jada Gay 36
being named the 2026 MHSAA Class 7A Miss Basketball, MHSAA Class 37
7A State Championship Most Valuable Player, a 2026 Girls 38
Basketball Dandy Dozen honoree, a 2026 7A Mississippi/Alabama 39
All-Star and Region 2/7A Player of the Year; Jade Brown as MHSAA 40
Class 7A Scholar Athlete, a 2026 7A Mississippi/Alabama All-Star 41
and an All-Region 2/7A selection; Zariah Brown as a 2025 7A 42
North/South All-Star and All-Region 2/7A selection; Yasmine 43
H. R. No. 115 *HR26/R2715* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2715
PAGE 3 (DJ\KW)
Roberts as a 2025 7A North/South All-Star; and Logan Warren and 44
Morgan Williams as All-Region 2/7A selections; and 45
WHEREAS, the members of the 2025-2026 Starkville High School 46
Lady Yellowjackets Girls Basketball Team whose discipline, 47
dedication and teamwork led them to this prestigious state 48
championship include: Jada Blair, Jada Gay, Eleanor Giesen, 49
Kamare Holmes, Zariah Brown, McKayla Duck, Logan Warren, Morgan 50
Williams, Karmen Robinson, Janiya Yarborough, Rylee Willis, 51
Yasmine Roberts, Isabella Davis, Catherine Lesley and Jade Brown; 52
and 53
WHEREAS, guiding this championship program are Head Coach 54
Matt Wilbanks and Assistant Coaches Mark Alexander, Wayde 55
Barksdale, Collins Brown, Emma Butler, Adam Hodges, Lydia Hinton, 56
Michael Knight, Tate Fischer and Boston Hampton, whose leadership 57
and commitment to excellence helped cultivate the discipline, 58
teamwork and competitive spirit that propelled the Lady 59
Yellowjackets to the pinnacle of Class 7A girls basketball; and 60
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 61
recognize and commend outstanding achievements by Mississippi 62
student-athletes whose dedication, perseverance and excellence 63
bring honor to their schools, their communities and the State of 64
Mississippi: 65
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 66
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 67
commend and congratulate the Starkville High School Lady 68
H. R. No. 115 *HR26/R2715* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2715
PAGE 4 (DJ\KW)
ST: Starkville High School Lady Yellowjackets
Girls Basketball Team; commend upon winning 2026
Class 7A State Championship.
Yellowjackets Girls Basketball Team and Head Coach Matt Wilbanks 69
upon winning the 2026 MHSAA Class 7A State Championship, and 70
extend best wishes to the team, coaches, parents and supporters 71
for continued success in all their future endeavors. 72
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 73
furnished to Starkville High School Head Coach Matt Wilbanks on 74
behalf of the Lady Yellowjackets Girls Basketball Team and to the 75
members of the Capitol Press Corps. 76