Have you heard that adage, “Wait until next season”? The 2005 MCMS football team doesn’t have to say that. You can’t do better than to win every season game. That’s what the MCMS football team did. The MCMS seventh and eighth grade football team will compete in the championship game Thursday, October 13, at Richardson Field.
The Miller County Middle School football team has gone undefeated this season under the coaching ability of Coach Renza Israel, Coach Woodie Kirkland, and Coach Jimmy Phillips.
Coach Israel stated, “We have 25 boys playing this year, and we have improved a good bit since the start of the season. Right now, we are just waiting to see what will happen when we play a complete game. It should be fun to watch. These young boys have worked hard all season, and they are learning that hard work and teamwork really do pay off.”
Every game has brought on a nearly packed stadium just to watch these boys play. The fans and cheerleaders really keep the momentum going all during the game. Middle school cheerleaders consist of captain-Leandra Kelly, co-captain-Breache Roberts, Chelsea Freeman, Courtney Guy, Samantha Martin, Kyla Moye, Victoria Newberry, Jenna Phillips, Jennifer Rathel, Tarah Sloan, Mary Katherine Spooner, and Latonya Williams.
The team, along with the coaches, would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who have been supporting them this season. We really do appreciate it. We hope to see all of you this Thursday at 5:00 p.m. for the championship game held at Richardson Field against Early County. Being the number one team, the MCMS football team will host the Early County Bobcats. The game will start at 5:00 p.m. Come out and support your team at Pirate Stadium in Colquitt.
2005 Season Scores
Pirates 44 Calhoun Co. 6
Pirates 36 Pelham 0
Pirates 29 Randolph-Clay 8
Pirates 26 Early Co. 6
Pirates 28 Seminole 14
Pirates 28 Eagles 12
TEAM ROSTER
Joshua C. Adams
Quinton Grant
Joseph Stolze
Jacob Westbrook
Cedric Clarke
Latrez Morgan
Joshua Broxton
Alex West
Nicholas Young
Matthew B. Houston
Cosby Salter
Zenario M. Shuler
Shawndre Sheffield
Christopher Wiggins
Seth D. Deane
Trey Perryman
Caleb Cunningham
Brandon Mathis John Marcus Newberry
Jonathan Sheffield
Marcus Bullard
Jarret Rahymes
Jeffery S. Roland
Stanley Carr
Joshua Rahymes
Clinton Grant
Watch out big Pirates, these players will be looking for a place on the MCHS Pirate team in the very near future.
Go, Mighty Middle School Pirates! A Cat Skinning would be appreciated by your fans.

An Atlanta Braves starting pitcher and the first woman to receive a basketball scholarship at Auburn University were among five people inducted into the Tiger Trail of Auburn on Saturday, October 1, 2005.
The ceremony took place at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce’s 11th annual Tiger Trail of Auburn induction breakfast held at The Hotel at Auburn University.
Marianne Merritt Melton of Colquitt was one of the five inducted into the Tiger Trail. Marianne, who was the first woman to receive a basketball scholarship at Auburn University, could have joined a professional team following her record-making collegiate career.
The five-foot, eight-inch forward amassed 114 steals in one season at Auburn and averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game between 1975 and 1979, placing her at the top of Auburn’s record books.
After graduating from Auburn, Melton was drafted by the Chicago Hustle, but chose to get married instead.
“I remember the days when we drove our town cars to the ball games,” Melton told the capacity crowd on hand at the induction ceremony. I’m grateful that women’s basketball has taken off as it has.”
Although Melton said her fondest memory was a last-second, half-court shot she made that sent Auburn into an overtime win against Mississippi State, she recently beat her biggest contender. She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and took almost a year to beat the disease.
“I fought the disease with character built at Auburn University,” she said. “I’m grateful that I was here, and I’m alive today to receive this honor.”
Marianne is a 1975 graduate of Miller County High School. During her high school years, she scored a career 2295 points. Her jersey is now retired at MCHS.
Melton was also inducted in to Auburn’s Southeastern Conference Great in 2003 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Marianne is married to Robert Melton. She teaches physical education at Miller County Elementary School and is also assistant coach to her husband, who is head coach of the Miller County High School’s girls’ basketball team.
The other four inductees included Tim Hudson, a former AU baseball player, and now a part of the Atlanta Braves’ starting lineup; former AU football player Tommy Lorino, who now lives in Auburn where he owns his Golden Rule BBQ Restaurant; the late Jack Meagher, who was head football coach for the Tigers from 1934 to 1942; and Mike Mitchell, former AU basketball player who was a first-round NBA draft pick and played for San Antonio and Cleveland.
The five new Tiger Trial inductees will join 67 others who have had their names etched in granite markers along the sidewalks of downtown Auburn, including Bo Jackson, Pat Dye, and Charles Barkley.
Marianne is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Hinton Merritt of Colquitt.
Congratulations are extended on this well deserved honor.

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and for the last year that is exactly what Shelby Autumn Lee, Little Miss National Peanut Festival, has been doing.
On October 15, 2005, Shelby will relinquish her title to a new Little Miss National Peanut Festival.
The pageant will be held at the Dothan Civic Center at 6:00 p.m. CST. The theme for the pageant will be based on one of Shelby’s favorite pastimes -- shopping, and the contestants, along with Shelby, will perform to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”
Shelby was crowned Little Miss National Peanut Festival on Saturday night, October 16, 2004, at the Dothan Civic Center. She entered the pageant as Little Miss Colquitt and competed along with 57 other contestants to win the crown. Shelby also won the Stage Presence and Personality Award, along with the crown and many gifts.
“I have had a fun and very busy year,” commented Shelby. She has made over 65 appearances and traveled over 5,000 miles since winning the crown last year. Shelby also stated, “I have written over 200 thank you notes throughout my year as Little Miss National Peanut Festival.”
Her mother, Jeannie Lee, when asked was she ready for it to be over, she replied, laughing, “No, not really, we could go another year!” She may have been joking!
Shelby has been busy preparing for this special night. She will be performing a jazz routine to “Let’s Get Down” by Jennifer Lopez. She will also play the piano to “Via Dolorosa.”
Little Miss National Peanut Festival would like to invite all of her family and friends to attend the pageant Saturday night.
Shelby is the eight-year-old daughter of Rob and Jeannie Lee. She is in the third grade at Miller County Elementary School and attends Colquitt Free Will Baptist Church.
She is the granddaughter of Don and Annie Laura Middleton of Colquitt and John and Faye Lee of Jesup. She has one brother, Ben.
Colquitt is proud of you, Shelby, and knows you will make us proud once again as you relinquish your title as Little Miss National Peanut Festival.

Week of October 9, 2005