MPSA

[Triad]

The Mississippi Private School Association includes private schools primarily in Mississippi but also several in Louisiana and Arkansas. It is the epitome of the caste system.

Every year numerous white skill players finish their high school careers there and end up with no Division 1 football scholarship offers, i.e the Jesse Spinks thread.

In the last ten years I can only think of a handful of MPSA stars that have signed Division scholarships as skill players. In the late 1990's, Stewart Patridge, Pillow Academy - Ole Miss quarterback is probably the most successful. Casey Macke, Canton Academy - Ole Miss running back was Casted out after starring in spring games for the Rebels but not given a chance during the regular season.

Will Prosser, Starkville Academy - is a current Mississippi State wide receiver and Lenny Boatner, Winston Academy - signed with Hawaii out of high school as an athlete are both exceptions.

If you have any other top athletes from these organizations that are "overlooked" please post them here.

 

[Triad]

Joe Greenlee finished his high school career last fall and as far as I know didn't receive any Div. 1 football offers. Very similar to Matt Jones (not as fast, but he did high jump 6-10) a great athlete that could play QB, wide receiver or tight end in college. He started his career at a very small 1-A private school. At the end of his junior year he transferred to Jackson Academy, one of the largest and most dominant schools in the MPSA -- where he dominated.

Joe Greenlee, Jackson Academy
No football scholarship
Track scholarship Miss. State
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 205 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.7 seconds

Rushing Passing
STATISTICS
2004 (Jr.) Passing - 1,412 yards 15 TD 3 INT
2005 (Sr.) 60 rushes 392 yards 6.2 avg 7 TD; Passing 85-129, 1,522 yards 16 TD, - INT


Greenlee is a three-time Mississippi Private Schools Association (MPSA) Class AAA state champion. As a junior, Greenlee won the high jump title and repeated the performance as a senior. He also won the triple jump title as a senior. He set the North State record in the high jump as a junior, clearing a personal best 6 feet, 10 inches. His personal best in the triple jump is 41-07 1/2. He was named the squad's Most Valuable Player both seasons.

In addition to track and field, Greenlee was a Jackson Clarion Ledger all-Metro selection in football and all-MPSA standout. He helped lead the Raiders to state titles in football and basketball his senior season.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Any of the top MPSA RB's, WR's, DB's, and QB's over the last few years can be posted about here. Thanks for starting the thread Triad. I cut my high school football teeth watching MPSA games in the late 80's. I know another poster on Caste Football that played in the MPSA in the mid to late 90's. These guys are royally screwed. I have posted on this in the past. I have seen scouting game charts at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, and there would be 30 public school games on the list and maybe 3 private school games. That says it all! There were Lee Academy QB's before Spinks that could have played D1 ball but were never given a chance. I also think of Chad McMahan at North Delta, who should have been running the ball or at least playing somewhere in the SEC, but instead was an awesome DB for Tennessee Martin. Most area recruiters look for kickers, linemen, and a few QB/WR's in the MPSA and thats it. I have seen so many guys end their careers after high school because they were given no chances by anyone. Maybe Okra63 could post some more on the discrimination these guys face. It is very apparent in the Jackson Clarion Ledger as well.

 

[Triad]

Three of the MPSA's best players have transferred to 5-A public schools in the Jackson metro area with hopes of landing a Division I scholarship offer. Jared Foster transferred from Canton Academy to Madison Central; Chaz Ramsey, arguably the state's top offensive line prospect in the Class of 2007, left Jackson Academy for Madison Central, while Brookhaven Academy offensive lineman Cory Bailey has moved north with his family and will play for Northwest Rankin. It will be interesting, especially for Foster, to see how they fare versus the public schools.

A side note: Mississippi high school football only produced 49 Division I signees last year. Zero from the MPSA.





Clarion Ledger article

 

[Triad]

I also think of Chad McMahan at North Delta, who should have been running the ball or at least playing somewhere in the SEC, but instead was an awesome DB for Tennessee Martin.

Also from North Delta, Dustin Maples and IMO the best of the bunch Hayden Sullivant. Whatever happened to Sullivant I know he was a juco All Academic American at Northwest?

 

[Triad]

In an earlier post I mentioned the lack of college interest in MPSA skill players and I must modify that post. Actually, colleges, even major ones, have shown interest in some MPSA skill players, black ones. So the same recruiters who cite the lack of competition being a factor in ignoring white players have no problem signing a black player in the same league.

The traditional private schools receive no support at all from tax dollars, state or federal. However, if they enroll some token blacks "on scholarships" they can apply for tax-exempt status from our federal government. This is a huge benefit for struggling academies. So many schools now actively seek blacks to fill these slots in order to receive their benefits. As a consequence the formerly all white MPSA is getting darker and some of the affletes are now garnering major college interest.

Case in point:

Athlete A: during his junior the 5-9, 175 pound running back who runs a legit 4.4, rushes for 2521 yards (14.0 yards per carry) and scores an MPSA record 38 TD's against the best teams in the organization to led his AAA team to a 13-1 record. He receives no major college offers (I'm not aware of any from Division 1.)

Athlete B: is a 6-1, 210 pound running back/ plays some QB who runs a 4.6 and rushes for 1800 yards and 22 TD's his junior year while leading his A team to an 8-4 record. He is on all the national recruiting pages as a 4 star prospect and is recruited by LSU during his junior year.

Athlete A is white, North Delta's Hayden Sullivant from North Delta Academy.He continues his phenomenal play his senior year (2000 season) leading his team to the AAA state championship, winning the Wendy's Heisman Trophy for the state but receives no college offers. He goes to the local junior college, leads his team in rushing, and makes JUCO Academic All- American. I'm not aware of his playing career after juco.

Athlete B is black, Trinity Episcopal's Steve Ridley. Who despite playing in the MPSA's smallest and weakest division, Single A, is a can't miss 4 star

national prospect. He committed to LSU after his spectacular junior year. He is currently a senior.Edited by: Triad

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Quite a story isn't it? What hypocrisy these recruiters and coaches show through examples like this. Hayden did not play after Junior College, and I believe he is still in school at Mississippi State, as a regular student. I don't think Dustin even had an offer. If he did, it was from a JuCo and he didn't take it. The bottom line is he didn't play anywhere. What a shame! These guys were unreal athletes from a powerhouse program who played a tough schedule every year. An MPSA referree told me 2 years ago that he had seen JA and Prep's RBs (one of which was black), as well as many others who were good in the MPSA, but that a white kid who ran the ball from little Sharkey-Issaquena Academy was the best he had seen all year. The kid single-handedly destroyed my friend's team in a Bowl game that year. He wasn't even recruited by the local JC's as far as I know.

 

[peaster68]

Winston Academy had an offensive lineman who played in the All-Star game, and this kid now plays for the University of Central Arkansas which is a D1-AA school.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Welcome to Caste Football, peaster68. I'm a native Mississippian as well. Central Ark. is actually a D2 school in the Gulf South Conference. They are big rivals with Delta State, my alma-mater. Winston has had some really good teams lately. The A and AA MPSA championships were today, with Copiah winning the AA title over Kirk Academy and Trinity Episcopal winning the A title over Briarfield, ironically with a black QB. Edited by: Colonel_Reb

 

[peaster68]

Thanks... Central Arkansas used to be D2, they began their transition phase this year to 1-AA. They will officially join the Southland Conference next year. I like this topic cause good players are good players no matter where they play. Plus there are good athletes in the MPSA, its just hard to get their names out to the coaches.





And another MPSA player, Parker Mullins from Starkville Academy is the Punter for UAB.Edited by: peaster68

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Thanks for the info about Central Ark. peaster68. I didn't realize they were starting to make the move. The GSC has 5 of its 11 teams in Arkansas, so it will probably be a good thing. I bet Delta State will try to keep playing them because that will help them with strength of schedule. How did you find out about Caste Football?

 

[peaster68]

Delta State is a good rivalry to keep going, i hope they do.


I just came across this website (don't really remember how) but I like it. Its a good website.

 

[mshs34]

The kid to watch in this league is Cameron Lawence at Magnolia Heights.

He is a upcoming jr and if he does not get serious consideration at corner or safety at an SEC school..they have lost their minds. Edited by: mshs34

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Thanks for the info mshs34, and welcome to Caste Football! I have heard of Cameron, but don't know what position he plays, how fast he is,or how big he is. Maybe you could help us out with that info.The Chiefswere state champs last year.

 

[mshs34]

He currently is 6'2 and 190. QB and strong safety. I think he has more potential on the defensive side of the ball...but he is pretty handy at QB also. Led the Chiefs to a 12-0 record as a sophmore. Very high GPA and a hard worker in the weight room. He is running the 40 in the high 4's right now. BTW..he completed that leap over the defender. Most pure athletic kidI have seen in a long time.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Thats a great size for a safety, but he'll need to run at least a 4.6 to be considered by any of the big colleges in Mississippi. Seeing a white starting safety anywhere besides Delta State is just about impossible. He could also be a QB at a smaller school. He has 2 years left to get faster and better, so we'll keep our eyes on him and see what happens.

 

[mshs34]

Actually I spoke to someone yesterday that told me he was running consistent 4.5's this spring. From the look of him that weight might be a little on the low side also. He is going to the National High School All-Star Combine in New Orleans on Sat May 20th. I should be able to get some very accurate times from that when he returns.Edited by: mshs34

 

[mshs34]

Camerons numbers form the NHSASC in New Orleans.


40 yard dash 4.66 5 th best of 2009 class


20 yard shuttle 4.40 5 th best


Vertical Jump 30.2 4th best


3C Cone Drill 7.21 1st


Standing Broad Jump 9.4 3rd best

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Wow! Those are nice numbers. If he can get his 40 down a little more and his vertical up,as I'm sure he will, they will have no excuse for not recruiting him.

 

[Triad]

Thanks, for the information. He looks like an athletic QB like former Marshall Academy standout Seth Adams. He went the Div. II and then JUCO route before winding up at Ole Miss. According to reports Adams was head and shoulders above Brent Schaeffer in spring drills but Coach O is reluctant to name a starter so soon. Which is funny becasue Schaeffer was named the starter when he signed last year before he ever made it to campus.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Coach uh-O is really a head case. This example of Seth Adams shows the continued double standard when it comes to race in sports. David Cutcliffe, O's predecessor, did the same thing prior to the 2000 season, when he named Romaro Miller the starting QB before the summer began.

 

[okra63]

Speaking of players getting looked over in the MPSA, what about Taylor Howell from Lee Academy in Clarksdale, Mississippi from 1996-1998. Our junior year he ran for over 1,000 yards. I personally saw him open a letter from Mississippi State University after our junior year. Our senior year I never saw or heard anything about a d-1 program being after him. He went on to sign with Delta State University where he injured his foot his first fall there. He then transferred to Ole Miss to go to school.

In high school he played quarterback, punt returner, kickoff returner, and cornerback. He had atleast 4.5 speed in the 40.

It is sad to see people who do well in high school ball not prosper as well as they possibly could have if they had been given the chance to play big time college football.

The system needs to give the best man the chance and not judge on atheletism from the color of his skin.

 

[okra63]

One person from the MPSA to sign a D-1 scholarship was Johnathan Nichols, from Pillow Academy, who was a kicker for Ole Miss from 2001 - 2004 I think.

 

[okra63]

Johnathan Nichols is the most recent MPSA star that I know of.

 

[Triad]

Johnathan Nichols is the most recent MPSA star that I know of.

You forgot Steve Ridley from Trinity who signed with LSU.

As an aside, Jackson Prep, probably the best MPSA team this year, just beat a public school team 24-0. Next week they get the big boys a 5-A public school team.