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1998

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1999

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March
April 1 - 15
April 16 - 30
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August16 - 31
 
 

Soccer team prepares for August 28th match at the Hinds Jamboree in Raymond. (click on image for full size)	September 2 finds the Wildcat football team pitted against Itawamba in Fulton. (click on image for full size)

Pearl River Community College weekly recap - August 30, 1999

Pearl River's Workforce Development Center served 9,026 citizens last year

     HATTIESBURG - Pearl River Community College's Workforce Development Center
 served 9,026 citizens within its six-county district last year.
     "We have gone beyond lip service to actually full-filling the needs of our workforce," said
Ed Felsher, director of the PRCC Workforce Center. "We are in the realm of action."
     Felsher reported, during a quarterly meeting of the PRCC Workforce Council,  that from
July 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999 the Workforce Center conducted 76 training projects for 53
businesses and industries and spent $1,130,000 in state appropriations to support the training
projects.
     Training projects have included everything from reading and mathematics enhancement
training, to more job specific and technical skills training, such as those advanced technology
skills taught in the Advanced Computerized Machining and Industrial Maintenance training labs.
     The total number of citizens served includes anyone who received a service of any kind
through the center, including training projects for business and industry organizations, training
and other services provided by the Adult Education Department and training, counseling, and
other services handled  by the Small Business Development Center.
     State Department of Education funds allocated  is money actually spent in the PRCC
district on instructor salaries, materials and other services related to workforce training.
     "Almost without exception, area business and industry owners and managers speak of the
shortcomings in the basic skills competence of our area workforce," said Felsher. "We served
4,796 in some type of basic skills last year. You can tell we were listening and then applied our
resources appropriately."
     Basic workforce skills includes literacy skills of reading, mathematics and writing and
basic computer skills, reading and interpretation of basic measuring tools and other industry
defined basic workplace skills.
     Forrest County businesses and industries served this past year included ATS, Allied
Enterprises, AB&C, Camp Shelby, Coca-Cola, Dickten & Masch, Forrest General Hospital,
Inland Container, Kimberly Clark, Kohler Engines, Miller-Picking, Mississippi Tank, Murray
Envelope, PRCC/WDC, PRCC/SBDC, Resinall, Sewing Center, Sunbeam, Western Container,
and Hercules, Inc. 
     PRCC served 6,251 individuals and 21 companies in Forrest County. Over the past
three years, more than $2 million in training funds have been earmarked for Forrest County
businesses and industries.
     PRCC's next largest concentration of workforce assistance has been in Hancock County.
The Workforce Center served 1,386 people this past year and provided services to Alcan Cable,
BE&K, Calgon Carbon, City of Bay St. Louis, Coast Electric, GE Plastics, Gulf Coast
Fabrication, Hancock Medical Center, and Wellman.
     Over the past three years, $851,000 in training funds have been allocated for Hancock
County. A state-of-the-art maintenance training lab was equipped in the McDonald Training
Center located at Port Bienville.
     Persons served by PRCC in Jefferson Davis County included 455 and two businesses. In
Lamar County 328 persons were served and seven  companies. Marion County had 248 people
and six businesses  to take advantage of the Workforce Center offerings, and 358 citizens and 8
companies in Pearl River County received assistance.
     PRCC's Adult Basic Education served 2,844 last year and the Small Business
Development Center served 824 individuals. The SBDC staged 51 workshops and provided
counseling services for 142 business hopefuls.

Wildcat Club officers named 

     Greg Mitchell of Picayune will serve his second consecutive year as head of the Pearl
River Community College Wildcat Club, while Patricia Strebeck of Poplarville was named vice-
chair in a meeting Thursday.
     Both Mitchell and Strebeck have sophomore sons playing for the football Wildcats.
Mitch Deaver, PRCC's assistant public relations director, will serve as secretary of the
organization which supports all Pearl River athletic programs.
     Tony Sakalarios of Hattiesburg was named to the Wildcat Club Executive Board 
representing PRCC's new soccer teams.  Sakalarios' son, Andrew, is a member of PRCC's first
Wildcat soccer team.
     The PRCC football Wildcats open Thursday against Itawamba in Fulton, while the soccer
teams were scheduled to open their season today (Tuesday) in Raymond against Hinds.
     Representatives of other sports will be added to the executive board during the fall.

Dr. Mark Malone will serve as chair-elect of Mississippi Choral Directors

     POPLARVILLE - Dr. Mark Malone, director of choral music at Pearl River Community
College, has been chosen to serve as chairman-elect of the Mississippi Community College
Choral Directors Association for the 1999-2000 school year.
     Dr. Malone will serve a year as chairman-elect and then assume chair duties for the 2000-
2001 year.
     Malone has also been elected to the Executive Board  of the Mississippi American Choral
Directors Association (ACDA) for 2000. Malone has served on the ACDA board several times in
the past while editor for the MS ACDA Newsletter.
     Dr. Malone is coordinator and piano accompanist for the MS ACDA all-state high school
show choir which rehearses and performs as a part of the MS ACDA Convention in the spring of
each school year.
     Malone has also been invited to s serve as an adjudicator for the Alabama State Choral
Festival in November in Birmingham, and will judge the North Mississippi High School Choral
Festival in February, 2000.

Pearl River Opens Thursday Against Itawamba
Wildcats Hope To Get 1999 Season Off On Right Track Against Indians

     POPLARVILLE   Pearl River Community College's 1999 football debut arrives this
Thursday and fifth-year head coach Keith Daniels says his Wildcats will face an aggressive tribe of
Itawamba Indians that possess excellent team speed when they head to Fulton for a 6:30 p.m.
non-division battle.
     A year ago, Coach Jay Miller's Indians handed the Wildcats a 28-12 setback in Poplarville,
but Daniels is optimistic that his improved team will be ready for its opener. Itawamba, says
Daniels, will be a solid test early, particularly for his young and relatively inexperienced defense.
     "They (Itawamba) pose a big challenge for our defense because of their excellent passing
game," Daniels said. "We'll learn a lot about our defensive guys Thursday because they'll be up
against great speed on both sides of the ball and are an excellent passing game, which is typical of
any Itawamba team."
     ICC finished the 1998 season No. 2 in the state in passing behind QB Jeffrey Aaron, who
is now at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (as a wide receiver), and returning WR Jason
Fisher, the state's No. 3 receiver a year ago and the state's top returning receiver.
     "Their quarterback is gone, but they've got a good one (Ed Porter) coming back that saw
a lot of playing time last year," Daniels said. "And he has one of the top receivers in the state to
throw to."
     Porter directed the Indians' 25-16 season-ending win over East Mississippi last year.
Fisher is a speedster (4.3-second 40), who snagged 40 passes for 824 yards and 9 touchdowns a
year ago.
     Miller calls Fisher"a big time football player," noting he may also be used as a running
back throughout the season.
     "Coach Miller and his staff do an excellent job in preparing their team," Daniels said. "You
always face a team ready to play in Itawamba."
     Daniels says the Wildcats, which finished 2-8 overall and 1-5 in South Division play last
year, are ready to play.
     "All our guys want to get things rolling," he said. "From a health standpoint, we're in
pretty good shape and I feel that is reflective of how well-conditioned we were when our guys
reported for three-a-days," he said. "But we've still got lots of work to do between now and
game time in order to beat a team like Itawamba.
     "We've still got a few bruised-up people, but I don't foresee any problems with our
starting lineup. They'll be ready to go."
     Wildcat sophomore QB Travis Cunningham returns after a year's layoff with a shoulder
injury.
     "Travis isn't throwing as well as I would like, but we haven't seen any problems with his
shoulder," Daniels said. "I'm pleased with his progress and I feel he'll have an excellent year for
us."
     The Wildcat offense has the talent and ability to make big plays, but Daniels is concerned
with inconsistencies, a lack of execution, and the ability to take care of the football.
     "We've got some big play people, but you've got to avoid mistakes," he said. "Turnovers
and the lack of execution can be costly."
     FB Michael Shelby of Petal and RBs Deshonzo Franklin of Columbia and Bo Travis of
Pensacola, Fla.   all sophomores   will join Cunningham in the starting backfield, but Daniels
says several talented freshmen will also see plenty playing time in the opener.
     "Ramah Smith, Donovan Walker, and Trey McLemore have been solid additions and have
speed and lots of ability. We don't see any problems with our backfield," he said.
     All three were highly-recruited out of high school   Smith out of Bogalusa, La.; Walker
out of Columbia, and McLemore out of Lumberton. McLemore signed with Nicholls State last
spring, but transferred to The River after one week of workouts in Thibodeaux, La.
     "Our people in the backfield should compliment one another," Daniels said. "Some are
better at blocking, others as receivers, and others are better outside or inside runners. We're so
solid there this year that Jimmie Rax, who started several games last year, is in a hard fight just to
get playing time."
     Freshmen Steve Odom of Columbia and Avery Hatten of Hattiesburg (North Forrest) will
back up Shelby.
     Sophomore WRs Chris Marshall of Petal, Larry Morrow of Oak Grove, and Greg Mitchell
of Picayune have shown lots of progress in the preseason and are "much better players because of
their maturity," says Daniels.
     Freshman Keshun Fudge of Hattiesburg is still learning the Wildcat system, but "has a
promising future in our league because of his tremendous talent and excellent speed."
     Mitchell is also the Wildcat punter. He finished the 1998 season ranked fourth in the state
with his 38.5-yard average on 62 kicks.
     Daniels says freshman Anthony Bullock out of East Marion has copped the starting tight
end spot, but his backup is still up in the air.
     Elsewhere up front, the Wildcats have seen a lot of shuffling to get the best combination,
but Daniels touts the efforts of sophomore linemen Kris Strebeck of Poplarville, Jeremy
Drummond of Picayune, and Mark Williams and Brandon Smith, both out of Hancock County.
Newcomers Brandon Thornhill of Foxworth (West Marion), Kris Robbins of Picayune, and Brad
Stevens of Sumrall have proven they can play integral roles.
     Defensively, first-year co-defensive coordinators Mark Anderton and Deke Adams agree
that the Wildcats have plenty of speed, but not much size.
     DL Johnny Ratliff of Hattiesburg and LBs Ben Guy of Bay St. Louis (St. Stanislaus), Jay
Livingston of Columbia, and Guerre Fabacher of Perkinston have been excellent leaders and have
shined in preseason practices, while first-year LBs Zach Ensminger, Michael Watts, and Corey
Johnson   all from Picayune   have "made it obvious they want to play and have shown the
effort and intensity to be solid players throughout the season," Daniels said.
     Freshmen DBs Larry Thompson of Bassfield, Tony Benton of Waveland (Bay High), and
Bobby Easley of Waxahachie, Tex., have seemingly iced starting roles.
     Daniels says freshman PK Jack Byrd of Picayune, an All-State player at Picayune High last
year, has adjusted well from kicking from a tee to kicking off the grass.
     "Jack's a talented kicker and with time could be one of the very best in the state," Daniels
said.
     A year ago, ICC capitalized on Pearl River's inconsistency for its 28-12 victory.
     "The biggest problem we had last year was that we couldn't stop their running game, even
though they were primarily a throwing team," he said. "And we gave up some big plays
defensively and struggled offensively with dropped passes and badly thrown passes. We had a
couple of opportunities for scores, but didn't capitalize when we needed to.
     "Even though I felt we played well enough defensively to win the game, but we blew our
opportunities on the offensive side. You can't do that."
     Pearl River leads its series with Itawamba 21-11 (one tie) in a rivalry that dates back to
1953 when the Wildcats won 20-0 and eventually shared the state championship with Hinds. The
only tie came in 1963   another PRCC state title year   when things were deadlocked at 12-12,
marking the only blemish on the Wildcats' record.
     ICC has won three state titles (1975, 1977, 1990), while PRCC has won an unprecedented
14 championships with its last coming in 1976.

Pearl River's fall enrollment is up

     POPLARVILLE - Pearl River Community College's fall enrollment is up more than 50
students from this time last year and college officials report that the jump is in full-time, in-
district students. 
     Pearl River posted a nine percent increase  in 1998 with 2,956 registering through the
third day of late registration. The 1999 total to date is 3,012 with a couple of days of late
registration remaining. There are 2,519 full time students enrolled  and 493 part time. There are
57 more full time students than last year  and they are from the college's district. 
     "We have picked up from last fall's record," said President Ted Alexander. "It is obvious
more and more citizens within our six-county district  are taking advantage of our educational
offerings."
     The total does not include industry services, workforce development, or adult continuing
education figures. Pearl River had contact with more than 10,000 citizens from within its district
last year.

Wildcat Club meeting Thursday at 7 p.m.
     Pearl River Community College will present its athletes of the fall at 7 p.m. Thursday,
August 26 during the annual "Meet the Wildcats" pep rally in White Coliseum.
     The 1999 football Wildcats will be introduced along with members of the college's first
men and women soccer teams.
     PRCC coaches, cheerleaders, the String of Pearls dance team, and the Spirit of the River
marching band will also be recognized.
     The Wildcat Club will hold its first meeting immediately following the pep pally.
     The general public  is invited to the special night.

PRCC sponsors School to Careers consortium

     Pearl River Community College presented a day-long conference of its "School to
Careers Institute"  at the Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center last Wednesday.
     School, business, and industry officials from through-out PRCC's six-county supporting
district took part in the meeting which featured participants and presenters from New Jersey,
Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Florida.
     Dr. Beth Burchell, director of research and grants and the head of School to Careers
program at PRCC, centered the meeting on building and strengthening partnerships with schools
and local industries.
     Work-based learning and school to work initiatives were also covered. "School to
Careers" is a national educational program of which Mississippi is participating. Pearl River
College is one of the first to implement the program here in the state.
     Pearl River's district includes Forrest, Hancock, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, and
Pearl River counties. 

RiverRoad 

     PRCC's River road has been invited to perform at the annual meeting of the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools on December 7 at the organization's national convention in
Atlanta.
     Director Mark Malone said the invitation was a tremendous honor for his award winning
song and dance troupe.
     River road's  40-members have perform  in Washington D.C.,  Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, Walt Disney World, Opryland in Nashville, and on cruise lines over the last three
years. 

Wildcats May Be A Surprise In '99 South Division Football Race

     POPLARVILLE   Pearl River Community College fifth-year head coach Keith
Daniels is excited about the coming football season that kicks off Thursday, September 2,
against Itawamba in Fulton, but he refuses to make any brash predictions about how his
Wildcats will fare in 1999.
     Daniels knows all too well the ups and downs and highs and lows of coaching in
the Mississippi community college league. But he says Pearl River's newest recruiting
class could be the best yet since he arrived in Poplarville in the spring of 1995.
     "As we stand right now, our new guys are a very solid group, but with the
addition of a couple of unexpected newcomers, things look even better," he said.
     "Overall, we'll have excellent team speed and big play ability this time around,"
he continued. "That's something we've lacked the last couple of years."
     Two of Daniels' four seasons at The River have been losing ones, including last
year's 2-8 mark   a carbon copy of 1996's. In 1995   Daniels' inaugural season   the
Wildcats' 7-3 record was good enough for a three-way deadlock for second place in the
division, but injuries to key starters throughout the 1997 season saw PRCC stumble to a
5-5 mark.
     The 1999 season also sees a shuffle on the Wildcat coaching staff with two new
co-defensive coordinators. Fourth-year assistant Mark Anderton and second-year
assistant Deke Adams will share the duties of directing PRCC's multiple set defensive,
while Mike Humphreys who led the defense the last eight seasons, has moved to the
other side of the ball and will coach the offensive linemen. Humphreys is entering his
11th season at The River and has been with the Wildcat program longer than anyone on
the staff. Anderton will also coach the defensive front, while Adams will coach the
secondary. Both will work with the linebacking corps.
     "All our staff is back, but we've made some changes that I feel will generate
enthusiasm and bring in new ideas as far as what we're doing offensively and
defensively," Daniels said. "We've merely changed assignments and responsibilities and
I'm very comfortable with the situation."
     The Wildcats' group of "experienced" returnees include two offensive weapons
that sat out the 1998 season in QB Travis Cunningham and WR Bo Travis. Cunningham
(6-3, 200), a sophomore from Waterloo, S.C., returns after playing in the No. 3 back-up
spot in 1997 where he connected on six of seven passes (86 percent) for 119 yards and
three touchdowns. He suffered a shoulder injury during the '98 spring drills and wound-
up sitting out last year with a medical hardship. One of the fastest players on the squad,
the speedster was South Carolina's 200-meter sprint champion while prepping at
Laurens High.
     "From all indications from his doctor and our trainer (Brian Saffle), Travis should
be back 100 percent," Daniels explained. "His surgery and rehabilitation have gone well
and we don't anticipate any problems from the injury."
     Travis (6-3, 195), a sophomore from Pensacola, Fla.; is the brother of former All-
State and All-Region 23 linebacker Lateef Travis who played for the Wildcats in 1990
and 1991 then signed with Mississippi State. Bo caught 25 passes for 363 yards and
three TDs as a freshman backup in 1997. Those two totals were third-best on the team
that season, while his 14.5-yard per catch average was second.
     "Even though those two haven't played in nearly two years, they're talented
players that know what Pearl River football is all about," Daniels said.
     Two other pluses include Central Florida transfer Ron Bottex (6-1, 210) from
Orlando, Fla., who is expected to play a key role in the defensive secondary, and running
back Avery Hatten (6-2, 251) of Hattiesburg (North Forrest).
     Hatten was one of the Wildcats' elite recruits in 1998, but broke his foot in last
summer's high school all-star game and was sidelined for a year.
     "Avery's a big, strong kid with lots of football ability and comes from an excellent
high school program," Daniels said. "He and Ron went through drills with us last spring
and performed well. Even though they're first-year players for us, they're one up on our
true freshmen group because they've already settled in and adjusted well. Plus they have
a year or two of age and maturity on our new guys. The community college league is a
big, big jump from the preps."
     Daniels touts three "big play" freshmen in WR Keshun Fudge (5-11, 180) of
Hattiesburg,  RB Ramah Smith (5-11, 175) of Bogalusa, La.; and RB Trey McLemore (5-
9, 210) of Lumberton, who signed with Nicholls State last spring, but opted for PRCC
last week.
     "Keshun, Ramah, and Trey have tremendous talent and speed and are capable of
breaking the big play every time they get the ball. All three must become key factors in
our offense if we're to succeed. We're hoping they will compliment one another in our
multiple set offense," Daniels said.
     PRCC's offensive production will rely on an offensive front with several returning
players, but only one has had any starting experience. Besides 1998 part-time starter
Brandon Smith (6-5, 245) out of Hancock County, the remainder of the returning
linemen   Jeremy Drummond (6-3, 260) of Picayune, Robbie Miller (6-2, 290) of
Hattiesburg, Chris Strebeck (6-2, 250) of Poplarville, Mark Williams (6-3, 290) of
Diamondhead (Hancock County)   have only seen reserve duty.
     "We'll have a lot of freshmen competing for our down lineman slots on both sides
of the ball, but we are fortunate to have a nucleus of returning guys that have been here
a year and know what this level of football is all about," Daniels said. "Our offensive and
defensive fronts and our cornerback spots are big question marks right now. We're just
taking a wait and see attitude."
     West Marion freshmen DL Willie Carter (6-4, 285) and OL Brandon Thornhill (6-
3, 250), both from Foxworth, are expected to see plenty of action, along with freshmen
offensive linemen Kris Robbins (6-2, 275) of Picayune and Brad Stevens (6-5, 255) of
Sumrall.
     "Willie has size and athletic ability, but needs to learn and develop quickly
because we have a big need on the defensive front," Daniels said. "On the offensive side,
Brandon has good strength and excellent feet and will see plenty of play at center. Kris
and Brad have impressed our coaches so far. All are good players and should have no
trouble adjusting to this level of play."
     Freshman LB Elton Thrasher (6-3, 225) of Hattiesburg and freshmen defensive
backs Terry Sibley (5-9, 175) of Lumberton and Larry Thompson (6-1, 180) of Bassfield
are expected to add depth defensively.
     Sophomore defensive linemen Johnny Ratliff (6-2, 245) of Hattiesburg and
Sedrick Ingram (6-5, 270) of Hattiesburg (Forrest County AHS) both saw part-time
starting duty a year ago and should see starting spots by the season opener.
     "Football is very important to Johnny and what he may lack in some areas, he
makes up for any shortcomings with excellent technique, effort, and leadership abilities,"
Daniels said. "We're expecting big things from him and Sedrick this year."
     Three first-year players from Picayune High who didn't play last season are
expected to fill key gaps on the Wildcat defense. Linebackers Zack Ensminger (5-11,
240) and DE Corey Johnson (5-10, 210) have shown they can be solid contributors this
season.
     "Those are three guys decided not to play football at all last season, but came here
in the spring, went through our drills and have made positive impressions," Daniels said.
"They've been pleasant surprises because our biggest needs are on the defensive side of
the ball."
     The tight end position is up for grabs, but East Marion freshman Anthony Bullock
(6-3, 225) is the leading contender to replace two-year starter Nate Williams of
Hattiesburg. Williams, an All-State and All-Region 23 selection a year ago, will be
playing in Conference USA for the University of Houston this fall. Freshman Tony Garces
(6-4, 215) of Picayune should also see playing time at the position.
     "Anthony has the size, toughness, and ability to develop into an outstanding tight
end," Daniels said, "but whoever gets the job he has some big shoes to fill. It should be a
heated battle."
     The Wildcat special teams are solid. Punter Greg Mitchell (6-3, 160), a
sophomore from Picayune, developed into one of the state's top kickers last season,
averaging 38.5 yards on 62 kicks. Daniels says if he continues to improve, he will be a
key factor.  Mitchell, who also sees action at wide receiver, finished the 1998 season ranked fourth among the state's Juco punters.
      Another former Picayune Maroon Tide star, freshman place kicker Jack Byrd (5-
11, 170) "has the potential to be outstanding," said Daniels. 
     "Jack is entering a whole new world and must develop consistency, but he has the
leg strength and range to be one of the top kickers in the state. He should be a scoring
threat for us and we feel fortunate to have him."
     Sophomore WR Chris Marshall (5-8, 170) of Petal led all Wildcat receivers with
21 catches for 318 yards (15.2-yard average) last season, but also shined in his role as
the team's only punt returner. He averaged 13.5 yards on 19 punt returns (fifth-best in
the state), while averaging 17 yards on six kickoffs (18th-best in the state). Marshall
finished the 1998 season as the 12th-best receiver in the state.
     RB Deshonzo Franklin (5-11, 190), a sophomore out of Columbia High, is
expected to be one of the Wildcats' top all-around players and is designated for action on
offense and special teams. As a freshman back up, he rushed for 117 yards on 28 carries
and returned seven kickoffs for 98 yards (14-yard average).
     Franklin was also selected by the PRCC coaching staff to wear the late Juan
Mariner's No. 18 this season. Mariner, a Wildcat tight end from Oakvale in 1996 and
1997, was killed in an automobile crash two games into the '97 season and his number is
now annually assigned to a deserving Wildcat.
     "Deshonzo is one of my favorite players," Daniels said. "He takes care of business
in the classroom and on the field. Football and winning are very important in his life.
He's a winner...just like Juan."
     Daniels knows he's looking at a long row to hoe in the division, despite his
optimism. Three South Division teams have already garnered national attention by being
ranked in the Top 25 of the annual preseason NJCAA coaches' football poll. Last year's
state champion Jones, which finished 1998 undefeated (12-0) and with a bowl victory
under its belt, enters the season ranked No. 8, while perennial powerhouse Hinds is No.
16. Southwest is ranked No. 23.
     "Northwest (North Division) is ranked No. 2 nationally, but they're not on our
schedule this year. We're playing all three of the others though," Daniels said, noting
Jones is picked by the state Juco coaches to win the South and Northwest to win the
North. "Itawamba, East Mississippi, and Mississippi Delta also picked up lots of
recognition in the coaches' vote up North and we've got them all in succession the first
three weeks of the season."
     Daniels said Hinds, Southwest, and Mississippi Gulf Coast were picked to finish
second through fourth, respectively, in the seven-team South.
     Other key returning Wildcats include (listed alphabetically):
LB BRAD ALLEN (6-0, 210)   Allen, a sophomore out of Forrest County AHS in
Brooklyn, saw plenty of playing time last season. He finished 1998 with 23 solo tackles
and 14 assists.
LB GUERRE FABACHER (6-1, 225)   Fabacher, a sophomore out of Rummell High
School in New Orleans, started all 10 games last season and led the team in tackles with
40 solo stops, while boasting 20 assists. Fabacher's aggressiveness and quickness are his
biggest attributes.
DE BEN GUY (6-2, 220)   Guy, a sophomore out of St. Stanislaus Prep School in
Bay St. Louis, was moved from linebacker to defensive end midway into the 1998
season. He finished the season with a team-high four quarterback sacks. "We made that
move out of necessity, but it proved to be a good one. Ben developed into one of our top
defensive guys," Daniels said.
LB JAY LIVINGSTON (5-10, 180)   Livingston is a solid, all-around player and is
expected to be a key on the PRCC specialty teams. He saw some starting duty last season
and was the recipient of the Dobie Holden Scholarship for the 1999 spring semester.
Livingston, a sophomore, was recruited out of Columbia High.
WR LARRY MORROW (6-3, 180)   Morrow, a sophomore from Oak Grove,
finished 1998 as the team's second-leading receiver with 13 catches for 256 yards (19.7-
yard average) and a team-high three touchdowns. He finished the season ranked 17th in
the state in receiving.
RB JIMMIE RAX (5-10, 185)   Rax, a sophomore from Alexandria, La., was the
team's second-leading rusher last season with 395 yards on 88 carries (4.5-yard
average). He finished the 1998 season ranked 19th in the state in rushing.
     Wildcat recruits for 1999 include (listed alphabetically): DB Jay Beech (5-11,
180) of Carriere (Pearl River Central), RB-WR Tony Benton (5-8, 170) of Bay St. Louis,
TE Anthony Bullock (6-3, 225) of Sumrall (East Marion), PK Jack Byrd (5-11, 170) of
Picayune, DL Willie Carter (6-5, 285) of Foxworth (West Marion), DB Bobbie Easley (6-
1, 175) of Waxahachie, Tex.; WR Keshun Fudge (5-11, 180) of Hattiesburg, TE-DE Tony
Garces (6-4, 215) of Picayune, QB Andre Granger (5-8, 170) of Waxahachie, Tex.; DB
Chris Gray (6-0, 175) of Hattiesburg, LB Douglas Lewis (5-10, 220) of New Orleans, La.
(John F. Kennedy); RB Max Lott (5-8, 175) of Hattiesburg, RB Trey McLemore (5-9,
210) of Lumberton, RB Steven Odom (5-9, 210) of Columbia (Columbia High), OL Kris
Robbins (6-2, 275) of Picayune, DB Terry Sibley (5-9, 175) of Lumberton, RB Ramah
Smith (5-11, 175) of Bogalusa, La.; OL Brad Stevens (6-5, 255) of Sumrall, DB Larry
Thompson (6-1, 180) of Bassfield, OL Brandon Thornhill (6-3, 250) of Foxworth (West
Marion), LB Elton Thrasher (6-3, 225) of Hattiesburg, and DL Derrick White (6-3, 270)
of Hattiesburg.

Classes and late registration starts Wednesday at Pearl River

     Late registration will continue through Friday, August 20, however, day and night classes are set to begin tomorrow.
     "Registration has gone well and our enrollment numbers are looking good," said Dow Ford, director of admissions. New students who missed July's early registration period were on campus Thursday and Friday, while registration for all other students who had not registered were on campus Monday and today.
     Actual enrollment numbers will be released Friday.

 20 new employees join PRCC workforce

     Pearl River Community College faculty and staff members  reported to campus for the ninety-first time here Wednesday.
     In the 200-plus teacher group to hear  President Ted Alexander's state of the college address were 20 new employees. 
     Joining the PRCC workforce are Chemistry instructor Lori Gregory, Respiratory instructor Lori Anderson, Sociology instructor Dr. Mark Watson, ADN Nursing instructor Queen Walters, ADN Nursing instructor Bobbie Sue Whitworth, English instructor Eric Leatherwood, Nursing Assistant instructor Deloris Slade, Computer Networking instructor Stacy Reese, Mathematics instructor Dr. Mary Nell Bullock, Music instructor Dr. Pamela Jones, Electronics instructor Vic Cerniglia, Mathematics instructor Joel Lofton, Computer Science instructor Ron Hughes, Computer Science instructor Russ Harmon, Developmental Mathematics instructor Ticia Mathis, Chemistry Lab instructor Glenn Dale, Athletic Director Jimmie Moore, Carpentry instructor Randy Cuevas, English instructor Greg Underwood, Radiologic Technology instructor David Armstrong.
     Dr. Alexander  reported that the college had  $8.6 million in renovation and construction projects on the drawing board including renovation of Huff and Pearl River resident halls on campus.
     "Our faculty and students will have to work around a lot of campus construction," said Alexander. 
     Finished projects this summer include the new Administration Building and new sidewalks which connect all buildings on campus. "You can walk to every building without using the streets," said Alexander.   "It's a much safer campus."
     President Alexander reminded the faculty that everyone plays a role in student retention.
     "We had the largest percentage increase in the state last year because of the work you did in keeping our students in school," said Alexander.