Submitted by jbraswell on October 23, 2017 – 9:18am
POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College brought old friends together, made memories for future Wildcats and celebrated homecoming Saturday, Oct. 21, with an upset victory over a long-time rival.
Men who played for Coach Dobie Holden from 1948-66 were on hand to see five fellow athletes inducted into the PRCC Sports Hall of Fame. They also saw Carmen Douglas of Sumrall crowned homecoming queen and the Wildcats beat the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs 31-27.
“To see so many alumni come back, it’s awesome,” said Matt Riser, a Sports Hall of Fame inductee for his 2003-05 baseball career at PRCC. “I can not explain to you what PRCC means in five minutes. The River gave me a lot.”
Riser is head baseball coach at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, La. Inducted along with him were J.C. Arban of Hattiesburg, head football coach from 1975-86; All-American soccer star Emmaleigh Davis of Pascagoula, softball pitcher Jessica Dubuisson Morris of Hancock County and football standout John Feaster of Carriere.
Nancy Regan of Hattiesburg, a Poplarville native, received the Alumnus of the Year award at the annual luncheon.
“This is just a wonderful honor for me,” she said. “This is a special deal because it’s my 80th birthday. Pearl River has just been a part of my life all these years.”
The day also included unveiling a sign for the Dr. William Lewis Honors Institute outside White Hall. Lewis, who retired as PRCC president in June, established the program for exceptional students in 2012. New president Dr. Adam Breerwood narrated a video tribute to Lewis during the luncheon before speaking briefly to the alumni.
“Let me tell you, this is the greatest job ever,” Breerwood said. “I truly love it.”
Despite budget challenges, PRCC will continue providing leaders for tomorrow, he said.
“I believe that you expect us to build champions on and off the field and in and out of the classroom,” he said. “Our students are individuals, not numbers. We’re going to work every day to educate them and mold them in way you’ll be proud of.”
The luncheon included recognition of three football players who received scholarships named for former coaches – Chase Crosby of Saucier received the Coach Dobie Holden Memorial Scholarship; Sigmund Lewis of Hattiesburg, Coach Keith Daniels Memorial Scholarship; Justin Agner of Woodstock, Ga., Coach John and Miriam Russell Memorial Scholarship.
While alumni were at the luncheon, little girls took part in the Lil’ Wildcat Cheer Clinic and met the homecoming court at a Pre-Coronation Tea Party. Hundreds of football fans and area residents spent a couple hours at the Homecoming Carnival outside the stadium before the game began.
Douglas was crowned by Breerwood at halftime after her court was presented. They include sophomore maids Olivia Conley of Gulfport and Lauren Lee of Bassfield, freshman maids Hailey Bernard of Picayune and Addison Smith of Poplarville, Forrest County Center maids Patience Diggs of Bassfield, sophomore, and Sarah-Ashlyn Barber of Picayune, freshman; Hancock Center maids Haley Roberts of Kiln, sophomore, and Alexus Palode of Pearlington, freshman.
Carmen Douglas of Sumrall, center, is the Pearl River Community College homecoming queen. Her court includes, from left, Forrest County Center freshman maid Sarah-Ashlyn Barber of Picayune, freshman maid Hailey Bernard of Picayune, Hancock Center sophomore maid Haley Roberts of Kiln, sophomore maid Olivia Conley of Gulfport, sophomore maid Lauren Lee of Bassfield, Forrest County Center sophomore maid Patience Diggs of Bassfield, Hancock Center freshman maid Alexus Palode of Pearlington and freshman maid Addison Smith of Poplarville.
PRCC Public Relations photo
Inductees into the Pearl River Community College Sports of Hall of Fame are introduced Saturday along with Alumnus of the Year, Nancy Regan of Hattiesburg, right. They are, from left, J.C. Arban of Hattiesburg, head coach from 1975-86; All-American soccer star Emmaleigh Davis of Pascagoula, softball pitcher Jessica Dubuisson Morris of Hancock County, football standout John Feaster of Carriere and baseball slugger Matt Riser of Hammond, La. PRCC celebrated homecoming with a 31-27 victory over Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at Dobie Holden Stadium.
PRCC Public Relations photo
Pearl River Community College homecoming queen Carmen Douglas of Sumrall is crowned by PRCC president Dr. Adam Breerwood on Saturday at Dobie Holden Stadium. Looking on his her father, John Douglas of Sumrall.
PRCC Public Relations photo