Class 6A State champions
Kristie Williams could hardly contain her enthusiasm. That's because it's not everyday you become a state championship basketball coach.
Starkville High School received an official letter from the Mississippi High School Activities Association on Wednesday that proclaimed the Lady Yellowjackets as the 2016-17 Class 6A State basketball champions.
“I can't even put it into words of how happy I am right now because of all the hard work that was put into that final game and preparation for the final game,” Williams said. “We were undefeated and to have gotten that far, it's one of those things that now we know the title is coming to us. I'm just overjoyed. I can't express how happy I am.”
The MHSAA completed an investigation and made the ruling after Olive Branch used an ineligible player in the state tournament.
Due to the rules violation, Olive Branch had to forfeit contests in the state tournament and rule 4.9.2 of the MHSAA applied.
The rule says that “if a team is required to forfeit a contest(s) in the state tournament, only the team awarded the forfeit in the most advanced round of play in the state tournament shall be reinstated in the state tournament. A team reinstated after the finals shall be declared the state champion, and there shall be no runners-up in that sport.”
SHS found out about the ruling in August, but it took the MHSAA three months to make the determination that the championship officially belonged to the Lady Jackets.
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