Bill Text: MS SC546 | 2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commend Brookhaven Academy "Lady Cougars" Softball Team for back-to-back MAIS 5A State Championships.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-15 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC546 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2023-SC546-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2023 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Barrett
Senate Concurrent Resolution 546
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE BROOKHAVEN ACADEMY "LADY COUGARS" SOFTBALL TEAM AND COACH LISA COVINGTON FOR WINNING THEIR SECOND CONSECUTIVE MISSISSIPPI ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (MAIS) 5A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
WHEREAS, on October 6, 2022, the Brookhaven Academy "Lady Cougars" Softball Team stocked with young Cougars put their names in the annals of Brookhaven Academy lore with a dominating 11-1 win over Oak Forest Academy to give the school a second straight MAIS 5A State Championship. With only two seniors on the roster and a new Head Coach Lisa Covington, the Lady Cougars came into the season with lots of questions to be answered; and
WHEREAS, the team was still coming together, when district play rolled around. They dropped a pair of division games to Columbia Academy and Oak Forest Academy, but still won District 4-5A on the last day of the regular season. Next was the 5A South State Tournament, an affair that Brookhaven Academy hosted at the Hansel King Sports Complex. The Lady Cougars won three straight games in strong fashion before meeting up with Oak Forest in the Championship Game. Oak Forest Academy needed to beat Brookhaven Academy twice to win the title, while Covington's Cougars could finish the tournament with a single win over the Yellow Jackets from Amite, Louisiana. Oak Forest won a squeaker 7-6 in the opener and then took the tournament with a 4-0 win in a game that directly followed the first; and
WHEREAS, the MAIS 5A State Tournament looked to have a loaded field and started less than a week after the disappointment of 5A South State ended. Someone must have forgotten to tell these Cougars that they were supposed to be underdogs. They defeated Bayou 4-2, East Rankin 3-1 and Copiah Academy 3-1 to put themselves into the championship series against Oak Forest, the same Oak Forest team that held a 3-1 advantage over Brookhaven Academy in the four meetings between the schools earlier in the season. Coach Covington and her Lady Cougars, a team that started more freshman than seniors, absolutely smoked Oak Forest. Brookhaven Academy took game one on October 5 at home in front of a huge crowd by a 10-4 final; and
WHEREAS, on October 6, Brookhaven Academy clinched the title by breaking open a close game with seven runs in the sixth inning. Sophomore Bailey Parks drove in two runs. Freshman Miriam Wallace drove in two runs. Sophomore Anniston Poole drove in two runs, and freshman Alayna Daigle drove in two runs. The bats woke up in a big way on the biggest stage of the season. Brookhaven Academy also got an RBI each from freshman Morgan Chemin and junior Ainslee Jergins. Sophomore Pitcher Kensy Covington battled through an injury for another winning appearance in the circle to finish off the title run. Covington threw 86 pitches in seven innings. She struck out three, walked none, and gave up one unearned run on eight hits. Her head coach is her momma, and Coach Lisa Rushing Covington is a name that goes hand-in-hand with softball in the Brookhaven area. Covington coached softball from 1994 until 2010 at Brookhaven High School. She has won a lot of games as a head coach, none sweeter though than seeing her daughter get the final out to defeat Oak Forest. As the team piled out of the dugout for the "dog pile", their head coach was one of the first ones there; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this group of student athletes who have brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Brookhaven Academy "Lady Cougars" Softball Team and Coach Lisa Covington for winning their second consecutive Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) 5A State Championship, and extend to the team, coaches, parents and sponsors our best wishes for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Lisa Covington for the team, forwarded to Brookhaven Academy Headmaster Jason Case and the Board of Trustees, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
