#10 - Oxford vs. West Laurderdale - Football 2005
"Remembering Kayla in the (K)night Sky"
This was the first game since then-OHS Student Kayla Mize died in a single-car accident on Highway 334 returning home from the Oxford/New Albany 2nd Round Playoff Game that was played in New Albany the previous week. She was a Senior that year. The OHS auditorium as you may have figured out by now is named after her because she loved drama so much.
Almost every single person in the OHS Student Body knew her because of her friendliness towards other people and her work in the "Scream Scenes" productions. Many of the teachers that taught back in 2005 that still work at OHS still remembers Kayla Sue Mize.
The Football players used that as motivation that week against West Laurderdale in the 3rd Round of the Playoffs.
| West Lauderdale - unknowning of the situation at OHS - came in very cocky. They had reason to be as they were 12-0, feeling like no one can beat them. Their offense was very potent scoring more than 40 points per game. They were all over the High School Internet Message Boards talking up a storm. Oxford meanwhile was sporting a 12-0 record themselves and was battle tested. The game was played in Oxford so the Knights of West Laurderdale (located near Meridian, MS) had to make the 3-hour bus trip up to Oxford. |
Oxford kept the Knights out of the end zone and scored once themselves to make it 23-12 after 3 quarters. The Knights punted to start the 4th Quarter and they knew they had to make a stop to save their season. Nope, Matt Malouf took the ball on the ensuing play 73 yards for a statement touchdown to lead 30-12. Oxford's defense then teed-off on the Knight offense, sacking their QB over and over again who was harrassed by the defense all night and was not able to move the ball at all. Oxford tacked on one more touchdown for good measure to win the game 37-12. The 12 points was the lowest amount of points the Knights scored all season. One week later, Oxford was stopped by West Point for the North Half Title 24-14 to finish the season 13-1, best record in terms of wins and winning percentage in school history. This season was also marked by Hurricane Katrina which was able to knock down two of the Stadium lights that year and luckly was able to scramble for replacement lights prior to the next home game. The season was pushed back a week due to Katrina wrecking havoc across Mississippi and New Orleans. It was amazing the crowd support this game had for Oxford despite the fact this game was played the day after Thanksgiving. This game, the motivation the players had, Richard Shivers blowing the horn from his Tow Truck behind the stands (and is one of the sponsors for this website ->), the opponent that was across from them and the energy that was behind the team from the crowd is more than enough reason to make this game ranked 10th in the Top 20 countdown. | |