This time, I did 12 and several others I saw could have also made this list, which is what this post is for.
Here are among the OHS student-athletes to also watch for this upcoming school year (not in any order):
Aulyshia Booker - Girls Basketball / Fast-Pitch Softball - She is the lone senior on the Girls Basketball team this upcoming year (barring someone transferring and being able to play) and will be one of several on the Softball team. She will really have to be a good leader on the court with Alexus Malone and Amber Sisk departing with this still young basketball team and will have to step up her game if Oxford wants another run at the Gold Ball. In Softball, she was in the lineup early in the year but fell out late - Booker batted .265 which isn't bad (it was 4th best on the team) but had a .727 fielding percentage which might stand to why she got put out of the lineup (or it might have been an injury - I didn't follow their season that closely due to Baseball). That obviously has to improve.
Tyler Jackson - Baseball - The biggest reason why he wasn't in the Dandy Dozen was not because he wasn't good enough, but he hasn't played enough and this is the only sport he plays. Jackson had to play behind William Elliott in Right Field, Brooks Krouse in Left Field, and played behind others as well such as Steven Whitfield and Chadwick Lamar in the outfield positions early in the year. If you haven't seen him this summer though, Oxford may have found a very good replacement in the lineup and earn that spot in the outfield next year where Oxford needs to replace 2 regulars and a pair of backups in Steven Whitfield and Tyler Hallam (who moved to Ohio). In the games I recorded in the summer, Jackson batted .454 and did better than that in the summer. He should find a spot in next year's lineup.
Ty Barber - Boys Soccer - One of the very few seniors that is going to need to be a leader this upcoming soccer year with the departure of the Stewart Twins, Goalkeeper Henry Webb and company that made last year special - and the unexpected firing of Coach Jamie Perkins after having led the Chargers to a 17-3-3 record and the first Soccer State Title by either gender in school history. (There is STILL no reason as to WHY he was fired outside of unexplained "personal reasons.") Barber plays the midfielder position and did a fine job being aggressive on the pitch helping the middle line keep the ball up the field. He will play a more important role next year without the 70-yard leg of Webb punting it over him and getting it to the forwards without much trouble. Although he will have to learn a new system with new coach Jonathan Branch coming in this season - all in trying to defend their 5A title.
Glenn Gordan - Football / Boys Track - His speed for Boys Track speaks for itself in what he does for the Boys Track program. On the Football field, he can be a deadly weapon - however for his reason of being listed here is all the dropped passes he had this past year at wide receiver that could have made the offense even better than last year. He probably dropped around 300-400 yards worth of passes last year, a number that could have gone for touchdowns. He is a gifted athlete and has speed with him, now we just need to put some glue on his hands.
Ann Olivia Spragins - Girls Soccer - She will be the lone Senior on the team next season and was one of just three upperclassmen on the team last season. She will have to lead a still young group of girls to reclaim the division title from Saltillo that went to the ever thought about coin flip which slipped Oxford to the 2-seed. Oxford Girls Soccer have seemingly slipped in recent years from routinely challenging Ridgeland and scoring upwards of 5-7 goals or more a game to getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. Spragins and the Lady Chargers need to find that magic if they are going to be any threat in 5A like they have been in the past. Although luckily, not having to tone down as many distractions as the Boys team is suffering through (State Championship, New Coach, New System, replacing 6 starters) should make this an easier accomplishment. Being this is her only sport (that I am aware of) is one of the reasons she is listed here.
Darryl King & Tony Lyles - Boys Basketball - I've listed them both because to my knowledge this is the only sport they play. Both played off the bench last year (save for an occasional start) and both are likely to start when the season gets going. No stats were listed on Maxpreps (thanks a lot...). It's not every year you go through a list of the best athletes Oxford has and the top 12 does not include a Boys (or Girls for that matter) Basketball player (Bianco has since revealed that he will not be on the Basketball team this upcoming season). King and Lyles just went through one of the roughest years record-wise Oxford has had in a long time going just 14-14, but was able to reach the 2nd Round of the playoffs and fell to eventual 5A Champion Callaway and was able to capture the regular season 2-5A title. These two will lead the Charge in the upcoming 2013-14 Basketball Season that looks to do better than going .500 and looking to lead a VERY talented group of Juniors and Sophomores that show lots of promise.
Rachel Bayles & Savana Nelson - Slow-Pitch Softball / Fast-Pitch Softball - These two Seniors will have the distinction of being two of the Seniors to play Oxford's newest sport (or returning sport I've been told): Slow-Pitch Softball. While it obviously won't help pitching for the Fast-Pitch season, it will help with their fielding. They both play the infield (Bayles is the Catcher who was the only player to play the position last year) and Nelson needs some experience before the Fast-Pitch season rolls around where she is expected to step up this year as a Senior.
Kendall Jenkins - Boys Cross Country / Boys Track - A distance runner for the Chargers, is (I think) the lone Senior returning for this squad in Cross Country. He should do well with the Boys Track program as well in distance events. He is one to watch for in both sports this year and should score well at the State Meet this year in Cross Country.
Ethan Holmes - Boys Golf / Football - Has had a hand in the last two State Championships Boys Golf had in the past two years and looks to lead to a third straight championship. Holmes is returning to the football field this fall after quitting the team after his Sophomore year in which he was a starter and a backup QB. Expect him to have an impact on defense.