BA alum Gage Posey has Canton Academy enjoying for MAIS title Thursday – Day-to-day Chief

It probably feels like you had been just watching Gage Posey on the fields and courts employed by Brookhaven Academy athletics.

A 2013 graduate of BA, Posey performed it all and did so very very well though matriculating by way of school.

As a senior, Posey led the Cougars to a soccer point out championship in 2012 with a 49-40 gain around Marshal Academy.

Rapid-ahead to 2021and Posey is again getting ready for a championship video game, but this time he’ll use a headset alternatively of a helmet.

A very first-calendar year head mentor at Canton Academy, Posey and his Panthers (10-2) will perform for the 2021 MAIS 3A state championship Thursday at 7 p.m. on the campus of Jackson Academy.

Posey performed baseball at Hinds Community University right before finishing his academic vocation at Mississippi Condition University.

The strategy right after that was health care school, but Posey identified as an audible following beginning faculty at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee.

The 2012 BA championship crew was led by then next year head coach Tripp McCarty and the bond involving mentor and quarterback only grew over the a long time soon after Posey graduated.

McCarty still left BA for Pillow Academy in Greenwood pursuing the 2013 time. Prior to the 2020 time, McCarty brought Posey on at Pillow as an assistant mentor.

The PA Mustangs went 8-5 past year just before McCarty stepped away from coaching to pursue a career in college administration.

Just after McCarty was employed to turn into head-of-university at Canton Academy, he called and available his youthful understudy the probability to grow to be a head mentor in just his next time of coaching.

What was Posey’s reply?

“I jumped on it,” explained Posey. “Coach McCarty created a good, experienced workers that have been really awesome to perform with. Obtaining him as the headmaster made using this career a really effortless conclusion.”

In their opening video game of the time, Canton arrived again to get a 19-16 earn at Sylva-Bay Academy. Posey observed his group appear alongside one another in belief for their new coaches that night.

“That was one particular of the most effective items that could have transpired to us,” mentioned Posey. “It seriously introduced our kids together and we have had a extremely tight group all period that perform for each individual other.”

The only losses this time for the Panthers had been a 36-24 defeat to Winston Academy and a 40- loss to Tri-County (a staff also enjoying for a point out title this 7 days).

In the initial round of the MAIS 3A playoffs, Canton Academy matchup up yet again with Sylva-Bay and received 40-28. Final 7 days the Panthers punched a ticket to the title game with a 35-18 gain past 7 days at Centreville Academy.

The payoff for Posey’s crew now is meeting a single of the most dominating higher school soccer teams in current condition heritage.

The Greenville Christian Saints would be favorites for an MAIS condition championship this season even at the 6A level.

The Saints (11-1) set the condition on recognize when they conquer 6A defending champion MRA 64-32 in the season opener. GCA also has a 48-13 gain over Jackson Prep and a 30-9 victory against Jackson Academy.

The only decline of the year for the Saints was a 37-22 defeat at Collins Hill Large, a faculty with around 3,000-college student found in Suwanee, Georgia.

Greenville Christian performed perennial MHSAA 6A contender Oak Grove on the highway and won 48-41 in wild, again-and-forth match. The only other reduction this year for Oak Grove this time was a 24-17 setback to Brandon Higher and the Warriors are participating in in the 6A quarterfinals on Friday.

The Saints are defending champs just after also profitable the 3A title in 2020.

The most critical issue for Canton is to know that they can get the video game, even against a workforce as proficient as GCA.

“If they don’t believe they can gain, then what is the level of even receiving on the bus,” questioned Posey. “We’re telling our guys that this isn’t a problem in which we have “got to” engage in Greenville but it is a circumstance where by we “get to” play a pretty proficient team and show what we can do.”

GCA quarterback DJ Smith. keys a ridiculously dynamic offense for head mentor Jon Reed McLendon. Smith has thrown for in excess of 2,000 yards and 28 touchdowns to a deep group of receivers even though also running for a further 700 yards and 10 scores.

6-foot-3, 210-pound senior receiver Chris Bell has caught 34 passes for 13 touchdowns. Bell was dedicated to Southern Skip now seems to be leaning extra in the direction of Mississippi Point out as early signing day strategies.

“We’re likely to have to pound the ball and pick up first downs and do anything we can to operate the ball and try to lessen their possessions,” claimed Posey.

Senior working back again Marcus Goodloe is the feature again for Canton Academy and will be a massive component of Canton’s plan to decide on up initially downs and with any luck , preserve the clock working.

Just before Posey played for McCarty at BA, he suited up as a freshman and sophomore for then Cougar head coach and recent MRA chief Herbert Davis. Davis and his Patriots play Saturday night time against Hartfield Academy in the 6A title activity.

In basketball he took the court docket for Dale Watts and though actively playing baseball at BA, Posey was coached by Casey Edwards.

All have been major influences on the youthful mentor.

“When you get on a kid hard for his mistakes, but you have develop into close more than enough to them so that when they do mess up, you can see that their biggest feeling is disappointment — that’s when you know they’re bought in” reported Posey. “We’ve acquired a bunch of guys that in shape that mold this season and they’re why we’re playing for a condition title this 7 days.”