Leake Academy and Parklane Academy prepare to face off in the MAIS 5A state championship

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Leake Academy and Parklane Academy will meet Friday at Jackson Academy in the MAIS 5A state championship.

Leake Academy will return to JA to play for a championship for the first time since 2020, when the Rebels capped an undefeated season with a 5A state championship victory over ACCS.

“Every group has different team chemistry, every group has a different composition. This group has really taken ownership of this team – and when I talk about this group, everyone from sophomores to juniors and seniors, it’s a very responsible group,” said head coach Brian Pickens. “They are all together, you can see it every day in training. So, I think going to play for a state championship brings a lot of pride to what they did; not just this week, but through this week.

Parklane Academy will play for a state title for the first time since 2017, when the Pioneers fell in the 6A state championship to Jackson Prep. Parklane hasn’t won a state championship since 1994, and now the players are trying to do something that hasn’t been done in a generation.

“It definitely motivates us,” head coach Ron Rushing said. “A lot of parents here were on those teams back in the day, so just seeing their excitement about being back and having the opportunity, the excitement around the school has been Really fun this week.”

Both Pickens and Rushing expect an energetic crowd at the Brickyard on Friday.

“I think we will see a big crowd. In 2017, Parklane alumni, friends and family showed up in a big way to Mississippi College,” Rushing said. “Leake is always very supportive of their projects, so I think we could have one of the biggest crowds there, so it should be an exciting atmosphere.”

“I think the atmosphere is going to be great there. We were there a few years ago, they make sure it’s a first class event for you when you get there,” Pickens said. “I know all our fans, our supporters, they will be there. They’re big fans, whether it’s week one or week 10, but for the state championship, I know there will be a lot of people there, and they will make it exciting for the boys.

Even though both coaches know there will be a lot of excitement surrounding Friday’s game, they are trying to keep their players balanced as they prepare for the game.

“We talked about not worrying about it being the state championship,” Rushing said. “Obviously everyone knows that, but really focus on the next play. I talked to my director, he gave us some really good advice at the beginning of the week: forget the last play, get ready for the next piece, do it one piece at a time and really focus on the task at hand.

“I told them the nerves were going to kick in, everyone was going to get a little nervous, everyone was going to be a little tense when the event happened,” Pickens said. “But if you know you prepared throughout the week – and that’s what we talked about every day; we talked about the process of Monday practice, then Tuesday practice, everything that led up to it. I said when you get to that point and the nerves get to you, you can go back in your mind and say that you prepared and put yourself in a position to succeed.

The Pioneers are Rebels will meet at Jackson Academy on Friday, kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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