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OHS Unified Sports Team Wins Gold at State Championship
By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com
Oxford High School Unified Sports basketball teams competed in various divisions, winning the Gold in the 5-on-5 game. Photo courtesy of the Oxford School District.
The Special Olympics of Mississippi hosted the 2019 State Spring Games on the campus of the University of Mississippi on Saturday. Oxford High School Unified Sports basketball teams competed in various divisions garnering a win for the Gold in the 5-on-5 basketball game.
Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team, made up of people of similar age and ability, according to the school district.
Minnie Gates-Powell and Rose Hickey co-coach the OHS Unified Sports team.
Gates-Powell, a special education teacher, is the head coach while Hickey, girls’ personal fitness (physical education) and hip-hop dance teacher, works as the assistant coach.
“It has been a great semester working with these students and having our first ever unified basketball team at OHS,” Hickey said.
The team practiced games weekly during their lunch break in preparation for the state championship, Hickey said. The students were very excited and nervous to attend the state games.
Although Hickey was not present at the actual championship due to another event, she kept up with the teams’ games. Powell led the team to victory and said the teams played very well, according to Hickey.
“We are very proud of them and how hard they have worked together as a team to make this possible,” Hickey said. “We are anxious to see how next year will go and are expecting a lot more students to sign up for the team.”
5 on 5 Gold Medal
Paul Turner, Jammario Poole, Jordan Hearvey, Clayton Dabbs, Bhanuka Jayratana, Cecil Turner and Malik Brannon
3 on 3 Silver Medal
Embry Fox, Clayton Dabbs, LaDorian Vaughn
Individual Skills
Tri Nguyen- Gold
Embry Fox- Silver
LaDorian Vaughn- Gold
Cheerleaders
Ja’Kaira Smith, Makyla Brannon, Keyanna Blackmon, Asia Luster and Tyderriya Flowers
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |