By Robert Wilson
Peyton Puckett’s father, Hastings Puckett, and uncle, Rob Puckett, won two MAIS Overall Tournament basketball championships each as starters at Jackson Academy.
Peyton has already matched his father and uncle with two championships, one state title in football and one state title in baseball, as a starter at Jackson Prep.
Now, the senior outfielder is trying to win his third.
Puckett helped his team get off to a great start toward another state title when he had a .636 batting average (7 for 11), a .693 on base percentage, 1 home run, 8 runs batted in, 1 walk and 3 runs scored in a three-game sweep of Madison-Ridgeland Academy to open the Class 6A conference season last week.
For his outstanding performance, Puckett has been named the PriorityOne Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Baseball Player of the Week.
Puckett had two hits, two runs and two RBIs in a 9-7 win in Game 1, one home run, two singles, four RBIs and one run scored in an 11-4 win in Game 2, and two hits and two RBIs in a 12-6 win in Game 3.
Puckett is hitting .463 with 31 RBIs, 22 runs scored, 6 doubles, 4 home runs, and a .567 on base percentage this season for Prep, which entered this week with a 23-2 record and a national ranking of No. 6 by MaxPreps, No. 7 by SBlive, and No. 14 by Perfect Game.
He is hitting .619 (13 for 21) with 18 RBIs in the last eight games going into this week.
Puckett is second in 6A (behind teammate Konnor Griffin) in batting average, hits, and home runs, fourth in runs scored, sixth in doubles, and eighth in walks this season going into this week.
“I thought Peyton had a great week,” Prep coach Brent Heavener said. “He looked really comfortable at the plate and was able to really drive in some big runs for us. Peyton is having a great senior season and continues to work hard, especially in our cleanup spot.”
Puckett had a .362 batting average with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 22 runs and 36 RBIs and helped Prep to its sixth consecutive and Mississippi record MAIS Class 6A state championship, a 31-4 record, and a No. 19 national ranking by Perfect Game last season as a junior.
He was an All-Metro Jackson second-team selection last season.
Puckett was an All-Metro Jackson football first team selection as a tight end last season. He caught 31 passes for 397 yards and four touchdowns and helped Prep to a 10-4 record and a Class 6A state runner-up finish. Puckett was a starting tight end on Prep’s 6A state championship team as a junior two years ago.
Puckett had several offers from Division I, Division II, and community colleges to play football and community college offers to play baseball but has decided to just go to school at Mississippi State, major in business and not play collegiate sports.
Puckett is the son of Amanda and Hastings Puckett. Amanda and Hastings both graduated from JA in 1995. Amanda ran track and cross country and was on the dance team. Hastings played basketball. Hastings played one season at Division I UNC Wilmington then transferred to MSU and didn’t play basketball. Puckett has one brother, Parker, who is a junior at Prep and plays football and basketball. Puckett’s uncle, Rob Puckett, played basketball at JA and graduated in 2006.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a baseball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Week One: Drew Harrison, Germantown
Week Two: Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep
Week Three: Parker Ishee, Ridgeland
