By Robert Wilson
Simpson Academy possibly won more state championships last school year than any year in the history of the school, which started five and a half decades ago.
Simpson won state titles in softball, boys cross country, girls basketball, girls track and field, archery, and baseball during the 2025-2026 season.
Simpson softball coach Matt Harrison and his Lady Cougars want to get the 2026-2027 athletic season off to a great start by repeating as state champions.
Simpson began its season with a 4-3 victory over Adams County Christian School Friday and looks forward to having another outstanding season.
“When you win a state championship the expectations by those on the outside are high,” said Harrison, who played baseball at Simpson, Meridian Community College, Nicholls State and Arkansas-Monticello and begins his fifth season as head coach and is assisted by his brother, Michael Harrison, and Ben Coney. “Each year is a new team with different strengths and weaknesses. Our expectations will be the same. Be the best version of ourselves, compete every pitch, never quit, take care of the softball on defense, love one another, and most importantly, give the Lord all the glory and honor. If we can look at ourself at the end of the year and say I did those few things to the best of my ability, it’s a successful year, no matter what our record is.”
“We’re proud of what last year’s team accomplished,” first-year Simpson head of school John Shows said. “They played at high level and raised the bar. We look forward to what this team will do to add to the tradition of excellence established at SCA.”
Simpson lost four seniors (third baseman and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College signee Jayda Smith, left fielder Kylin Chisholm, centerfielder Mallory Duncan and right fielder Danni Cooper) to graduation but return six starters off last year’s team, which finished with a 33-8 record and won the MAIS Class 4A, Division I state championship. Simpson had lost to Parklane in all three regular season meetings before beating Parklane three of four times in the playoffs, including a 6-4 victory in the third and deciding game of the championship series.
Freshman pitcher Annmarie Blakeney (21-4 pitching record last season), junior centerfielder Hudson Emrich (.457 batting average, 515 on base percentage), senior first baseman Anniston Bass (.405 batting average, .469 on base percentage, 37 runs batted in), junior shortstop Maggie Duncan (.350 batting average, .402 on base percentage, 13 stolen bases), senior third baseman Jadyn Sanford (.300 batting average, .966 fielding percentage as a catcher), and freshman second baseman Stella Steed (.304 batting average, .442 on base percentage, 14 stolen bases) are back this season.
“Losing our four senior leaders hurts for sure, but I’m very eager and excited to see the new girls stepping into those roles,” Harrison said. “We have a lot of young girls having to fill positions this year, but they had an incredible opportunity to learn from those seniors last year. There are some girls with experience back this year, and some girls who have a great opportunity to step up in a big way as well.”
Last year’s state championship run was special to Harrison and his girls, especially winning the third and deciding game in the championship series.
“Winning the state championship was truly a dream come true,” Harrison said, “Every single bit of the glory and honor belongs to the Lord. Without Him we couldn’t have done any of it. As a team, of course, you play to win every game, but last year we took a little different approach to the game. We focused on truly being the best version of ourselves we could possibly be. We didn’t focus on the scoreboard, batting averages, wins and losses, but truly becoming our best self and giving the Lord all the glory no matter the outcome. When you take a team that buys into that philosophy, on top of being led by four seniors, that’s a great team. The four seniors we had were truly everything you want in leaders. They led the team, I just pushed buttons when need be. Our word the whole playoff run was ‘believe.’ Believing that the Lord had us there for a reason. When you face a team as talented as Parklane, you have got to have some faith and believe. Parklane was truly an incredibly talented group and had an absolute phenomenal season. Hats off to their players and coaches. The day of Game 3 of the state championship, my wife Sarah and I had the team over for lunch and a movie. The movie of choice was Facing the Giants. There’s a scene in that movie that stuck with everyone. The pastor walks through the school’s football locker room praying over each player’s locker, even though no one else is there. When Coach Grant Taylor sees him and asks what he’s doing, Mr. Bridges explains that he’s praying for each player by name, asking God to work in their lives. Mr. Bridges responds with with an illustration about two farmers. He said, ‘Two farmers prayed for rain. But only one of them went out and prepared his field to receive it. Which one trusted God?’ Coach Taylor answered, ‘The one who prepared his field.’ Mr. Bridges replied with the key challenge, ‘God will send the rain when He’s ready. You need to prepare your field to receive it.’ The point isn’t just about football or softball, it’s about faith expressed through action.”
Simpson plays its second game Monday at Adams County Christian School in Natchez, plays Madison St. Joseph Tuesday at home, and at Canton Academy Thursday. The Lady Cougars’ first district game is at East Rankin Academy Aug. 18 in Pelahatchie. Simpson has a rematch of last year’s state championship series Aug. 31 at Parklane in McComb.
