Today was another very special day on the campus of Jackson Academy for the Class of 2022 as we celebrated four more seniors that will be continuing their academic and athletic careers next year and the two most recent Gatorade Players of The Year. This marked 18 total signings for this school year and breaks last year?s record of 11 athletic signings. It also totaled 7 Gatorade Players of The Year for JA and the fourth time a Lady Raider has won it for Volleyball.

Grayson Lee has been a member of the Raider Baseball program since 8th Grade. This year he is tied for the team lead in wins with a 4-2 record and an ERA of 3.84 ERA and he leads the team with 38.1 innings of work. He signed today to continue his academic and athletic career in baseball with Coahoma Community College.

Garrett Smith has been a member of the Raider Baseball program since 8th Grade. This year he is batting .333 with 7 doubles, 18 RBIs and 23 Runs scored. He leads the team with 10 hit by pitches. He signed today to continue his academic and athletic career in baseball with Coahoma Community College.

JT Thigpen has been a member of the JA Baseball team since 8th Grade. JT is in the top three of 9 offensive categories for the Raiders this season including .427 batting average, 7 Homeruns, 35 RBIs. He has a lifetime JA batting average of .399. He signed today to continue his academic and athletic career in baseball with Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Cha?Myrean Ellis has been a member of the Varsity Basketball Team since the 10th Grade. She finished her Lady Raider career with 861 points and 448 rebounds and was a part of a 2021 State Championship. She signed today to continue her academic and athletic career in basketball at Mississippi Delta Community  College and is undecided on her major.

Also recognized today are our two most recent Gatorade Players of The Year. With these two latest announcements, Jackson Academy now has 7 total Gatorade Players of The Year including 4 in the last three years.

First up, Emery Thigpen. Emery made school history by earning JA?s first Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year in boys soccer after the center midfielder rounded out his senior season with 14 goals and 18 assists and a State Championship, He also had an impressive resume of academic achievement, community involvement, and volunteer work. Emery just finished up his first year at Ole Miss.

Lakin Laurendine, a future Auburn Tiger, also made a piece of school history herself by claiming the honor for a third straight year by a JA Volleyball player, following in the footsteps of Parker Bracken who won the previous two Gatorade Player of the Year honors. This year Lakin led the state of Mississippi in kills with 509 which puts her fourth in school history in that category. She also had 378 digs and 111 aces in helping lead JA to a 38-8 record, their third straight State Championship and seventh overall.