Pascagoula Panthers Launch Football Ring of Honor Celebrating Legendary Players and Coaches

The 10 players and 4 coaches being honored in this first class are:

– Terrell Buckley (DB)

– Silas Corder (QB)

– John Grant (TE)

– Matt Inlow (LB)

– Houston Johnson (WR)

– Rooster Jones (RB)

– Shane Matthews (QB)

– Keilon Parnell (ATH)

– Tregnel Thomas (RB)

– Grant Warren (K)

– Dobie Holden (Head Coach)

– Johnny Woitt (Head Coach)

– BIll Matthew (Head Coach)

– Lewis Sims (Head Coach)

The new tradition is a way to honor the hard work, dedication and success of former players and coaches. The Pascagoula Quarterback Club hopes it gives the upcoming generation of Panthers someone to look up to as they strive to be the next leaders of the program.

Notably, the Pascagoula Quarterback Club’s Ring of Honor is separate and distinct from the Pascagoula Athletic Foundation’s Hall of Fame. The Foundation’s Hall of Fame, which includes athletes in sports from both Pascagoula High and Carver High, takes into account not only players’ time at Pascagoula but what they did in college or even professionally. The Hall of Fame has a waiting period for its recognition and its induction ceremony occurs every two years.

In contrast, organizers for the Pascagoula Quarterback Club say there are hundreds of players in the football program’s 105 year history who may never be recognized by the Pascagoula Athletic Foundation’s Hall of Fame but who had legendary high school careers worth celebrating.  As such, the club’s Ring of Honor is solely for Pascagoula High football and is intended to be an annual recognition of those Panther greats.

The club’s new Ring of Honor focuses only on what a player or coach did during their time as a Pascagoula Panther, without arbitrarily waiting to recognize the record breakers. The goal is to recognize players and coaches who have achieved historic success on the gridiron as a Panther and only as a Panther, whether that be players of today or by honoring those players of yesteryear who paved the way and set records for future players to chase.

The club plans to make the recognition an annual event, adding more players and coaches each year, and bringing these legends and their families back to the community to spotlight their high school careers. Honorees in each class of the Ring of Honor will have a banner hung at War Memorial Stadium for the season.

This year, the first class will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony on September 12 prior to the start of the Ocean Springs-Pascagoula game.

The first class in the Ring of Honor features the statistical all-time greats of Pascagoula football. Learn more about their achievements while playing at Pascagoula High School below:

Terrell Buckley (Defensive Back) – 1986-1988

-Holds career record for most interceptions
-Holds season record for most interceptions
-Is 2nd for most punt returns for touchdown in a season
-Is 3rd for the longest punt return in Panther history
-Won the 1987 5A State Championship

John Grant (Tight End) – 1985-1987

-Held every career receiving record in Panther history until the 2010s
-Holds season records for most receptions, most touchdown receptions, and most receiving yards
-Won 1987 5A State Championship

Matt Inlow (Linebacker) – 2014-2016

-Highly regarded as the best tackler in Panther history
-Holds the career record for tackles
-Holds the season record for tackles

Houston Johnson (Wide Receiver) – 2019-2021

-Holds career records for most receiving yards, total receptions and 100+ yard receiving games
-Held career receiving touchdown record until 2024
-Is 3rd for most receptions in a season

Ray “Rooster” Jones (Running Back) – 1974-1976

-Held the records for most touchdowns scored and most points scored in Panther history for 45 years
-Remains 3rd for most touchdowns and points scored
-Holds career records for most touchdown runs, rushing yards and rushing attempts
-Had three 200+ yard rushing games
-Holds record for most touchdowns and most points scored in a season
-Holds season records for most touchdown runs, rushing yards, rushing attempts, and 100+ yard rushing games
-Holds record for most consecutive 100+ yard rushing games and most rushing attempts in a game
-Won the 1976 Big 8 State Championship

Shane Matthews (Quarterback) – 1986-1987

-Held every career passing record until the 2020s
-Is 2nd for most career touchdown passes, passing yards, attempts and completions
-Is 3rd for most touchdowns scored in a season and most points scored in a season
-Holds season records for touchdown passes, passing yards, attempts, completions and 150+ yard games
-Won the 1987 5A State Championship

 

Keilon Parnell (Athlete) – 2019-2022

-1st for most touchdowns scored in Panther history
-1st for most points scored in Panther history
-Played nearly every skill position during his time as a Panther on both sides of the ball
-Is 3rd in career passing yards, touchdown passes, attempts, completions and quarterback wins
-Is 2nd in game touchdown receptions

Tregnel Thomas (Running Back) – 1993-1995

-Is 2nd for most career rushing yards
-Is 3rd for most career rushing attempts
-1st Panther to ever rush for 300+ yards in a game
-Holds record for most 200+ yard games in a career and a season
-Is 2nd for most 100+ yard games and most 2-point conversions made in a career
-Is 2nd for most season touchdown runs and 100+ yard games
-Is 3rd for most season rushing yards and rushing attempts
-Held record for most rushing yards in a game until 2017
-Only player to rush for 200+ yards in consecutive games
-Tied for record for longest kickoff return

Grant Warren (Kicker) – 2009-2012

-4th most points scored in Panther history
-Holds career records for most FGs and PATs made as well as FG attempts
-Kicked the longest FG in Panther history at 56 yards
-Holds season records for most FGs made and FG attempts
-Held record for most PATs made until 2024
-Holds game records for FGs made and PATs made
-Was part of the 2012 South State Championship team

Dobie Holden

-4 seasons as Head Coach
-32-9-0 record
-Won the 1947 Big 8 State Championship

Johnny Woitt

-First Panther player to become Head Coach of the team
-7 seasons as Head Coach
-44-27-0 record
-Won the 1976 Big 8 State Championship

Bill Matthews

-11 seasons as Head Coach
-75-51-0 record
-Won the 1987 5A State Championship

Lewis Sims

-15 seasons as Head Coach
-Longest tenured and winningest Head Coach in Panther history
-98-73-0 record
-Won the 2012 5A South State Championship