– Five former Jones County Junior College athletic standouts have been chosen for the JCJC Sports Hall of Fame.
Linda Darty, Kevin Jackson, Donald H. Pennington, Mike "Skeeter" Robertson and Tommy D. Parker, Sr., will be inducted into the special group on Saturday, Aug. 29, during a banquet in A.B. Howard Gymnasium.
The banquet begins at 5 p.m. and the inductees will then be recognized during halftime of the 19^th-ranked Bobcats' season-opening football game vs. No. 16 Northwest Mississippi, which begins at 7 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium/Sim Cooley Field.
Darty played basketball from 1979-81, while Jackson was a football player in 1993-94. Parker played football and ran track in 1963-65 and served as an assistant coach from 1967-85. Pennington played football and ran track in 1964-65 and Robertson played football and baseball in 1971-72.
LINDA DARTY
Darty played at New Augusta High School before coming to JCJC.
She was a first-team All-State selection, an All-Region 7 player and All-Region 7 Tournament choice at JCJC. She was named the Outstanding Offensive Player during both of her years at Jones, averaging around 22 points per game. She was named a Mississippi Junior College All-Star as a sophomore and led the Lady Bobcats to the South Division finals and Region 7 finals.
Darty then attended Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee. She was named to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) All-Tournament team. She was named the team's Most Valuable Player and led the team in scoring with 20 points per game.
Darty, who now resides in Petal, is an active member of Sweet Pilgrim Missionary Church where she serves with the Women's Ministry to do community outreach. She is a member of the Praise and Worship Ministry and a young women's mentor.
KEVIN JACKSON
Jackson played at Northview High School in Dothan, Alabama, before coming to play linebacker at Jones under head coach Parker Dykes.
He was All-State as a freshman, named the team's Outstanding Linebacker and led the team in interceptions. As a sophomore, he was named All-MACJC, All-Region 23 and All-American. Again, he was named the team's Outstanding Linebacker and led the team in interceptions. He played in the MACJC All-Star Game.
During his career at JCJC, Jackson had 105 tackles, five interceptions and blocked two kicks. He also had a 3.1 GPA at JCJC.
After leaving JCJC, Jackson went to the University of Alabama, where he starred in 1995-96.
As a junior, he was named first-team All-SEC and All-American as a safety. As a senior, he was first-team All-SEC and All-American, a Walter Camp All-American, Birmingham News All-SEC and UPI Coaches Poll All-American.
Against Georgia in 1995, Jackson had three interceptions – a school record – and was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week for that performance.
He was named a preseason All-American prior to the 1996 season and was runnerup player of the year in the league. He led the SEC in interceptions for two years and was the second alltime leader in interceptions at Alabama.
Jackson played in the Senior Bowl and was a member of the All-Decade Team at Alabama. He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Alabama and had a 3.2 GPA.
Jackson played in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and in the Arena Football League with the Tampa Bay Storm and Buffalo Destroyers.
He is a member of the Red Elephant Club and A-Club at Alabama and has a foundation called Kids for Life.
Jackson was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2013 and currently lives in Dothan, Alabama.
TOMMY PARKER, SR.
Parker played at Bay Springs High School before coming to JCJC to play for head coach Sim Cooley.
He was an All-State defensive back and led the state in interceptions. He helped the Bobcats win the state championship in 1964.
Parker then went to Delta State where he started on defense and was a member of the M Club.
He served as defensive coordinator under Cooley from 1967-85.
The Bobcats were state and JC Gridwire national champions in 1968 and won state titles in 1972, 1978, 1979 and 1983. The Bobcats played for the state championship in 1977, 1980, 1981 and 1984.
JCJC played in the Junior Rose Bowl in 1977, the Garland Bowl in Texas in 1978, the East Bowl in 1981 and 1983 and the Ranger Bowl in Texas in 1984.
Parker also served as track coach and coached the only JCJC athlete to ever place first in a national track and field event.
Parker coached high school football and track in Georgia after leaving JCJC. He led Harrison County to the state playoffs for the first time in school history and his staff was selected Coaching Staff of the Year.
He was a member of the J Club at Jones and was a member of the Ellisville Lions Club, while coaching at JCJC. He is currently a member of the Bobcat Club and has officiated youth sports for many years in Jones County.
Parker and his wife, Eva, have three children and are members of Lake Congregational Methodist Church. They currently reside in Jones County.
He is beginning his first year as head football coach at Heidelberg Academy this fall.
DONALD H. PENNINGTON
Pennington played at Morton High School before coming to JCJC.
He played fullback and linebacker at Morton, leading the Panthers to four North Division and two Little Dixie Conference championships. He was named All-Conference as a junior and a senior.
He helped Coach Sim Cooley's Bobcats win the state championship in 1964 and was an All-State linebacker and JC Gridwire Honorable Mention All-American in 1965. He also ran track for the Bobcats.
After leaving Jones, he went to Mississippi College where he was a two-year starter at linebacker for the Choctaws.
Pennington was a graduate assistant at Hinds Junior College in 1968 before becoming a teacher and coach at Tallulah High School in Louisiana in 1969.
He served as assistant football coach until 1973 and as head coach from 1973-82. He was selected District Coach of the Year in 1978.
Pennington was promoted to assistant principal from 1976-82. He then became principal from 1982-85 at Newellton High School in Louisiana. He then served as Tensas Parish Superintendent of Schools from 1985-2003 when he retired.
He then returned to the education profession and became principal at Tallulah Academy in 2006, a position he still holds today.
He is a member of several education associations, as well as the JCJC Alumni Association and Bobcat Club. He is a member of the Newellton First Baptist Church, where he serves on the Usher Committee.
Pennington was reared in the Polkville, Mississippi, area and is married to the former Karen Eubanks. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren.
MIKE "SKEETER" ROBERTSON
Robertson came to JCJC from South Jones.
He was a two-year letterman in football and a one-year letterman in baseball.
He played on the 1972 South Division championship team under head coach Sim Cooley. He was named first-team All-State and Honorable Mention All-American in 1972. He participated in the Mississippi Junior College All-Star Game as a member of the South team.
He had several offers to play Division I football, but chose to run the family dairy farm after the death of his father.
Robertson would later serve as baseball coach and assistant football coach at South Jones High School and head softball coach at Taylorsville High School. He is currently a Physical Education teacher at South Jones and East Jones Elementary schools.
He coached baseball for 27 years in the Dixie Youth, Dixie Boys, Dixie Majors, Dizzy Dean and American Legion leagues. He is a past president of the South Jones Football Booster Club and the South Jones Baseball Diamond Club.
Robertson received numerous Ellisville Jaycee Awards, including Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1977, Outstanding Young Farmer in 1976, "SPOKE" of the Year in 1975, 1976 and 1977 and Outstanding Project Chairman in 1975 and 1977.
He worked for the United States Postal Service for 27 years and received the USPS Special Achievement Award for Notable Performance.
He is an active member of Ellisville's First Baptist Church, the Mississippi High School Activities Association and the Mississippi Association of Coaches.
Robertson is a member of the JCJC Alumni Association and the Bobcat Club.
He and his wife, Teresa, have three sons – Joe-Michael, Chuck and Jonathan – who all played football and baseball at JCJC. Joe-Michael is a member of the JCJC Sports Hall of Fame and Chuck currently serves as the Bobcats' offensive line coach.
 
 
JCJC Sports Hall of Fame
Class of 2007
Sim Cooley, Joe Flowers, A.B. Howard
Class of 2008
Randall Boone, John Perkins, Gene Tullos
Class of 2009
Gwen Magee, L. D. Ready, Jerry "Sally" Smith, Aubrey Wade, Patricia Waldrup
Class of 2010
Mike McClellan, Carlos McDaniel, Dr. Joe-Michael Robertson
Class of 2011
Dale Crowder, Wilmer Dennis, Parker Dykes, Elmer Higginbotham, Ken Schulte
Class of 2012
Dr. Sam Bounds, Hill Denson, Wendy Hogue, Dr. Amy Parker, Hannon Strickland
Class of 2013
Chauncey Davis, George Harrison, Jackie Parker
Class of 2014
Deion Branch, Billy King, James Logan, Robert Sorey, Larry Suchy
Class of 2015
Linda Darty, Kevin Jackson, Tommy Parker, Don Pennington, Mike "Skeeter" Robertson