WESSON – The 2000 football season was a rebuilding one for theWesson Cobras. One of the keys to the Cobras finishing with a 6-5record was inside linebacker Billy Ray Miller.

Last Friday night, Miller powered the Wesson defense with 15tackles as the Cobras handed the Hinds AHS Bulldogs a 23-20 loss inthe final Division 6-2A regular season game of the season for bothteams.

For his achievement, Miller has been named The DailyLeader’s Defensive Player of the Week for the 11th week of the 2000football season. This is the second time that Miller has been namedDefensive Player of the Week this season.

“I feel very good about it,”said Miller.

The 6-foot-2, 187 pound junior bench presses 250 pounds andsquats 350 pounds. The speedster runs a 40 in 4.7 time.

Wesson head coach Ronald Greer recognizes Miller’saccomplishments this season. “Billy Ray has pretty much been a workhorse for us. He makes a lot of plays for us. He has been plaguedby a bad ankle but he has played through it.

He’s been a good leader for us.”

Miller loves football and is a student of the game,according to Greer. “He’s always at my door on Sunday afternoon,wanting to borrow a (game) tape. He’s interested in the opponentand how he did in the last game.”

Against Hinds AHS, Miller felt the Cobras played well forthe first half. “We played good in the first half. In the secondhalf, we didn’t do so good. But we had a winning season.”

Miller and the rest of the Cobras would have liked to havedone better but they are content with being over .500 during amajor rebuilding season.

“It was fair,” stated Miller. “We had a pretty goodseason.”

Miller felt some of his teammates really improved over thisseason. He listed junior lineman Robert Bishop, sophomore noseguardMatthew Ishman and sophomore defensive end Charles Powell.

With a lot of hard work, Miller believes the Cobras can go alot father, if not all the way to the state playoffs next year. “Ithink we cam do better. We can go to the playoffs if everybody willget into the weight room.”

Tonight, Miller will be playing center for the Wesson boysbasketball team as they kick off the season hosting the Mt. OlivePirates. The boys coach is Jimmie Nail.

When asked about playing football and basketball, Millersaid he likes football the most.

Miller’s favorite college football team isTennessee.

In the professional football ranks, Miller follows theDenver Broncos.

His favorite NBA players is Vince Carter of the TorontoRaptors.

Although his college major is undecided, Miller wants toplay football on the college level.

Miller is thankful to play for the Wesson coaches. “I don’tbelieve I would play for another group of coaches except forCoaches Greer, Phillip Knight, Rob Channell and Ricky Gunter. Theyare all good coaches.”