Before every game in the state tournament, Bogue Chitto coach Christi Terrell said her team would play “Bogue Chitto basketball.”

Apparently, that simply means winning. Her Lady Bobcats dismantled an inferior Shaw team Thursday to claim the 1A state title.

The team won their last 21 games, most of those by 20 points or more. It was a special season, and the girls deserved to win the state title.

We offer our congratulations to Terrell, the players and parents. A state title is quite an accomplishment, and this one will be remembered for years to come.

The team was dominant in just about every aspect of the game. Much of that was due to Mississippi College signee Zariah Matthews, but she didn’t do it alone. Anyone who watched the championship game can confirm that.

The entire team was suffocating on defense and passed and shot the ball efficiently. It was a joy to watch them play.

As it often does, a successful athletic team can bring a community together. As Superintendent Mickey Myers said, “not everybody worships together, works for the same company, or resides in the same neighborhood; so, the local school and its athletic teams become the centralized component of uniting the community.”

He’s right. We can put aside our differences and cheer for the home team. And hundreds cheered inside the Mississippi Coliseum Thursday.

Again, congrats to the team and the school. Job well done.