From Two Giants, One Goliath: Choctaw County

In Mississippi, football isn’t just a game. It’s a ritual. A weekly gathering that binds communities, defines towns, and marks the years.

For decades in Choctaw County, that ritual was split in two.

In Weir, it was the scarlet and white of the Lions. A small-school dynasty whose roar carried across the state.

In Ackerman, it was the blue and gold of the Indians. Tough. Gritty. Built on tradition.

Neighbors. Rivals. Two proud programs with their own way of doing things.

This is how they became one.

Weir: The Small-Town Powerhouse

From 1949 to 2012, the Weir Lions were a force. Six state championships. Back-to-back titles in the 80s. Another pair in the 90s. A 39-game winning streak that seemed impossible for a school with fewer than 500 people in town.

They had 50 winning seasons and 24 years with 10 or more victories. In 1997, they scored 597 points, still a mark of offensive firepower.

But numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Football in Weir wasn’t just sport… it was identity. At the height of its run, 70% of the boys in school played. Everyone knew the players because they were sons, brothers, and neighbors.

The Lions produced names that went beyond Mississippi: Roy Oswalt, an MLB All-Star, and NFL players like Alvin McKinley, Dennis McKinley, and Dicenzo Miller.

By 2012, though, the program was struggling. The final team went 3-8. When the merger came, many in town felt like they were losing more than a team. They were losing a part of themselves.

Ackerman: Steady and Strong

Ackerman football started in 1920 and built a reputation for consistency. Ten district titles. Two state championships. Nearly fifty winning seasons.

The crown jewel came in 1997, a perfect 15-0 season under Coach Ricky Woods. The Indians scored 590 points, gave up just 63, and didn’t allow a single point in the playoffs. They crushed Booneville 47-0 in the title game.

Ackerman produced its own stars: NFL wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley and Hall of Fame coach Ricky Black among them.

Their rivalry with Weir was fierce, but the stakes felt different. For Weir, beating Ackerman was validation. For Ackerman, football mattered, but it wasn’t the only thing the town was known for.

The Merger

In 2013, two forces collided: law and money.

A 1970 federal desegregation order still covered the district. And when tax revenue from a new power plant failed to come in, the budget fell apart. The county couldn’t afford two high schools.

The plan was set. Weir and Ackerman would merge. Grades 7-12 would move to the Ackerman campus. The new mascot: the Choctaw County Chargers. Colors: red, white, and navy blue—a blend of the old rivals.

At first, it was hard. Weir had lost its team. Ackerman had gained a building full of rivals. But football has a way of breaking down walls.

The Chargers Take the Field

Year one, the Chargers went 8-4. It was a sign the new program could win right away.

Over the next decade, they became a constant presence in the playoffs. Ten winning seasons in eleven years. Six district championships.

A new star emerged: Caleb Cunningham, a five-star receiver headed to Ole Miss. He never wore a Weir or Ackerman jersey. He was 100% Charger.

The Gold Ball

In 2024, the Chargers reached the top.

They went 14-1 and won the school’s first state championship, beating Noxubee County 34-27 in the Class 3A title game.

It was more than a win… it was the final proof that the merger worked. Weir’s grit and Ackerman’s steadiness had fused into something stronger.

One County. One Team.

The Lions and Indians are gone, but their legacy lives in the Chargers.

The rivalry that once split the county now fuels its champions. The colors are different. The mascot is new. But the heart is the same.

Football is still mighty important here.