By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Thirty years ago, Pascagoula stood on top of the prep baseball world in the state of Mississippi.
The Panthers, under the direction of head coach Johnny Olsen and armed with perhaps the best one-two pitching punch in program history, captured the 1996 Class 5A state championship that season, three decades ago.
That team is one of five in school history to capture a state championship on the diamond. Ironically, all five title teams were coached by alums of PHS.

“It was a long time coming,” Olsen said. “We had come so close before, but couldn’t finish. Our team was so well balanced with our pitching staff , defense and hitting. When I look back the neatest thing of all was being able to win it at home in front of our crowd. Just a special season with a great group of guys.”

The 1996 team at that point joined the 1967 and 1968 teams, as well as the 1983 squad to bring home state titles. The Panthers also won the state championship in 2012.
Doug Horn was the head coach for the first two championship squads. Donnie Davis, who played for Horn in the late 1960’s, was the head coach in 1983.
Olsen, who played for Davis, was the head coach in 1996. Also, former Panther head coach Richie Tillman, who retired three seasons ago, was one of Olsen’s assistants on that 1996 PHS, and led the program to its latest crown in 2012.
“That’s crazy when you think about it,” Tillman said, in an interview celebrating the 20th anniversary of the 996 team. “It’s a honor to be among that group though, and it’ certainly something to be proud of for Pascagoula High School.”

Of all the state championship teams, the 1996 program certainly sticks out as one of the best and most talent-laden.
The Panthers went 31-5 in 1996, including an impressive 8-1 in the playoffs. The 1996 Pascagoula team was led by a pair of stellar pitchers, in juniors Blair Varnes and John Jordan. Catcher Jared Becker and outfielders Enrico Jones and Jonathan Broadus as well as Varnes paced the Panthers at the plate that season.
Varnes would later sign with Florida State and Jones with Mississippi State, upon completing their careers at PHS. Varnes, who is still recognized as one of the best baseball players in PHS history, compiled a 15-0 pitching record with 149 strikeouts in 1996 and won both games in the championship series against Tupelo.
He also led the team in batting with a .355 average, as well as in doubles, home runs and runs batted in. Varnes compiled an overall career pitching record at PHS of 41-4, including 27 consecutive wins at one point, and recorded a career total of 396 strikeouts, all PHS records which still stand. He was a part of the inaugural class of the Pascagoula Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

During their run to the title 20 years ago, the Panthers swept Wayne County, Brandon and Hattiesburg in the south state playoffs, before traveling to Tupelo in game one of the state championship and beating the Golden Wave 8-0 on the road.
Tupelo then came to Ingalls Field on a Saturday afternoon, and beat the Panthers in game two of the series for Pascagoula’s only playoff loss. But the Panthers bounced back and won the second game that day to capture the crown, thanks to a yet another stellar performance on the mound from Varnes who tossed a complete game and struck out 15 Golden Wave batters in the 5-1 decision. He sat down 14 of the final 16 THS batters he faced.

In fact, in nine state playoff games, Varnes and Jordan combined to allow just 13 runs to opposing hitters.