Class of 2015 (continued)

Dave Thomas Marler is a graduate of Forest High School where his success on the football gridiron led to an equally successful in the college ranks of one of the toughest football conferences in collegiate football.
Marler served as a quarterback for the Mississippi State University Bulldogs from 1977-1978. He was named All-SEC Quarterback in 1978. Some of his statistics include 408 yards of total offense in games under his leadership and 2,391 yards in season; 217.4 yards per game in season; 6.4 yards gained per play in career; consecutive passes completed in game - 11 (school record), in season - 17 (SEC record); percentage of passes completed, 56.8 in season and in career; field goals in game, 3 (co-holder) and 13 in season (co-holder); attempted field goals in a season, 26; field goals made at 40 yards or more, five in season; games in which field goals provided winning margin, season and career - 4.
Other honors, received in 1978, include being named quarterback for the annual Blue-Gray game, named most outstanding football player by Jackson Touchdown Club, Mississippi Amateur Athlete of the Year, Most Outstanding MSU football player by Birmingham Touchdown Club.
Marler was drafted by the Bufflo Bills in the NFL in 1979 but later signed a contract with Hamilton Football in the Canadian Football League where he played for five years. That time included participating in the Grey Cup game. He set records as both quarterback and a kicker.
Other recognition came from being honored by Gov. Cliff Finch and a Dave Marler Day was held at Forest Country Club. A scholarship fund was established in his name for Scott Countians attending Mississippi State University. 

Not many athletes outside of Archie Manning and others who have donned the Red and Blue of the University of Mississippi and the Gold of the New Orleans Saints have achieved the level of achievement as Dulymus “Deuce” McAllister.
A native of the Ludlow community and Morton High School graduate, McAllister’s skills on the football field are considered among the best in high school and college history in Mississippi.At Morton, he was an All-State running back/safety who chose Ole Miss over Mississippi State and Alabama. Actually, McAllister was an outstanding soccer player before he concentrated on football.
At Ole Miss, McAllister became the leading rusher and touchdown scorer in school history with 3,060 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was named All-Southeastern Conference twice (1999 and 2000) and was briefly moved to linebacker as a freshman, but moved back to running back for the Rebels. In 1999 he received the Conerly Trophy as the best collegiate football player in the state.
McAllister was drafted in the first round as the 23rd overall pick by the New Orleans Saints (2001) and during his career, rushed for 6,096 yards and scored 55 touchdowns as a professional. Both marks are Saints records, despite two major knee surgeries.
He was part of the Saints as Super Bowl XLIV champions and was named to two Pro Bowls and had two-time All-NFC first team honors; NFC rushing leader (2002); Saints all time leader in three rushing categories. His No. 26 jersey is retired.
Following his athletic career, McAllister has been involved in business ventures and established a service organization in his communities in Mississippi and Louisiana through his Catch 22 Foundation.
In 2014, McAllister was inducted in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.  

The Scott Central Rebels football program has produced a number of talented and successful athletes during its history and among its most successful is that of Malcolm Marlo Perry who saw success on the high school, college and professional levels.
At Scott Central, Perry was named to All-District, All-Conference and All-Area selection teams among his multiple honors while playing for Coach Bill Scott.
He advanced to the college ranks where he majored in math and English and played football for the Jackson State University Tigers on defense. He recorded 367 tackles, 14 sacks and three interceptions. He was a first team All-American selection by the Associated Press in his senior year. 
He was also named to the All-Southwestern Conference first team and nominated for the Dick Butkus Award in 1993. As a junior, he was All-SWAC after leading the conference in tackles. He started every game his sophomore season after being named conference player of the year as a freshman.
Perry was drafted in the third round of the NFL as the 81st overall pick by the Buffalo Bills where he played as a linebacker from 1994-1999. In the NFL, Perry developed a reputation as a hard-hitting player and excellent special teamer. 
Perry played six seasons with the Bills before an injury ended his professional football career in 1999. He registered 125 tackles, two interceptions, 1.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery in his 76 career games with Buffalo.

Marlo resides in Williamsville, New York, where he is active in the community. He volunteers his time as a math tutor for children and has made frequent visits to Scott County in recent years. 

Only a handful of athletes have the opportunity to go from high school to his sport’s biggest stage in the NFL but that is exactly the dream that Antarral Todd Pinkston experienced through his career in professional football.
As a wide receiver for the Bearcats, Pinkston was part of a Bearcats program that won two consecutive state championships in 1992 and 1993. On December 5, 1992, Pinkston made the winning catch to give the Bearcats the championship. Pinkston also played basketball and baseball and competing as a member of the track team.
Pinkston graduated from Forest High School in 1995 and advanced to the University of Southern Mississippi where he earned a degree in 1999 in sports administration with a minor in history and community and health science.
Pinkston played at Southern Miss from 1996-99 and helped lead the Golden Eagles to three Conference USA championships (1996, 1997 and1999), three bowl appearances, including two Liberty Bowl championships. He reached No. 2 in school history in receptions (149), receiving yards (2,366) and touchdown receptions (22).
Pinkston’s success on the collegiate level helped him punch his ticket to the NFL where he was drafted  as the 33rd pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round in 2000. Pinkston parlayed that opportunity into a six year career where he played from 2000 until 2005 at the wide receiver position. He led the NFC in average receiving yards per catch among receivers with 20-plus catches and was instrumental in the Eagles capturing the NFC championship and played in Super Bowl 39 in 2004. 
He was named Mississippi Professional Athlete of the Year in 2005.

Pinkston was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2009 as a coaching intern during training camp and in the pre-season, assisting the wide receivers coach. 

He returned to Mississippi as the receivers coach at Petal High School before returning to the college ranks as the wide receivers coach for Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, from 2016 to 2021. In 2023, he was hired as the running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs where he remains today.

UPDATE: Pinkston became a Super Bowl Champion in his contributions to the Chiefs' 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024.        
Information contributed by The Scott County Times 

Roberts is a native of Louisville but grew up in Scott County where he graduated from Morton High School.
For the Panthers, Roberts was named to the All-Little Dixie teams and was named Most Outstanding Back in the Little Dixie Conference in 1959. In the same year, he was named to the All-State team, All-Southern team and All-American team. During his senior year, he was elected student body president at Morton High School; Mr. Morton High School, was in top five of his class and was an honor student.
After graduation, he attended the University of Mississippi where he played football and baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels. 
In football, he played at the fullback position from 1961-1963. During his tenure, Ole Miss was ranked in the top 10 every week for three years. The Rebels finished number five in 1961 and played in the Cotton Bowl; finished number three in 1962 and played in the Sugar Bowl, defeating Arkansas; and finished number seven in 1963 and played in the Sugar Bowl. Roberts averaged 4.5 yards per carry during his college career.
In 1963, he received a certificate of commendation from Gov. Ross Barnett as a member of the 1962 Ole Miss football team as Sugar Bowl champions at the end of an undefeated and untied season — the first perfect season in school history.
In baseball, Roberts played in the left field position from 1962-1964. He was named All-SEC during his junior and senior years. He was the SEC leader in homeruns as a senior and the 1964 team advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.
Roberts was elected student body vice-president, was a member of the M-Club and Sigma Chi Fraternity and ODK honorary fraternity.
Roberts graduated from the Ole Miss Law School in 1967 and is now retired. 

In 2023, Roberts was selected for induction in the Ole Miss M-Club Sports Hall of Fame.

The late William D. “Red” Stroud was a successful basketball player on all levels of the game from high school to college and professional ranks. He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
Stroud listed Lake as his hometown but graduated from Forest High School in 1959. 
He advanced to Mississippi State University where he graduated in 1963. During his college career (1959-1963), Stroud scored 1,116 career points for a 15.1 point-per-game average; had a career average of 0.825 free throw percentage, but had a 0.870 percentage in the 1962-1963 season; Converse, Helms Foundation All-American (1963); All-SEC (1961, 1962, 1963); Sugar Bowl Most Valuable Player (1962); SEC Most Valuable Player (1962).
Also during his collegiate career, Stroud played in what is known as “The Game of Shame” against Loyola in 1963 where members of the Mississippi State basketball teams “sneaked” out of Mississippi to play Loyola against Mississippi public policy due to race conditions at the time. Stroud is also a member of the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame.
In 1963, Stroud was drafted in the fifth round as the 44th overall pick of the NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. However, he was also drafted into the U.S. Military at the same time. After discharge from the military, Stroud played seven games for the New Orleans Buccaneers (1967–1968), averaging 2.9 points per game.
Playing for semi-pro team Florida Sportsmen (1966-1968), he scored 77 points in one game.
After the end of his professional career, Stroud coached high school basketball. 
Stroud died of Leukemia on March 22, 2008. 

 Peyton Weems graduated from Lake High School in 1945 where he was an outstanding all around athlete at Lake. 
He attended Millsaps College and was a four-year starter in football, basketball and baseball. Peyton is the only athlete to ever win 12 athletic letters at Millsaps. 
Weems served as team captain in football, basketball, and baseball. He served as president of the “Student Athlete M” club. He was inducted into the Millsaps College Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
He lives in Houston, Texas, and owns an oil exploration company.