Ole Miss commit Suntarine Perkins leads Raleigh to state championship
OXFORD, Miss. — December is here, and that means recruiting is hitting a fever pitch as the first window of the transfer portal opens Monday, December 5 and early signing day follows on December 21. It also means it’s time for high school playoffs and title games.
On Friday, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin made his way through the gates at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg to watch Ole Miss commit Suntarine Perkins in the 2022 Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A championship game that featured Raleigh vs. Noxubee County.
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) December 2, 2022
As is always the case with high-profile recruits, especially one with Perkins’ athletic ability, it is no surprise that another high-profile coach was in attendance in addition to Coach Kiffin. Alabama defensive coordinator Pete Golding was also on hand, as the Tide hopes to flip Perkins to Tuscaloosa.
What a game it was as Perkins’ Raleigh team outlasted Noxubee, 55-52, to win the Lions’ first-ever state title. The last time Raleigh found itself in the title game came 27 years ago when they fell short in their bid to hoist the state championship trophy.
However, all that changed Friday and 4-star Perkins played a pivotal role in making that dream a reality.
“He makes this football team so much better. Our kids love him, and they love each other and trust each other. I think that was pretty evident today.”
Raleigh head coach Ryan Higdon
The game saw the most combined points in a MHSAA state championship since 1981 — and Perkins was a huge part of that barrage of points as he finished the final chapter in his high school career by recording 331 rushing yards on 32 carries, scoring four touchdowns, and notching an interception to lead his team to victory.
There is a reason why Perkins is the reigning Mr. Football for 3A football in the state.
His 74-yard rushing touchdown on the Lions’ first offensive play from scrimmage opened the game — and Perkins also kicked the PAT, the only time in the game that either team tried a kick for the conversion. He also caught three passes for 56 yards and tallied six tackles in addition to his critical interception.
In close, back-and-forth games like this, every play counts, and Perkins’ role on the Lions’ defense was critical.
Midway during the fourth quarter, Raleigh turned the ball over on downs, leading by just one point. The Lions needed a big play and Perkins provided it, intercepting Lions QB Kamario Taylor at the Tigers’ 23-yard line.
Ole Miss commit Suntarine Perkins drops into coverage and comes down with the potential game-winning INT in today’s state championship. Huge game from the top 100 prospect https://t.co/slJW6J6Vci pic.twitter.com/nwhOhyZE4J
— Charles Power (@CharlesPower) December 2, 2022
Perkins then promptly made a 16-yard touchdown run to secure the win.
Suntarine Perkins put Raleigh ahead 55-46 with his fourth TD run of the game.
He’s incredible pic.twitter.com/kekmsFFY7S
— Tyler Cleveland (@TylerCleveland) December 2, 2022
Mr. 3A Football Suntarine Perkins had quite the day doing it all on 32 carries for 331 yards and 4 TDs. Perkins also added an interception and 56 yards receiving being named the 3A Champion MVP. @suntarine @Raleigh_Lions pic.twitter.com/EbPN6mR9Is
— AustinL (@austinyuknow) December 2, 2022
Raleigh takes home the first Golden Football of the year as they defeat Noxubee County 55-52 in the 3A State Championship. @wdam @Raleigh_Lions pic.twitter.com/bL8EgoulVK
— Kendall Duncan (@kendallduncanTV) December 2, 2022
Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good his love endures forever.
State champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/75RKkHZeeU
— suntarine perkins (@suntarine) December 3, 2022
With the portal opening Monday and early signing day around the corner, stay tuned to The Rebel Walk for updates on Ole Miss recruiting as they happen. You can also follow me on Twitter: @MissKYUS2011.
Hotty Toddy!
(Feature image credit: Austin Frayser/Special to The Dispatch)
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann serves as the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
