Vicksburg’s Anderson was selected to officiate the State Championship Football Game

Vicksburg, Miss.-Vicksburg native Stephen Anderson was selected to officiate the 6A football state championship. Anderson was one of seven chosen in the state of Mississippi out of over 4,500 referees.

“I’m gracious for this opportunity to serve Middle Mississippi and to be a part of that game last week,” Anderson said. “This feels like my biggest accomplishment other than being a father and I couldn’t have done this without being around great people.”

Anderson was the side judge for the championship between Hattiesburg High School and Grenada where the Chargers came out on top 43-14. Before being selected, Anderson referred three playoff games, including the North State Championship. 

Anderson first became a football referee in 2020 and got on the field in 2021. He also officiates high school and college softball games where he belongs to several conferences in the NCAA where he still has many goals set out for himself.

“My main goal is to continue to learn and see where the game can take me,” he added. “I take it seriously especially being good at my craft and I want to make it to the junior college football level or a Division 1 conference.”

Anderson also testified that the late George Smith inspired him to pursue this along with Craig Morton, Daniel Harris, Curtis Lowe, and Anthony Perkins.

Although last week was a big accomplishment, it wasn’t the first time Anderson officiated a state championship game. In 2018, he was selected to officiate the state championship high school softball game and now has much experience under his belt as he is known as a respectable referee.

Anderson is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity where he mentors the youth in our community. He is also the director of Guide Right which is over the Kappa League Group. 

Anderson gave a special thanks to his parents Mary Anderson and Fred Holmes Jr.

“I got this discipline from my mom,” he said. “My dad always encouraged me that I can do anything, and he always talked about how intelligent I was, so I put that into mentoring the Kappa League as well.”