Jones wins third state title

While she competes with the Oxford name across her uniform, the roots of one of Mississippi’s most dominant high school wrestlers run deep in Holly Springs.

Nhari Jones, daughter of Jivaro and Sherna Jones of Holly Springs, reached the pinnacle of her sport once again this season. Competing for Oxford High School in the 185-pound weight class, Jones secured the 2026 MHSAA State Championship with a definitive fall at the 3:30 mark. The victory marks her third state title in four years, cementing a legacy that began when she first shocked the state as an eighth-grade champion in 2023.

Recounting the championship match this season, coach Joel Deere said, “Everything we’ve been working on, everything we’ve been practicing... she executed everything perfectly. She was very aggressive, good position, patient. It’s a beautiful thing to see preparation in action.”

As a junior, Jones maintains an A average while participating in wrestling, as well as Oxford High School Marine Corps JROTC.

Coach Deere emphasized that her academic discipline is exactly what makes her a champion athlete.

“When your best athlete is also your best student, you’ve got something special,” he said.

With three titles (2023, 2025, 2026) already secured, Jones now enters her senior year with a chance to join the most exclusive club in Mississippi sports – the four-time state champions.

She is the granddaughter of Glenda Manning and Timothy Jeffries of Holly Springs and the late James and Rubie DeBerry.