MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / January 8, 2000

RESERVE – Jimmy Dottolo certainly had a rewarding senior season at Mississippi College in 1999.

The Riverside Academy alum was named first-team all-American Southwest Conference and third-team South Region All-American by Football Gazette after rushing for a team-high 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns on 212 carries during the 1999 season. He also excelled in theclassroom, being selected to the American Southwest Conference All- Academic team after achieving a 3.35 grade point average inCommunications.

But Dottolo would have given up those individual honors for one honor that the Choctaws did not accomplish in 1999 – a conference championship.

Mississippi College went 6-4 overall, finishing tied for fourth with a 3-4 conference record. The Choctaws opened the season with three straightwins but dropped four straight in the middle of the season after starting quarterback Payton Perrett, the ASC Rookie of the Year, was injured. WithPerrett back, the Choctaws closed out the season on a three-game winning streak.

“Individuals goals, yes, team goals, not quite,” Dottolo said of what he accomplished in 1999. “But it was still a rewarding senior year. I muchrather had won conference and gotten a shot at the playoffs but it (going over 1,000 yards) was a good consolation.”A 50-24 victory over Austin College closed out Dottolo’s college career.

But he said he really didn’t reflect on that he would be wearing a college uniform for the final time like he did when he was at Riverside.

“We had 19 seniors and after the last game, we stayed on the field and took pictures and talked with the other parents,” Dottolo said of his final college game. “It was a good thing. I really didn’t get to reflect on my lastgame until I woke up the next morning and realized I wouldn’t play college football any more. I had a lot of good memories from there.”Dottolo said the most memorable of those memories was winning the conference championship in 1997 when the Choctaws were picked to finish at the bottom of the standings.

“That was probably the best moment of my career so far,” Dottolo said.

“When you’ve got 70 something guys getting together to achieve a goal, it says a lot about the guys you’re playing with. It’s more rewarding than anyindividual award you can get.”Dottolo finished his career at Mississippi College with 2,451 yards on 505 carries (4.9 yards per carry), ranking fourth in both categories on theChoctaws’ career lists.

“It was definitely a good experience,” Dottolo said of his time at Mississippi College. “I got to meet a lot of good guys. It was a goodexperience that helps you out when you graduate.”Dottolo’s football career may not be over yet. He has been invited toattend the Canadian Football League and Arena League Combine in Dallas in May and is hoping to impress the pro scouts. But Dottolo knows he alwayshas his degree in communications and minor in biology to fall back on if it doesn’t work out.

“I see it as a chance to achieve my dream,” Dottolo said. “It’s always beenmy dream to make it to the highest level. There’s no harm in trying. You’vegot to try if you want to achieve your goals. With a little hard work, Idefinitely believe I have the ability to play.

“I want to give it a shot in the CFL. I pray every night that works out. Ifnot, I’ll finish some prerequisites and apply to physical therapy school at LSU.”

BIVEN NAMED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-ASC – Mississippi College junior nose guard Tim Biven, a graduate of St. Charles Catholic, was one ofseven Choctaws to be named to the 1999 All-American Southwest Conference team.

Biven received honorable mention honors after recording 29 tackles, including six behind the line for 41 yards in losses and three sacks.

Riverside grad Jimmy Dottolo was selected to the All-ASC first team after rushing for 1,077 yards and seven touchdowns on 212 carries.

Choctaw senior defensive lineman Bryant Shaw, from Ocean Springs, Miss.,was named the conference’s defensive player of the year. QuarterbackPayton Perrett, from Brandon, Miss., was named the ASC Rookie of theYear.

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