by Ezabelle Janssen & Hunter Dawkins, The Gazebo Gazette
LONG BEACH (GG) — Some lights shine brighter than others, and on Friday, September 4th, 2026, the Friday night lights at Lumpkin-Magee Stadium shone 100 years of heart, history, and Bearcat pride.
Long Beach High School celebrated a century of Bearcat football, band, and cheer with generations of alumni filling the field, dating back to the 1950s. The night honored the Bearcats who came before, celebrated the ones standing tall today, and gave the next generation something worth roaring about. And what better way to celebrate 100 years of Bearcat football than with a 17-7 win over Forrest County for their first victory?
But before the band played the winning tune, the evening began with remembrance. Bearcats from across the decades were recognized, but one stood proudly among them, a past “Mr. Long Beach”: James “Skippy” McKay, from the Class of 1956.
McKay, one of the oldest Bearcats in attendance, was honored with an original watercolor commemorating 100 years of Bearcat football, painted by Long Beach alumna Grace Bennett Case. He joined game officials, making his way onto the field once again for the ceremonial coin toss using the official commemorative Centennial Coin. For McKay, walking back onto the field was something he never expected. “I never thought I’d be on another football field,” McKay said. “It was nice.”
A Bearcat through and through, McKay played football from 1954 to 1956. His senior year, he made the All-Conference team while also playing basketball and tennis. “I played more than I should have,” McKay giggled. “But I ended up pretty fair. I’ve had a good life.”
That good life began in Long Beach, where McKay was born and raised. Though he moved in 1981 for more land, horses, and cows, Long Beach never truly left him. Neither did Bearcat football. At the Centennial Game, old faces became new again. Former classmates, friends, family connections, and people who knew him through stories and Facebook came forward to shake his hand and take photos. “It just felt great that I was able to make it and get around at my age,” McKay said. “I enjoyed seeing all the people and the people who came up that I have known or heard of; It just felt great.”
While McKay represented deep Bearcat roots, another familiar presence carried its sound. Tony McGill, the voice of Bearcat football, has watched the program grow and evolve over the past three decades. Whether behind a microphone or in front of a camera, McGill’s voice has remained a constant part of the game Long Beach has cherished for 100 years.
“I started out in middle school and JV in 1990, I think, ’91,” McGill said. “I’ve announced football for over 45 years. Bearcats, about 38 years, I would say.” McGill’s love for the game is simple and sincere. “I love the sport, love to be involved,” McGill said. “Coaches have always been our friends, teachers. It’s just something I like to do. I like to have a microphone in my hand.” Although the microphone has changed over the years, what began as simply announcing tackles and touchdowns has grown into something bigger. “Starting off with just a microphone, and now I’ll walk upstairs, and I get a headset, and it’s more of a voice than just announcing who made the tackle or who made a touchdown,” McGill said. “It’s input on the play, the play-calling… It’s just a bigger voice.”
For McGill, the Centennial celebration was more than a game. It was a reunion, a time capsule, and a reminder that Bearcat football has always been stitched into Long Beach life. “It was Amazing! Amazing,” McGill said. “Seeing my old friends from the ’70s there; they were undefeated in ’73. That was who I grew up with. To see them, and then all the way back to former mayor Billy Skellie’s group in ’63, 1960 or 1962, they were undefeated.” McGill’s connection to Bearcat football began even before he did: “I was born in ’55. My mom was a cheerleader in ’54. So I grew up in it.” Talk about being born a Bearcat!
Then, after a night already heavy with history, the weather decided to join the celebration. A 30-minute rain delay may have paused the action, but it could not dampen the Bearcat spirit. The cheerleaders were nonstop. The band was in full force. The student section was on fire.
The football team returned to the field pumped, focused, and ready to finish what they started. The Bearcat defense forced multiple turnovers, helping the offense put 17 points on the board against the Aggies’ 7.
Long Beach Head Football Coach Cody Finley was excited for his first victory of the 2026 football season and his second for his career with the Bearcats.
“We just battled the whole game,” said second year football Coach Finley. “We got a W and that’s all that matters, our defense played really well and our offense did enough to get us a win. Anything we can get is a positive for this program.”
The win was the cherry on top of such a sweet night. A night celebrating a century of Bearcat pride and all who have made Long Beach football what it is today.
From the cheerleaders who lift spirits and the band that carries the sound to the players who fight rain or shine and the generations of Bearcats who came home. With Skippy McKay standing at midfield one more time and Tony McGill’s voice carrying across another Friday night, the evening became more than a game. It was a gathering of alumni, players, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, students, teachers, and fans, all brought together by the love of football, community, and the Bearcat legacy.
(Photos by Ezabelle Janssen & Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via Associated Press)
