North Delta pulls out late win
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Brad Greer
After skipping his junior year of football, Jim Tom Copeland decided to rejoin his North Delta teammates just days before their home opening win over Tunica Academy last week and for the Green Wave it could not have happened at a better time.
With his team trailing 22-20 with 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Copeland used his lanky six-foot-four inch frame to snag a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Byran ' B' Nickle to give North Delta a 28-22 come-from-behind victory over Lee Academy Friday night in Clarksdale.
"B pretty much put the throw right on the spot just like he did most of the night and the offensive line gave him great pass protection. I just went up and got it," said Copeland of the game-winning reception. " Everybody on the team gave 100 percent and I was real proud of them the way we fought back after being down in the third quarter," said Copeland.
Copeland terrorized the smallish Lee defensive backs the entire evening by hauling in six receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wave back to a 22-7 third quarter deficit. Copeland's 17-yard scoring pass from Nickle narrowed the Colt lead to 22-13 with 5:03 remaining in the third period. Nickle was once again the catalyst for the Green Wave as the senor tallied up 296 total yards offense including a 64-yard gallop to close the Lee advantage to 22-20 with 9:31 remaining in the game. Nickle finished the night with 16 carries for 129 yards to go along with 167 yards through the air.
Lee (1-2), had one last gasp a victory after Copeland's game-winner catch but turned the ball over after Will Dunlap recovered a Ben Pierce fumble on the North Delta 45-yard line with 49 seconds to go in the game. The Green Wave was not out of the woods however as after taking a knee four straight times in a attempt to run out the clock, the Colts got the ball back with one second remaining only to have quarterback Blayke Hester's desperation pass fall to the turf as time expired.
The Colts were their own worst enemy in the first quarter as they fumbled twice deep inside Green Wave territory. Taylor Allen Flowers fumbled in the after being hit at the goal line to end Lee's opening drive of the game. Then on their next possession, Kasey Livingston pounced on a Bradley Willis fumble on the Green Wave 20 to halt another drive.
North Delta,(2-1) jumped out a 7-0 lead with 10:30 left in the second quarter on Tres Brasell's two-yard run that capped off a six-play 82-yard drive with Kyle Devazier adding his first of two successful extra point attempts. The drive was set up by pass completions of 36 and 27 yards from Nickle to Copeland. Brasell finished the night with 19 yards on four carries before sitting out the second half with a dislocated shoulder sustained in the second quarter.
Lee then took a 8-7 lead with 5:44 left in the second on a two-yard run by Taylor Tackett while Robert Bobo ran in the two-point conversion. The Colts added to their lead on the next series as Bobo picked off a Nickle pass at the North Delta 22 and returned to 34 yards to the Wave 44. Five plays later, Tackett took a screen pass from Hester and raced 15 yards for the score with one minute left before intermission.
Following the kickoff, North Delta marched down the field and threatened to score only to have Nickle fumble on the Colt five-yard line with three ticks left on the clock.
Lee extended their lead to 22-7 on the opening possession of the third quarter by marching 76 yards on nine plays capped off by Tackett's three-yard run and PAT attempt. Tackett finished the night with 37 yards on seven carries and two rushing touchdowns. The Colts rushed for 293 yards on the night with Willis leading the way with 23 carries for 120 yards. Hester added 10-of-12 passing for 103 yards and one touchdown
North Delta meanwhile registered 397 yards of offense with 230 coming via the ground game. Chris Rodgers had six carries for 50 yards while John Cody Dalrymple chipped in with 17 yards and three tackles and a fumble recovery on defense. Taylor Morris contributed with 15 yards on two totes. Dalrymple had one catch for 20 yards while Corbin Baker also caught one pass for 12 yards and led the Green Wave defense with ten tackles.
Pritchard followed Baker with eight tackles while Dunlap and Will Reynolds had seven and six stops each.
North Delta opens up District 1-AA play Friday night at Indianola starting at 7:30.
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Brad Greer
After skipping his junior year of football, Jim Tom Copeland decided to rejoin his North Delta teammates just days before their home opening win over Tunica Academy last week and for the Green Wave it could not have happened at a better time.
With his team trailing 22-20 with 1:10 remaining in the fourth quarter, Copeland used his lanky six-foot-four inch frame to snag a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Byran ' B' Nickle to give North Delta a 28-22 come-from-behind victory over Lee Academy Friday night in Clarksdale.
"B pretty much put the throw right on the spot just like he did most of the night and the offensive line gave him great pass protection. I just went up and got it," said Copeland of the game-winning reception. " Everybody on the team gave 100 percent and I was real proud of them the way we fought back after being down in the third quarter," said Copeland.
Copeland terrorized the smallish Lee defensive backs the entire evening by hauling in six receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wave back to a 22-7 third quarter deficit. Copeland's 17-yard scoring pass from Nickle narrowed the Colt lead to 22-13 with 5:03 remaining in the third period. Nickle was once again the catalyst for the Green Wave as the senor tallied up 296 total yards offense including a 64-yard gallop to close the Lee advantage to 22-20 with 9:31 remaining in the game. Nickle finished the night with 16 carries for 129 yards to go along with 167 yards through the air.
Lee (1-2), had one last gasp a victory after Copeland's game-winner catch but turned the ball over after Will Dunlap recovered a Ben Pierce fumble on the North Delta 45-yard line with 49 seconds to go in the game. The Green Wave was not out of the woods however as after taking a knee four straight times in a attempt to run out the clock, the Colts got the ball back with one second remaining only to have quarterback Blayke Hester's desperation pass fall to the turf as time expired.
The Colts were their own worst enemy in the first quarter as they fumbled twice deep inside Green Wave territory. Taylor Allen Flowers fumbled in the after being hit at the goal line to end Lee's opening drive of the game. Then on their next possession, Kasey Livingston pounced on a Bradley Willis fumble on the Green Wave 20 to halt another drive.
North Delta,(2-1) jumped out a 7-0 lead with 10:30 left in the second quarter on Tres Brasell's two-yard run that capped off a six-play 82-yard drive with Kyle Devazier adding his first of two successful extra point attempts. The drive was set up by pass completions of 36 and 27 yards from Nickle to Copeland. Brasell finished the night with 19 yards on four carries before sitting out the second half with a dislocated shoulder sustained in the second quarter.
Lee then took a 8-7 lead with 5:44 left in the second on a two-yard run by Taylor Tackett while Robert Bobo ran in the two-point conversion. The Colts added to their lead on the next series as Bobo picked off a Nickle pass at the North Delta 22 and returned to 34 yards to the Wave 44. Five plays later, Tackett took a screen pass from Hester and raced 15 yards for the score with one minute left before intermission.
Following the kickoff, North Delta marched down the field and threatened to score only to have Nickle fumble on the Colt five-yard line with three ticks left on the clock.
Lee extended their lead to 22-7 on the opening possession of the third quarter by marching 76 yards on nine plays capped off by Tackett's three-yard run and PAT attempt. Tackett finished the night with 37 yards on seven carries and two rushing touchdowns. The Colts rushed for 293 yards on the night with Willis leading the way with 23 carries for 120 yards. Hester added 10-of-12 passing for 103 yards and one touchdown
North Delta meanwhile registered 397 yards of offense with 230 coming via the ground game. Chris Rodgers had six carries for 50 yards while John Cody Dalrymple chipped in with 17 yards and three tackles and a fumble recovery on defense. Taylor Morris contributed with 15 yards on two totes. Dalrymple had one catch for 20 yards while Corbin Baker also caught one pass for 12 yards and led the Green Wave defense with ten tackles.
Pritchard followed Baker with eight tackles while Dunlap and Will Reynolds had seven and six stops each.
North Delta opens up District 1-AA play Friday night at Indianola starting at 7:30.
