November 27, 2010
River Oaks hammers Leake to win AA titleSouthern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
It was September 3rd and River Oaks was coming off a huge 27-24 home win over Washington one week earlier. The win over a Class AAA school not only gave credence to the notion that the Mustangs were to be taken seriously but it also showcased the talents of senior tailback/defensive back Vincent Moore who put on a dominant performance in front of media and the home crowd. The Mustangs were being touted as a serious contender to win the Class AA state crown. On this particular Friday night in Vicksburg the early season success and hopes took a dramatic turn when Moore went down five minutes into the Mustang’s game with Porter’s Chapel. The result of the hit Moore sustained was a fractured fibula in his left leg and surgery soon followed. On top of Moore’s injury, newcomer Teshadi Talton was nursing a banged up knee that was a result from a direct hit in the Washington game.
Most observers had all but written the Mustangs off following their win over Porter’s Chapel but with a defense that improved each game and a running attack that was aided by underclassmen, River Oaks took home the Class AA State Championship on Friday night with a resounding 40-13 win over Leake Academy at Millsaps College in Jackson.
River Oaks took the opening kickoff and grinded out a 12 play, 64 yard drive that chewed up nearly seven minutes of the 1st quarter. The drive was completed when Davis Harris blasted four yards through the middle of the Leake defense. Brogan Brasseaux added the PAT and with 5:03 remaining in the opening quarter River Oaks held a 7-0 lead.
(Above) Leake tailback Brad Hunter (#32) finds little room to runLeake looked primed to answer as the Rebels put together a 13 play drive that extended two minutes into the 2nd quarter but turned the ball over on downs following an unsuccessful 4th and 7 attempt from the River Oaks 35 yard line.
After forcing River Oaks into a three and out Leake once again moved into River Oaks territory but just as they did on their first possession of the night the Rebels turned the ball over on downs at the Mustang 30 yard line with just over five minutes remaining in the half.
River Oaks increased their lead when Teshadi Talton capped off a 70 yard, 6 play drive with a 5 yard touchdown run with 3:56 left in the half. Davis Harris converted on a 2-point conversion to give the Mustangs a 15-0 lead that they would take into halftime.
River Oaks defensive end Casey Rahn recovered a Leake fumble at the Rebel’s 49 yard line on the first possession of the second half and the Mustangs cashed in quickly as they needed just two plays to extend their lead. Alex Biedenharn raced 49 yards to pay-dirt to put the Mustangs up 21-0 with 9:11 left in the quarter.
Ryan MacGregor’s screen pass to Teshadi Talton at the 4:03 mark of the quarter resulted in a 17 yard touchdown on River Oak’s next possession to up their lead to 27-0.
(Above) River Oaks tailback Teshadi Talton goes in for one of his two rushing touchdownsLeake scored on Grant Wilson’s 6 yard pass to senior Zach McGarr seven seconds into the final quarter to trim the deficit to 27-6 but River Oaks would quickly answer.
With 8:36 remaining in the game a familiar face lined up at quarterback and pushed the Mustang lead to 33-6. Vincent Moore went in from 1 yard out in his first action since the September 3rd win over Porter’s Chapel.
The Mustang’s other senior tailback finished the night off with a touchdown also. Teshadi Talton’s last carry was an electrifying 51 yard scamper to give River Oaks a 40-6 advantage with 6:28 remaining.
Leake capped off the night with a Joshua Mascagni 46 yard touchdown jaunt to close out the scoring.
Teshadi Talton and Alex Biedenharn combined for 248 yards rushing on the night for River Oaks. Biedenharn, a sophomore, rushed for 127 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown while Talton picked up 121 yards on 12 carries and 2 touchdowns on the ground. Henry Biedenharn rushed for 79 yards on 14 carries as the Mustang’s piled up 343 yards on the ground.
Grant Wilson led Leake with 128 yards passing and a touchdown and 89 yards rushing on 12 carries. Joshua Mascagni added 84 yards rushing and a touchdown.
River Oaks won their 3rd state football title in school history and 2nd in the past six years. The Mustangs close out the 2010 season with a 13-1 mark.
Leake finishes at 11-3.
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Post Game Interview
**River Oaks head coach Robert Hannah
Trinity steamrolls to Class A crownIn winning their third state title in the past five seasons and fifth in school history the Saints left little doubt from the start as to which squad was the superior team.
The only upside on the afternoon for Tri-County seemed to be winning the opening coin toss. The Rebel’s opening possession produced six yards and a punt from Lane Williams. Williams’ 36 yard punt was directly into the hands of one of the best punt return men the MAIS has to offer in Trinity’s Tip McKenzie. The junior fielded the punt at his 28 yard line, made a few cuts and found the Trinity sideline and turned on the after-burners to sprint 72 yards for the opening score of the afternoon. Zach Marshall’s PAT gave Trinity an early 7-0 with less than two minutes gone in the 1st quarter.
(Above) Tip McKenzie (#4) of Trinity jets 73 yards for a touchdownTri-County’s second possession netted just one yard and the Rebel’s elected to punt away from McKenzie which resulted in a shank that resulted in a 9 yard punt and gave Trinity excellent field position at the Tri-County 34 yard line for their first offensive possession of the afternoon. Five plays later Givonni Dent nailed Tip McKenzie with a 29 yard touchdown strike at the 7:06 mark of the quarter and Marshall added the PAT to extend Trinity’s lead to 14-0.
Tri-County turned the football over on their next possession as Givonni Dent recorded his 12th interception of the season when he picked off quarterback Trainor Storey and returned it to the Rebel 8 yard line. Two plays later Daniel Dunaway plowed in from six yards out and Zach Marshall’s PAT pushed the Trinity lead to 21-0 with less than seven minutes gone in the opening quarter.
Trinity built a 40-7 lead by the half and coasted to their 21st straight win to finish the 2010 season with a perfect 15-0 mark that included wins over River Oaks, Brookhaven, Centreville and AAA East Rankin. The last time Trinity suffered a loss to a Class A team was a week eleven defeat to Porter’s Chapel in 2006.
(Above) Trinity linebacker Kevin Brown (#14) brings down Caleb Creel (#2) of Tri-CountyTrinity senior tailback Kent King picked up 93 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns on the day. King finishes the 2010 season with 1,699 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.
Givonni Dent rushed for 58 yards on 6 carries and passed for two touchdowns. The senior signal caller finished his season with 1,627 yards passing and 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions along with 607 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns.
Tip McKenzie totaled 170 all-purpose yards that included two touchdown receptions and a punt return for a touchdown. The junior closes out the 2010 season with 2,958 all-purpose yards and 34 touchdowns.
Tri-County finished the season with a 14-1 mark.
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Post Game Interview
**Trinity head coach David King
November 23, 2010
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
Basketball encounters between top five teams from different classes usually don’t take place until February at the Overall Tournament but on Tuesday afternoon 4th ranked Presbyterian (AAA) hosted top ranked Central Private (AA) in what had the feel of a post season matchup.
In the end Presbyterian squeaked out a 46-44 win behind the play of junior forward Hunter Hawkins who dominated the paint with 19 points as the Bobcats improved to 4-1 and will prepare to host 3rd ranked Jackson Academy in a huge Class AAA matchup next Tuesday.
(Above) Drew Deen (#23) of Presbyterian drives to the basket in the second half
Presbyterian looked to be shell-shocked early on against Central Private as the Rebels raced out to a 10-1 lead just two minutes into the contest but the Bobcats put together an 11-2 run, fueled by Hawkins with 9 points, to pull even with Central Private to close out the opening quarter tied at 12-12.
Neither team could build more than a two point cushion until the 1:38 mark of the quarter when Presbyterian junior Daniel Dees pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to give the Bobcats a 21-18 advantage. Dave Jackson’s offensive rebound and put back with 41 seconds left in the half narrowed the deficit to 21-20, and following a Hunter Hawkins free throw, Jackson knotted the score with a driving scoop shot at the buzzer to end the first half tied at 22-22.
In a third quarter that was tied four times and produced five lead changes it proved to be no different than the second as neither squad enjoyed more than a two point lead. With Presbyterian in possession, and on top 30-28, Central Private senior Dave Jackson stole the ball and drove the length of the floor and slammed home a dunk (photo below) to tie the game at 30-30 with 1:51 remaining in the quarter. 
Following a James Akers free throw, Central Private retook the lead as Jackson laid one in from close range to give the Rebels a 32-31 lead but Presbyterian sophomore Tanner Myatt nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4 seconds left in the quarter to give the Bobcats a narrow 34-32 lead after three quarters of play.
With Presbyterian holding on to a slim 40-39 lead at the 1:28 mark of the final quarter Dave Jackson drew his 5th foul and the Bobcats capitalized. Daniel Dees pulled down an offensive rebound and scored to put the Bobcats on top 42-39 and following a Central Private turnover, Drew Deen canned two free throws to give Presbyterian their biggest lead of the game at 44-29 with 48 seconds remaining.
Central Private quickly advanced the ball and senior Taylor Fletcher nailed a long 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to trim the lead to 44-42. The Rebels followed up the Fletcher basket with a steal on the inbounds pass and following a timeout tied the game at 44-44 on a driving basket by sophomore Jake Flaggert with 18 seconds remaining. 
(Above) Presbyterian's Hunter Hawkins rejects a shot by Taylor Fletcher of Central Private (#23)
Presbyterian point guard James Akers then served up his finest assist of the evening as the senior dished to Hunter Hawkins under the basket for the game winner with 3 seconds on the clock to give the home-standing Bobcats a 46-44 win.
For Presbyterian Hawkins poured in 19 points, Tanner Myette had 9, James Akers 5, Daniel Dees and Drew Deen 4 apiece, Cade Martin 3 and Gage Garner 2.
Central Private was led by Dave Jackson with 14 points, Jake Flaggert added 12, Taylor Fletcher 10, Simpson Anderson 6 and Lance Wicker 2.
Next up for Central Private (5-2) is a home date with Covenant on Monday.
Post Game Interview: PCS Coach Gary Harris
November 22, 2010
Two Columbia Academy student-athlete seniors were named as Mississippi State finalists in the Wendy's High School Heisman award competition. Tanner Pace and Ashton Scarborough were among the 10 male and 10 female students chosen to be honored in the program which recognizes the best of high school athletic and academic achievement. Pace and Scarborough both maintain above a 4.0 GPA and participate in numerous other activities.
Pa
ce, son of Paul and Tracey Pace, is a member of the CA football, basketball, cross-country and track teams. In October, he placed third individually in the state championship cross country meet and last year, placed third in the state championship track meet in the 400m dash. He was selected all-district in basketball 3 years and football his junior year. He serves as Student Body Secretary and is a member of Honor Society, Key Club, and Mu Alpha Theta. Pace placed first and second in district ABC competitions in Algebra II and Advanced Math an
d scored a 28 on his ACT.Scarborough, the daughter of Don and Leslie Scarborough, is a member of the fast-pitch softball, basketball, cheerleading, and track teams at CA. She has been named all-district basketball for 3 years, all south-state 2 years, and all-district in fast-pitch 1 year. She also placed 3rd in the state in the 100 meter dash her sophomore year. She serves as Student Body President, president of DECA and Crown Club, and is a member of Key Club, Honor Society, BETA, and Mu Alpha Theta. Scarborough placed first and third in district ABC competitions in Algebra II and Advanced Math and scored a 30 on her ACT.
Leake quarterback Grant Wilson's 10-yard scoring run on the first play of the overtime period followed by Dylan Alford's successful point after attempt gave the Rebels a 42-35 lead. North Delta then had its chance to tie the game, but Joshua Mascagni picked off a Bryan Nickle tipped pass in the endzone to end the game.
Leake, (11-2) will now advance to the Academy AA state championship game Friday afternoon at Millsaps College in Jackson where they will take on River Oaks, (La.) who dethroned defending AA state champ Brookhaven 17-14 for the South State title.
Trailing 29-13 with 10:31 left in the contest, North Delta made a furious fourth quarter run to send the game into overtime as senior wide receiver Jim Tom Copeland reeled in his fourth touchdown reception of the night on a 38-yard scoring strike from Bryan Nickle to tie the game at 35-35 with 1:35 left in regulation.Wesley Webb's four-yard touchdown pass from Wilson gave the Rebels a 35-21 advantage with 3:15 left in contest, North Delta quickly answered back with a seven-play, 68-yard drive that was capped off by Nickle's 19-yard pass to Copeland to make the score 35-28 after Kyle Devazier booted the last of four point after attempts.
After the Green Wave's unsuccessful attempt at recovering the onside kick following the touchdown, the Rebels looked to run out the final two minutes of the game. But on the first play from scrimmage, North Delta's Carson Bailey pounced on a Wilson fumble at the Leake 42 yard-line that set up the game-tying touchdown by the Green Wave.
The Rebels took a 29-13 lead early in the final stanza as Wilson sprinted 53 yards for the touchdown to complete a six-play; 89-yard drive that was aided by a key 19-yard reception from Wilson to Webb on 3rd-and-13 from the Leake 28 that kept the drive alive. Wilson finished the night with 144 yards rushing on 16 carries to go along with three touchdowns on the ground.
North Delta, (11-2) responded with a 11-play; 76-yard scoring drive of their own as Nickle connected with Copeland on a four-yard pass. Nicke then hooked up with Tres Brasell on the two-point conversion attempt to make the score 29-21 at the 7:31 mark of the fourth quarter. Copeland finished the night with six receptions for 110 yards.
After a scoreless first quarter, Leake got on the board first as Alford drilled a 30-yard field goal with 11:56 left in the second quarter. The Green Wave then took their first lead of the game on the next possession as Brasell scored his 23rd touchdown of the year on a seven-yard run to make the score 7-3. The drive was set up by a crunching block by Derrick Shawn that sprung Nickle on a 50-yard punt return to the Rebel 35-yard line.
North Delta extended their lead to 13-3 later in the stanza when Copeland out-jumped a Leake defender in the endzone for a 11-yard touchdown reception from Nickle.
Whatever momentum the Green Wave had quickly evaporated on the next series as Brad Hunter returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield with 50 seconds remaining before intermission. Two plays later, Wilson zipped a 31-yard touchdown pass to Webb with 23 seconds in play in the half to close the North Delta lead to 13-10 after Alford booted the PAT.
The second half did not start off good for the home team as Zach McGarr 32-yard interception return of a Nickle pass on the second play from scrimmage set up a 18-yard scoring run by Wilson to make the score 17-13 with 9:58 left to play in the third quarter. Mascagni added to the Rebel lead with a 62-yard gallop later in the quarter to increase the Leake lead to 23-13 after Alford shanked the PAT wide right.Mascagni matched Wilson's rushing total with 144 yards on the ground as the Rebels pounded out 322 yards rushing on the night. Wilson added 60 yards through the air on four-of-nine passing
North Delta out-gained Leake 387-382 in total yardage on the night with 182 yards rushing and 205 yards through the air. Nickle was 14-of-27 passing with four touchdown but was picked off three time. The senior signal called also led the team with 96 yards on 15 carries. Nickle finished off an outstanding season with 1,015 yards rushing and nine touchdowns to go along with 1,213 yards passing and 16 touchdowns.
Fullback Micheal Magee followed Nickle with six carries for 53 yards while recording seven tackles on defense. Brasell added 14 carries for 32 yards and one catch for (minus) three yards.
John Cody Dalrymple and Corbin Baker each had three receptions while Taylor Morris registered one catch for 44 yards.
Will Reynolds led the North Delta defense with ten tackles while Shawn followed with six stops and a blocked punt.
Curtis Weldon of Brandon won the regular season Pick Em contest and won a Southern Sports & Travel hoodie valued at $49 and a $50 gift card to Academy Sports.
Over the course of the 2010 playoffs games will be posted on Mondays. At the end of the playoffs the participant with the most wins will win a Southern Sports & Travel hoodie valued at $49 and a $50 gift card to Academy Sports, Bass Pro Shop or Best Buy.
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Finals
**Leake vs River Oaks
**Tri-County vs Trinity
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**Tie-Breaker - Total points Leake/River Oaks
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Each week picks must be sent via email by noon on Friday to aafandaman@yahoo.com
November 21, 2010
For Southern Sports & Travel, By Brett Rutland
(Above) Brookhaven quarterback Chandler Rogers (#12) gets taken down by two River Oaks defenders“We lost a tough game tonight.” said Brookhaven head coach Herbert Davis. “Our defense played their tails off. We stopped them offensively time after time but it was one big play that hurt us. Both of our losses this year were because of special teams. We gave up a kickoff against Trinity that was the difference and a punt return tonight. If we don’t give that up we win the game. It’s a tough loss to swallow.”
“I’m proud of this team and these seniors.” added Davis. “They accomplished a lot in their careers here with a state championship and a lot of victories. Even though it’s a tough loss to deal with they have a lot to be proud of. I wish we could’ve won state again but it just didn’t happen.”
Brookhaven struck first in a defensive struggle that saw both team’s offensive units struggle to find any rhythm. Brookhaven was finally able to put together a 9 play, 85 yard drive late in the first quarter that ended with Chandler Rogers connecting with Bubba Keene from 13 yards out. Tyler Trout added the extra point for a 7-0 Cougar lead with 53 seconds left in the first.
River Oaks put together its first scoring drive, marching 89 yards in 13 plays before Ryan McGregor connected with Walker Thurmon from 11 yards out. Brogan Brasseaux added the extra point, knotting things up at the half.
The defensive struggle continued in the second half as neither team could register a score until Teshadi Talton took a Brookhaven punt and raced 65 yards for the score with 4:38 remaining in the game. Brasseaux added the extra point for a 14-7 River Oaks lead.
Rogers and company took possession at their own 43 yard line on the ensuing drive and Rogers engineered a 5 play, 57 yard drive that ended with Rogers connecting with Jennings Mills from 13 yards out. Trout added the extra point, tying the game at 14 with 2:40 showing on the clock.
But the Mustangs would have the last say, going 61 yards in 9 plays before Brasseaux kicked a 22 yard field goal as time expired.
Rogers led the Brookhaven offense, picking up 153 yards on 22 carries. Through the air, he completed 12 of his 24 pass attempts for 137 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted three times.
Landon Nettles added 53 yards on 9 carries in support. Bubba Keene caught 5 passes for 44 yards with one touchdown. Mills added 35 yards on 4 receptions with a touchdown.
Talton led the Mustangs offense with 90 yards on 15 carries. McGregor completed 5 of his 13 pass attempts for 67 yards with a touchdown.
On defense, Bailey Hodge led Brookhaven with 13 tackles. Mark Rushing and Jeff Rushing each added 12 stops a piece. C.J. Duckworth and Alan Michael Allred each had 11 tackles.
Chandler Rogers ends his career at Brookhaven Academy setting records in just about every possible category. Rogers passed for an even 8,800 yards in three seasons after totaling 3,002 yards in his senior campaign. On the ground, Rogers added 2,125 yards over three seasons, giving him 10,925 total offense yards, eclipsing former standout BA quarterback Price Sessums who totaled 9,189 total yards in his career.
Roger also accounted for an MAIS career record 131 touchdowns in those three seasons. He is second only to Dylan Favre of St. Stanislaus for the overall state record.
November 20, 2010
Trinity one step closer to repeatIt was a cool and damp night at Trinity Episcopal on Friday night, no different from most early November evenings in Natchez. The setting for the Class A South State Championship game was the “Pit” and by halftime the visiting team looked no different than the previous 19 victims of the defending state champions.
The top ranked Trinity Saints ripped 2nd ranked and previously undefeated Sylva Bay 43-13 to claim their second straight South A title and in doing so put to rest any doubt the status of Trinity football as being amongst the elite programs in the entire MAIS.
The Trinity offense rushed for 230 yards and produced timely passing to the tune of 140 yards on the night while a dominant defense held the MAIS rushing leader and Dandy Dozen player Cody Prewitt to 109 yards rushing on 27 carries.
Trinity set the tone on the first possession of the night as the Saints pounded out a 15 play, 69 yard drive that consumed over five minutes of the opening quarter. Quarterback Givonni Dent’s scrambling abilities and timely passing moved the Saints deep into Sylva Bay territory before senior tailback Kent King hit pay-dirt from 3 yards out at the 6:27 mark of the 1st quarter. Zack Marshall added the PAT to give Trinity a quick 7-0 advantage.
(Above) Trinity tailback Kent King (#22) rushed for 108 yards and 3 touchdownsTrinity added to their lead on their second possession. Givonni Dent scrambled for 23 yards out to the 43 yard line on 1st down and two plays later Dent went long to Tip McKenzie who made a circus catch over the out-stretched arms of Cody Prewitt at the Sylva Bay 8 yard line. Dent capped the 80 yard drive with a 7 yard touchdown pass to Jake Winston with 29 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Tip McKenzie then sped around the right side for a successful two-point conversion to extend the lead to 15-0.
Sylva Bay stalled on their second possession to begin the 2nd quarter but a clutch 51 yard punt from Cody Prewitt pinned Trinity inside their own 1 yard line.
A fired up Sylva Bay defense forced Trinity into a three and out and a 32 yard punt from Jake Winston set the table for Sylva Bay at the Trinity 37 yard line.
(Above) Sylva Bay's Cody Prewitt (#25) is greeted by Eric James (#11), Daniel Dunaway (#35) and Hunter Knapp (#62)Prewitt picked up a tough six yards on 1st down followed by a 24 yard burst up the middle from fullback Wade Robertson down to the Trinity 7 yard line. Cody Prewitt scored from 3 yards out two plays later and Robertson added the PAT to trim the deficit to 15-7 with 6:33 remaining in the half.
Trinity started out deep inside their own territory following the Sylva Bay kick-off. From their own 7 yard line Trinity couldn’t muster a 1st down and were forced to punt.
Sylva Bay set up shop inside Trinity territory once again at the 49 yard line but three consecutive Prewitt runs netted a total of 0 yards as the Trinity defense honed in on the senior tailback.
Trinity took over at their own 17 yard line following a Prewitt punt and never looked back. Givonni Dent nailed Kent King with a 28 yard hook-up out the 45 yard line and two plays later Dent found Daniel Dunaway all alone in the flat and Dunaway raced 53 yards down the sideline for Trinity’s third score of the half. Zach Marshall added the PAT and with 1:20 left in the half Trinity had extended their lead to 22-7.
(Above) Cody Prewitt (#25) hits pay-dirt in the 2nd quarterTrinity continued to pull away in the 3rd quarter as the Saint’s defense forced Sylva Bay into two three and outs and a fumble recovered by Peyton Young on their three possessions of the quarter.
Trinity went up 29-7 at the 6:37 mark of the quarter on a 17 yard scamper by tailback Kent King and increased their lead to 36-7 when Givonni Dent intercepted Sylva Bay quarterback Bryant Baucum and went 58 yards for a score with 3:36 left in the 3rd quarter.
Trinity capitalized on Sylva Bay’s third turnover of the night just five seconds into the final quarter. Senior linebacker Eric James covered a Prewitt fumble at the Sylva Bay 16 yard line and Kent King notched his third rushing touchdown on the night as the senior raced in from 13 yards out with 10:43 left in the game to give Trinity a commanding 43-7 lead.
Sylva Bay scored with 3:46 remaining in the game on a Cody Prewitt 10 yard burst on a 4th and goal.
(Above) Trinity speedster Tip McKenzie (#4) rounds the corner for a few of his 175 all-purpose yards.Trinity’s big three, quarterback Givonni Dent, tailback Kent King and wide-out Tip McKenzie, produced once again for the potent Saint offense. Dent was 7/14 passing for 140 yards and two touchdowns and picked up 84 yards rushing, King rushed for 108 yards on 15 carries and 3 touchdowns and McKenzie had 175 all-purpose yards as Trinity took home their 20th straight win to move to 14-0 on the season.
Trinity will battle undefeated and North State Champion Tri-County for the Class A title on Friday at 12:30 at Millsaps College in Jackson.
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Post Game Interview:
November 18, 2010
Semi-Final Friday
**River Oaks (11-1) at Brookhaven (12-1)…….The defending state champs have had the luxury of resting players during two easy playoff wins over Adams Christian and Cenla while River Oaks has had the more difficult route in advancing to their second straight South State title game with wins over Central Hinds and Centreville. River Oaks surprised many by the brand of physical football they displayed in their 21-13 win over Centreville last Friday. Unlike their week seven loss at Trinity the Mustangs were more dedicated to the run game and it paid huge dividends in the second half against a Centreville squad that most thought were the hottest team in Class AA. Brookhaven’s defense, which is much under-rated, will have to contend with protecting the corners to avoid River Oaks’ speed from breaking substantial runs while at the same time filling the gaps to contain the shifty running of a healthy Teshadi Talton who scorched Centreville for 188 yards last week. Key to the game could come down to tackling and turnovers and whether the smaller defensive backs of River Oaks can out physical Brookhaven’s big wide-outs. Something tells me Brookhaven gets a huge game from a freshman tailback…….Brookhaven over River Oaks 31-19 at home.
>Last Meeting – 2009 South State Finals – Brookhaven 17-7
>Brookhaven – 42 ppg…19 papg
>River Oaks – 41 ppg…10 papg
**Leake (10-2) at North Delta (10-1)…….It’s been some time since these two have matched up but when they do they’ll see mirror images of each other. Both squads are run oriented and scatter in the passing game from time to time. While the style of play is similar the one factor that may be key is the depth that Leake has, particularly on offense. North Delta has reeled off ten straight wins since a week one loss to Class AAA Magnolia Heights. The Green Waves proved there metal in last week’s road win against Simpson while Leake came from behind to take a win at Winston. Leake has the size advantage and the edge in the kicking game but North Delta had a coming out party last week in Mendenhall. The difference in this matchup could be a “Nickle”……..North Delta at home over Leake 27-21.
>Last Meeting – 2004 Playoffs – North Delta 55-0
>North Delta – 36 ppg…13 papg
>Leake – 41 ppg…12 papg
**Sylva Bay (12-0) at Trinity (13-0)……..Sylva Bay hits Natchez with arguably the best player in the MAIS in Ole Miss signee Cody Prewitt. Prewitt has rushed for over 2,200 yards in leading his squad to quality wins over East Rankin and Winston during the course of a 13-0 season mark. Sylva Bay’s lowest scoring output was way back in week one when the Saints beat Stringer 20-15 on the road. Averaging 175 yards a game, Prewitt has gotten the attention of the Trinity defense. The defense Prewitt will face in the pit will be a battle tested group that has faced one of the toughest schedules in Class A or Class AA. How Sylva Bay’s defense matches up with Trinity’s skill players on offense will be the true test of the night. Trinity has wins over Brookhaven, River Oaks and Centreville under their belt and possesses big weapons. With a seasoned quarterback in senior Givonni Dent to direct a potent offense, Trinity can choose to pound the football with 1,600 yard rusher Kent King or get the football to Tip McKenzie who has massed over 2,600 all-purpose yards and 32 touchdowns on the season. I see a huge second half of football coming from the home-standing Saints…….Trinity at home over Sylva Bay 47-26.
>Last meeting – 2009 Playoffs Round Two – Trinity 43-28
>Trinity – 45 ppg…15 papg
>Sylva Bay – 44 ppg…14 papg
**Tunica (8-3) at Tri-County (13-0)……Heading home from Monroe last Saturday morning I caught the last several minutes of the DeSoto at Tri-County replay on the radio. (Don't remember the names of the radio crew but those guys did an outstanding job calling the game) After the Rebel’s 35-28 overtime win a handful of Tri-County players were interviewed on the post game show and each one quickly spoke about how excited they were to get another crack at a Tunica squad that eliminated them from post season last year. Tri-County came from behind against a good DeSoto team and I’m sure the fact that they gave up 28 points was a sore spot, after all, the Rebel’s defense yields an MAIS best 7.6 points per game. The mission at hand will be slowing Tunica tailback Freeman Gray who has rushed for over 2,000 yards in his senior campaign. My hunch is that Tunica will not score 48 points on Tri-County as they did in 2009 and that a senior quarterback will write the “Storey” in this contest……..Tri-County at home over Tunica 28-19.
>Last meeting – 2009 Playoffs Round Two – Tunica 48-42
>Tri-County – 34 ppg…7 papg
>Tunica – 39 ppg…19 papg
November 15, 2010
Over the course of the 2010 playoffs games will be posted on Mondays. At the end of the playoffs the participant with the most wins will win a Southern Sports & Travel hoodie valued at $49 and a $50 gift card to Academy Sports, Bass Pro Shop or Best Buy.
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Semi-Finals
**Leake at North Delta
**River Oaks at Brookhaven
**Tunica at Tri-County
**Sylva Bay at Trinity
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**Tie-Breaker - Total points Brookhaven/River Oaks
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Each week picks must be sent via email by noon on Friday to aafandaman@yahoo.com
The wait is now over.
Led by a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Bryan ' B' Nickle to fellow senior wide receiver Corbin Baker and a stout defensive effort, North Delta advanced to the Class AA North State Championship game with a 28-17 victory over the No.4- ranked Cougars before a stunned home crowd Friday night in Mendenhall.
(Above) North Delta quarterback Bryan Nickle (#3) looks to the sideline for directionNorth Delta, (10-1), will put their state-best ten game winning streak on the line Friday night as they host Leake Academy at 7 p.m. The winner of that game will take on the River Oaks, (La.)/ Brookhaven winner next Friday at Mississippi College for the MAIS AA State championship. Leake defeated Winston 23-21 Friday night to earn the right to play North Delta.
Leading 21-17 with under three minutes to play, North Delta put the game away when defensive linemen Sy Pritchard scooped up a Jacob Busby fumble at the Green Wave 40 and rambled 24 yards to the Cougar 36-yard line. After a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty moved the ball to the Simpson 21. Three plays later and facing a 3rd-and-15 call, Nickle connected with Baker on a 26-yard scoring strike with 1:48 remaining for the final margin of victory.
After both teams battled to a 14-14 deadlock at halftime, John Reed Robinson booted a 27-yard field goal at the 5:56 mark of the third quarter to give Simpson a 17-14 lead. North Delta responded with a 11-play,76-yard drive that was capped off by Tres Brasell's one-yard run to give the Wave a 21-17 lead with 34 seconds left in the period.
The drive was keyed by a eleven- yard scramble by Nickle on 4th-and 8 from the Simpson 36 that gave North Delta a extra set of downs. Afterwards, Green Wave head coach Dan Werner talked about the gutsy call.
" Well if we had punted the ball and it went into the endzone, it would only netted 18 yards so we said lets go ahead and give it a shot on getting the first down and fortunately we were able to keep the drive alive," said Werner.
Another huge play came earlier in the drive as John Cody Dalrymple tossed a 22-yard pass to Nickle on 3rd-and 9 from the Green Wave 25.
North Delta jumped out to a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter as Brasell capped out a 16-play, 80-yard drive with a one-yard run with three seconds left in the stanza. Placekicker Kyle Devazier played a vital role by nailing all four point after at temps in the game.
Simpson knotted the game at 7-7 on their next possession when junior tailback Cade Eiland raced 16 yards into the endzone to end a eight-play, 68-yard drive that took 3:58 off the clock with Robinson adding the PAT.
The Green Wave waisted little time regaining the lead as Taylor Morris returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to the North Delta 47. After a holding call push the ball back to the 37, Nickle hooked up with senior wideout Jim Tom Copeland who made an outstanding leaping catch over a Simpson defender for a 26-yard reception.On the very next play,Nickle hit Baker on a 37-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-7 after Devazier's PAT.
"This feels great, its a lot better than it did last year when we played down here," said Baker, who ended up with four catches for 81 yards on the night. " Ever since we lost to Magnolia Heights that first game of the season we have been working hard every day to get to where we are now.This game has been on our minds for three months now, even before two-a-days, we've wanted Simpson bad," said Baker.
The Cougars tied the game at 14-14 late in the first half as Josh Hankins hauled in a diving 22-yard reception of a Brandon Johnston pass at the 1:02 mark of the second quarter. Hankins caught two passes for 34 yards in the game while Johnston finished the game 4-of 7 passing for 75 yards.
" I cannot say how proud we are of these kids and how they competed tonight," said Werner. " After last season, we talked about using the regular season as sort of a building block to get back to this game. and the kids have work hard to get to this point. We knew Simpson was going to try and stop the run so he felt like we could pop a couple of deep passes.We hit a deep pass to Jim Tom one time then they starting double covering him, but that opened everybody else up also.
Simpson rushed for 249 yards on the ground while out-gaining North Delta 324-240 in total yardage. Johnston led the Cougars rushing attack with 122 yards on 22 carries while Eiland, who came into the night as the state's number two rushing with 1,502 yards finished the game with 82 yards on 10 carries. The Cougars hurt themselves with penalties by being flagged nine times for 100 yards.
Brasell led the North Delta ground game with 22 carries for 50 yards while Nickle added 15 yards on nine totes. Michael Magee chipped in with three carries for nine yards. Nickle passed for 144 yards while Dalrymple added one pass for 22 yards. Copeland followed Baker in receiving with two catches for 63 yards.
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
Recent early departures from the playoffs have haunted the Leake football program and their fans over the past several seasons and last Friday night in Louisville it looked as though the nightmare was going to continue as the Rebels spotted Winston a 14-0 halftime lead.
Although staring at a 14-0 halftime deficit on the road Leake started the 3rd quarter with a vengeance. On the Rebel’s first possession of the quarter senior tailback Joshua Mascagni hit pay-dirt with a 2 yard dive at the 8:22 mark. Dylan Alford’s PAT cut the Winston lead in half at 14-7.
(Above) Leake tailback Brad Hunter (#32) rounds the corner for positive yards
Leake struck again just three minutes later on a 26 yard scamper by senior quarterback Grant Wilson and Alford tied the game at 14-14 with 5:23 remaining in the quarter.
Winston overcame the huge momentum shift and went back on top on a Rob Moffett 42 yard touchdown run with 2:44 left in the 3rd quarter. Tyler Golson’s PAT gave the Patriots a 7 point cushion at 21-14.
The wild 3rd quarter produced yet another score as Leake took just 1:04 to score their third touchdown of the quarter. Joshua Mascagni went in from 1 yard out to trim the deficit to 21-20 but the Rebel’s PAT attempt to tie the game went array.
In total contrast to the high scoring 3rd quarter the final quarter was anything but that. In a defensive struggle the only points of the quarter came from the leg of senior kicker Dylan Alford who nailed a 32 yard field goal to give Leake their first lead of the game at 23-21 with just 3:12 remaining.
(Above) Leake linebacker Kannon King (#41) tries to slow Winston quarterback Tyler Sullivan
Leake closed the door on any Winston come from behind score as the Rebel defense held the Patriots and forced them to turn the ball over on downs. With the 23-21 win 4th ranked Leake advances to the North AA State title game against 2nd ranked North Delta this Friday in Batesville. The Rebels improved to 10-2 with their only two losses coming by a combined total of 2 points.
Joshua Mascagni led the Rebels with 108 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns while on defense senior linebacker Kannon King had 15 tackles.
Winston quarterback Tyler Sullivan was 20/29 for 241 yards and a touchdown through the air. The junior also had a rushing touchdown.
Winston closes out the 2010 season with a 7-5 mark.
Photos Courtesy of Ashley Strength
November 13, 2010
River Oaks overcame four first half turnovers and held Centreville to 136 yards rushing to advance to their second straight South AA state championship game against top ranked Brookhaven next Friday night.
Centreville got an early break as River Oaks quarterback Ryan MacGregor was picked off by sophomore defensive back Randy Bell at the Mustang’s 40 yard line just three plays into the game.
(Above) River Oaks defensive end Joseph Bryant (#33) pressures Centreville quarterback Cliff Hurst
Centreville cashed in on the interception and slowly pounded the ball to the 1 yard line behind the running of Cliff Hurst. Quarterback Tyler Towles went in at the 7:13 mark of the opening quarter and Randy Bell added the PAT to give Centreville a 7-0 lead.
River Oaks looked primed to overcome the early turnover on their second possession as the Mustangs drove 53 yards to the Centreville 27 yard line but a fumble at the 23 yard line ended the drive with 5:39 remaining in the 1st quarter.
The River Oaks defense put the football back into the hands of their offense as senior Corey Talley recovered a Centreville fumble at the Tiger 23 yard line two plays later. 
(Above) River Oaks tailback Teshadi Talton (#9) trys to escape the grasp of Centreville linebacker Tyler Towles (#8)
River Oaks seemed to have stalled at the Centreville 6 yard line but a critical offsides infraction on the Tigers set the Mustangs up with a 4th and goal from the 3 yard line. Tailback Henry Biedenharn’s number was called and the junior delivered as he sped around the right side and into the endzone with 1:30 left in the quarter. Brogan Brasseaux added the PAT to tie the game at 7-7 to wind down the 1st quarter.
River Oaks forced the Centreville offense into a three and out but four plays later the Mustangs committed their third turnover of the game via fumble at their own 35 yard line with 9:27 remaining in the half.
Centreville threatened to capitalize on another River Oaks turnover as Cliff Hurst carried five consecutive times to move the line of scrimmage to the River Oaks 5 yard line but a holding penalty and the River Oaks defense forced Centreville into a Cliff Hurst field goal attempt from 32 yards out. Hurst’s attempt was blocked as defensive back Aaron Rogers (photo below) sped around the right end to block the attempt with 4:47 remaining in the quarter. 
(Above) River Oaks defensive back Aaron Rogers (#24) blocks a 2nd quarter FG attempt
River Oaks set the tone in a 2nd half in which their defense didn’t allow any big plays and a running game that found its rhythm.
On their first possession of the 2nd half River Oaks produced the first big offensive play of the game as tailback Teshadi Talton jetted 40 yards to cap off a 5 play, 64 yard drive that took just over two minutes. Brasseaux’s PAT at the 7:25 mark put the Mustangs up 14-7.
Centreville looked to be picking up steam on their last possession of the 3rd quarter. Tyler Towles connected with Devin Hughes for a 20 yard gain to the River Oaks 48 yard line and three plays later J.T. Doughty sprinted 17 yards to set the Tigers up at the Mustang 31. Two straight Cliff Hurst carries pushed the line of scrimmage to the River Oaks 22 yard line to end the 3rd quarter.
The Centreville offense seemed to have hit a wall to start the final quarter. Three plays produced 0 yards and facing a 4th and 10 at the River Oaks 19 yard line Centreville’s Devin Hughes was stopped for a loss by junior Aaron Rogers as the Tigers turned the football over on downs with 10:58 remaining in the contest. 
(Above) Centreville's rushing attack was held to 136 yards on the night
River Oaks threatened to increase their lead to 21-7 two plays into their possession when Teshadi Talton raced 67 yards for a score but a holding penalty negated the electrifying jaunt. That penalty proved to be costly as River Oaks set up to punt on 4th down from their own 21 yard line. Punter Alex Lavalle had trouble fielding a low snap at the 5 yard line and was forced to cover the football giving Centreville a 1st and goal at the 8:59 mark of the final quarter.
Cliff Hurst ran in from 3 yards out two plays later to capitalize on the River Oaks miscue. With Centreville having narrowed the deficit to 14-13 the Tigers elected to attempt a two-point conversion but Hurst was stopped in the backfield.
Following the Centreville touchdown the Mustangs produced their best drive of the night going 87 yards in 11 plays and chewing up 5:30 in doing so. The River Oaks offensive line opened up lanes and Teshadi Talton found them. The senior tailback had six carries in the drive, the final was a 14 yard touchdown run with 2:45 left in the game. With Brogan Brasseaux’s PAT increasing the Mustang’s advantage to 21-13 there was still caution amongst the big crowd and for good reason.
Centreville exhibited why caution was necessary as the Tigers hit for 26 yards when Cliff Hurst hit Randy Bell with a pass and Bell pitched the ball to Colton Terrell on a well executed hook and ladder play that moved the Tigers to midfield. 
(Above) Centreville's Cliff Hurst (#10) hurdles the pile for positive yards
The River Oaks defense put the finishing touches on the game as defensive end Seth Lawrence sacked Cliff Hurst at the Tiger 48 and Aaron Rogers sealed the deal as the junior intercepted Hurst at the 35 yard line and returned it back to the Mustang 46 with 1:41 remaining.
River Oaks improved to 11-1 and will travel to Brookhaven next Friday while Centreville ends their season at 8-5.
River Oaks tailback Teshadi Talton had a game high 190 yards rushing on 18 carries and two touchdowns and Henry Biedenharn picked up 53 yards rushing and a touchdown.
The Mustangs rushed for 325 yards on the night.
Cliff Hurst led Centreville with 89 yards rushing and a touchdown.
*River Oaks head coach Robert Hannah
*River Oaks junior linebacker Aaron Rogers
*River Oaks senior tailback Teshadi Talton
Brookhaven will host River Oaks, La. for the AA South State championship in a rematch of the south title game from a year ago. Brookhaven won that meeting 17-7 en route to the AA State Championship.
(Above) Brookhaven junior wide-out Christian "Bubba" Keene (#5) goes vertical to avoid a Cenla defender
Rogers torched the Lion secondary in limited action in the game, completing 15 of his 24 pass attempts for 386 yards and four touchdowns on the night. He added another score on the ground. Rogers performance also moved him into second place in the record books for the state of Mississippi. Rogers has accounted for 129 touchdowns during his career, second only to St. Stanislaus quarterback Dylan Favre. Rogers passed former Shannon high school and Ole Miss standout quarterback Romaro Miller, who holds third place with 127 scores.
Early on it looked as though Cenla had everything going its way as the Lions way. After being forced into a punting situation on its first drive, Cenla capitalized on a Brookhaven substitution penalty that gave the Lions a first down when quarterback Graham Kelly connected with wide out Raegan Lane from 45 yards out. The two point conversion attempt failed, giving the visitors a 6-0 lead with 8:47 left in the first quarter.
Brookhaven looked to be in more trouble as the Lions executed a successful onside kick attempt, giving them the ball at the Brookhaven 44 yard line. Brookhaven’s defense stood tall, forcing a punt from the Lions, but the punt took a Cenla roll and was downed inside the Brookhaven one yard line. Pinned against their own end zone with no room for error, Brookhaven responded with an eight play, 99 yard drive that ended with Rogers connecting with Sidney Chaffin from 31 yards out. Tyler Trout added the extra point for a 7-6 Brookhaven lead with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter.
Brookhaven’s defense again forced a punt from Cenla on the ensuing drive, and Brookhaven junior return man Bubba Keene took the punt at the Brookhaven 41 yard, leaped over defenders and raced to the Cenla 19 yard line. On the next play, Rogers connected with Jennings Mills for the 19 yard score. Trout added the extra point for a 14-6 lead at the 10 second mark of the first.
Rogers and company dominated the second quarter of play as the Cougar offense was able to put three more scores on the board before the break. Rogers connected with Chaffin from 29 yards out at the 8:59 mark of the second. Rogers found the end zone on his own with 5:24 remaining and then connected with Mills from 31 yards out at the 2:47 mark of the half, pushing the Brookhaven lead to 36-6 at the break.
Cenla took the opening possession of the second half and orchestrated a 10 play, 70 yard drive that ate of six minutes of the game clock before Andy Brossett scored on a one yard run with 6:05 remaining in the third. The extra point attempt failed, closing the Brookhaven lead to 36-12.
Brookhaven was able to answer at the 1:49 mark of the third as sophomore Gage Posey took a Cenla punt and raced 45 yards for the score. Trout added the extra point for a 43-12 Brookhaven lead.
Cenla was able to add a six yard touchdown pass from Kelly to David Marler with 5:10 left in the game, cutting the Brookhaven lead to 43-18. 
(Above) Jennings Mills of Brookhaven (#10) wraps up on defense
The Cougars got their final score of the night as Posey connected with Jeff Rushing on a 14 yard pass. Trout added the extra point, ending the scoring at 50-18.
“I think we played ok offensively.” said Brookhaven head coach Herbert Davis. “We didn’t run the ball well, but they (Cenla) were putting 8 or 9 guys in the box to stop our running game so we went to our passing game and Chandler had a big night for us. We’re a balanced team, even with our reputation of throwing the ball so much, but we have some guys that can get the job done on the ground too.”
“We didn’t do a very good job defensively.” added Davis. “We let them break a lot of tackles and gave up a few big plays. If we make those mistakes next week, we’re going to be in trouble.”
Mills was the leading receiver for Brookhaven, catching 6 passes for 140 yards with two scores. Keene caught 3 passes for 99 yards and Chaffin added two receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns. Landon Nettles picked up 65 yards on 7 carries to lead the Cougars rushing attack.
Graham Kelly led Cenla, completing 16 of his 26 pass attempts for 215 yards with two scores. Raegan Lane caught 5 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, and David Marler caught 3 passes for 50 yards with another touchdown.
On defense, Alan Michael Allred led Brookhaven with 16 tackles and a fumble recovery. Jeff Rushing followed with 11 tackles and C.J. Duckworth added 10 stops in support.
Brookhaven hosts River Oaks, La. Friday night for the AA South State championship game. River Oaks advanced with a 21-13 win over Centreville Academy. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
Photos Courtesy of Sherylyn Evans
November 12, 2010
Second time the charm for PillowSouthern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
Just one year ago the Pillow Mustangs were 9-2 and advanced to the Class AAA Division II title game but fell hard to Washington to finish the season at 9-3. Last night the Mustangs tasted the fruit of their season long labors and erased last season’s title game disappointment with a 28-14 win over Oak Forest to claim the Class AAA Division II State Championship.
Senior tailbacks Ja’Quez Taylor and Luke Kimmel combined for 265 yards rushing and each scored two touchdowns and the Mustang defense limited Oak Forest to 113 yards on the ground. Pillow’s defense set the tone early as they forced the Oak Forest offense into a quick three and out on the Jacket’s first possession of the night.
The Mustangs took advantage of good field position on their first series and took an early lead as Ja’Quez Taylor capped off an 8 play, 54 yard drive with a one yard plunge with 6:03 remaining in the opening quarter. Cayson Cox nailed the PAT to give Pillow an early 7-0 advantage.
(Above) Pillow tailback Ja'Quez Taylor (#32) breaks away from Oak Forest linebacker Alex Rimes (#33)Oak Forest responded on the ensuing possession. James Peterson hit Drew Misita on a 1st down from the Jacket 30 yard line with a quick 13 yard pick up to the 43. Five plays later, and Oak Forest staring at a 3rd and 8 from the Mustang 45 yard line, Blake Carter hit Chris Gill on a short out route and Gill work his way down the sidelines for the Jacket’s first score of the night at the 3:19 mark of the 1st quarter.
Pillow was threatening to build more momentum as the Mustang defense limited Oak Forest to another three and out. Following Chris Gill’s 52 yard punt the Mustangs set up shop at their own 14 yard line. The momentum quickly nosed southward as Oak Forest defensive back Josh Hughes picked off a Landon Taylor pass at the Pillow 24 yard line with 6:41 left in the half.
Oak Forest struggled to moved the football and faced a 4th and 8 from the Pillow 22 yard line and with kicker Homero Natal poised to attempt a 39 yard field goal holder Chris Gill ran a fake that netted just two yards to the 20 yard line. Oak Forest caught a break as Pillow was flagged for a facemask violation that moved the line of scrimmage to the 10 yard line and a 1st and goal for the Jackets. Oak Forest quickly moved in reverse as a spot holding penalty pushed the Jackets back to the 25 yard line. Two plays later quarterback James Carter hit James Peterson with a 24 yard touchdown pass and Homero Natal converted on the PAT to knot things up at 14-14 with 2:42 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
(Above) The Pillow tandem of Taylor (#32) and Kimmel (#42) combined for 265 rushing yards and 4 touchdownsIn what would prove to be a critical possession just before halftime Pillow return man Charles Nause set the Mustangs up at their own 47 yard line with an 18 yard kick-off return. Ja’Quez Taylor hit the hole on 1st down for a quick 8 yards to the Oak Forest 45 yard line and one play later Luke Kimmel burst through the Jacket defense for a 45 yard score with 1:42 left in the half. Cox added the PAT and Pillow would take a 21-14 slim cushion into halftime.
Oak Forest hoped to take advantage of a Ja’Quez Taylor fumble recovered at the Pillow 42 yard line just one minute into the 3rd quarter but the Jackets stalled at the Mustang 21 yard line and came away empty handed after Homero Natal’s 38 yard field goal attempt fell short.
Pillow’s longest drive of the night would start at their own 30 yard line with 3:31 remaining in the 3rd quarter and stretch nearly two minutes into the 4th quarter. With Ja’Quez Taylor directing the offense from the “Wildcat” formation the Mustangs pushed down field with a sense of purpose and with 10:11 remaining in the game Taylor polished off the 70 yard, 11 play drive with a 12 yard run and Cayson Cox added his final PAT of the night as Pillow went up 28-14.
Oak Forest put together a final push to trim the 14 point deficit. The Jackets pushed their way to the Pillow 14 yard line in 9 plays behind the running of senior Alex Rimes but on a 2nd and 8 Blake Carter’s pass was tipped by linebacker Myers Falls in the end zone and right into the waiting hands of teammate Ja’Quez Taylor with 5:03 left in the contest.
(Above) Oak Forest quarterback Blake Carter (#12) picks up positive yardsPillow consumed the remaining five minutes of the game to take the 2010 Class AAA Division II title back home to Greenwood.
Ja’Quez Taylor led all rushers with 153 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns and fellow senior tailback Luke Kimmel picked up 112 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Blake Carter led Oak Forest with 127 yards passing and two touchdowns and picked up 51 yards rushing.
Pillow, and head coach Michael Fair, finishes their championship season with a 10-2 mark. The Mustangs are 26-9 under the direction of Fair who just wrapped up his third season at the helm.
Oak Forest wrapped up their second season in Class AAA with a 9-4 mark.
November 10, 2010
Robbins, who is the first Division-1 basketball signee ever at Columbia, transferred from West Marion High School after his sophomore year and says he looks forward to getting on with his senior season and signing early will eliminate any distractions. “This is one of the biggest days of my life,” said Robbins. “I told my parents in the 7th grade that I was going to play for Coach Eustachy one day, this is what you dream about as a kid.”
Robbins will enter USM with a 3.9 GPA and is currently taking duel credit college courses. The senior says he looks forward to working out following graduation and adding bulk and working on conditioning during the summer.
Robbins received interest from Marquette, UC-Davis, Penn State and Lipscomb among others.
November 9, 2010
The Centreville coaching staff knew heading into the season that junior Cliff Hurst wouldn’t be able to play both ways at RB/QB and middle linebacker with the offense centered so much on the run game. But with a young stable of tailbacks in waiting, getting that young talent playing time was slowed when sophomore Colton Terrell suffered a broken leg away from football before the season got underway. Terrell, now healthy, is the fastest player on the squad and has improved immensely along with fellow ball carriers Hunter Travis and Randy Bell.During the Tiger’s 0-3 start the younger players struggled to gain any positive experiences but according to Stutzman the turning point came in that third game at Trinity and while Centreville dropped a 24-13 decision in Natchez, “Our turning point of the year was the Trinity game, we were in the game and driving in the 4th quarter but just had some mental breakdowns that cost us,” said Stutzman. “Once our younger players started seeing positive results from winning that’s when they really started believing in the system.”
Only one point kept Centreville from finishing the regular season with an eight game winning streak. A 14-13 loss at Brookhaven in week seven turned heads and signaled to the rest of Class AA that the Tigers were maturing and quickly. With just three seniors on the Tiger’s roster the cupboard is loaded.
Since the 0-3 start the Tigers have averaged 37 points a game and have yielded just 12. Defensively the young squad has grown each week, particularly in the area of defending the pass. Much of the credit for the play of the Tiger’s defense can be directed to a first year assistant coach at Centreville who knows a little about pass defense. Former NFL All Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs Albert Lewis has been instrumental in teaching Centreville’s defensive unit the ins and outs of the pass rush and defending the pass. Having 42 interceptions to his credit, 4 Pro Bowl appearances, twice being named to the All Pro 1st team, 10 blocked punts and 225 games played with the Chiefs and the Raiders, it didn’t take much to get the undivided attention of the Centreville defensive squad.
While it obviously took a little time for the squad not be in total awe of Lewis he now is looked upon as a coach, and a valuable one at that. Taking instructions from one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game comes easy now and the results have been evident.
Looking forward to Centreville’s round two matchup with a very fast River Oaks team the Tigers will look to do what has made them successful, running the ball often. “They (River Oaks) can’t do anything with the football if we have it,” said Stutzman.
Centreville will be making their first ever trip to Monroe to play 3rd ranked River Oaks in what could be the game of the week.
November 8, 2010
Green Wave's crush Manchester North Delta had a rather simple game plan heading into Friday night's opening round of the Academy AA playoffs against Manchester.
Let the offense control tempo of the game and jump out to a early lead then turn the contest over to a ball-hawking defense that had allowed just 14 points in the last three games.
Those two components worked perfectly as the Green Wave jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead in route to a 34-0 blanking of the Mavericks to advance to the second round of the playoffs Friday night where they travel to Mendenhall for the second year in a row to face the No.4 ranked Simpson Academy Cougars. Simpson eased past Lamar 35-14 last Friday in the first round.
" We are definitely excited to be meeting them (Simpson) again," said North Delta fullback/linebacker Michael Magee. "They beat us last year so we feel like we owe them something. It is going a tremendous challenge for us but it is something we are looking forward to. They have one if not the best running backs in the state so we have got to be ready to stop him," said Magee who rushed for 26 yards while leading the Green Wave defense with eight tackles and one quarterback sack.
After forcing Manchester to punt on the opening series, North Delta waisted little time getting on the board as quarterback Bryan Nickle raced 73 yards on the first play from scrimmage to the Maverick two yard-line.One play later,Tres Brasell scored from two yards out for a 7-0 Green Wave lead after Kyle Devazier the first of four successful point after attempts.
North Delta incrested its lead less than two minutes later when defensive back John Cody Dalrymple picked off a deflected pass off the fingertips of Manchester tight end Russ Allen and raced 40 yards into the endzone to make the score 14-0.
The Green Wave padded its lead to 21-0 late in the first quarter as Nickle connected with Jim Tom Copeland on a 24-yard touchdown reception with 3:08 showing on the clock. The drive was set up by Nickle's 42-yard punt return to the Manchester 25. Nickle finished the night with 91 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown while passing for 42 yards through the air. Copeland hauled in two passes for 35 yards to lead the receiving corps.
After a scoreless second quarter, North Delta,(9-1), put the game away late in the third quarter as Brasell took a pitchout from Nickle and walked into the endzone on a eight-yard touchdown run with 1:52 remaining in the stanza to complete a nine-play, 69-yard drive that took 4:01 seconds off the clock.
Nickle tacked on the last score at the 5:01 mark of the fourth quarter with a one-yard plunge to make the score 34-0 after Devazier's PAT sailed wide left.
The Green Wave defense was again rock-solid as they held Manchester to 96 total yards of offense which included 64 yards on the ground and 22 yards through the air. Sy Pritchard and Blake Snyder registered two quarterback sacks each as the North Delta defense sacked Maverick quarterback Matt Peaster eight times in the game.
Brasell followed Nickle in rushing with 96 yards on 16 carries while Taylor " Lighting" Morris added 59 yards on six totes. Dalrymple had two carries for six yards and Catlin McArthur had one carry for three yards. Magee and Kasey Livingston each had one reception. The Green Wave pounded out 257 yards on the ground and 299 total yards of offense.
