MAIS 8-Man Football, a hidden gem

Southern Sports & Travel

They’re often overlooked but for a large portion of MAIS student-athletes it is the only opportunity to participate in a sport that they truly love and have a deep rooted passion for.

Since the inaugural 8-Man football season in 2007 the division has mushroomed from seven teams to nineteen today and for some coaches the struggle to just field a team is worth the tireless efforts to provide an opportunity for kids to experience the atmosphere that many others experience each Friday night in the MAIS.

“There’s an old adage,” said Marvell head coach Ben Durham. “If you lose your football team you lose your school.”

Durham is in his first year as Marvell head coach but the 38 year old Indiana native isn’t a stranger to MAIS football. Durham was the head coach at Briarfield Academy in Lake Providence, LA for four seasons from 2008-2011 and went 30-14 during that span.

“We kind of knew that 8-man was coming during my first year there and I wasn’t really sure what that would entail so we had to learn on the fly.”

Briarfield finished their last 11-man season in 2009 with thirteen players, eight were seniors.

“We went out and tried to study as much as we could and started talking with people in states that had deep 8-men football history such as Arizona, California, Oklahoma and Missouri.”

Following the 2011 season Durham moved to south Mississippi to pursue a coaching job but found his way back into the MAIS one year later, this time in Marvell, Arkansas.

“It was a great time at Briarfield,” said Durham. “I wanted back into the MAIS.”

Durham’s initial task at Marvell was just fielding a team and he was able to do that by the slimmest of margins.

With only eight varsity players to start the 2013 season ninth graders had to be rotated back and forth from Marvell’s 11-man junior varsity squad to the varsity team.

“We were thin and I knew there may not be an answer should a few kids get injured so we had to move ninth graders back and forth.”

That opened the door for another predicament of sorts. Should junior varsity players be moved up to keep a varsity team from folding at the cost of not allowing those players the opportunity to fully develop at the junior varsity level first?

It was a tough option to weigh but giving varsity players the opportunity to play on Friday nights seemed to be the right one.

“I want people to understand the fact that this is the only option for these kids to play football,” said Durham.

Misconceptions are rampant with regards to the 8-man division, partly due to a few schools with rosters that exceed twenty players. The fact is that a majority of 8-man squads only have a dozen players and are trying to work with that number for the entirety of a season.

A dozen players on an 8-man roster may seem adequate to many but when one considers the style of football played that number is woefully short.

“Seems as though all the focus is geared towards those few 8-man teams that dress 20+ kids but I’d like the focus to be directed at the majority of schools who are just trying to field a football team.”

The physical demands of 8-man football is under appreciated and this season’s week five game in which Franklin defeated Humphreys 90-64 is a perfect example of the non-stop action displayed each week in the 8-man division.

Not only does 8-man provide opportunities for student-athletes it’s also packed with excitement.

Durham said the biggest challenge as a coach was selling 8-man to the community and the kids.

“I start every parents meeting by telling them that I would prefer they not refer to it as 8-man football but just varsity football. The community sees that the option of fielding a 0-10 Class A team that struggles to score versus an 8-man team that provides lots of scoring is something they can support.”

Another challenge comes by way of the internet and it’s a sore subject with some 8-man coaches who work extremely hard to provide an atmosphere for their players to experience each Friday night.

“I can’t speak for all 8-man coaches but the guys I’m closest to get upset seeing negative comments on message boards about 8-man football when our kids put in just as much work,” said Durham. “If you start a thread somewhere to try and get people excited about what’s going on the negative comments usually follow.”

Marvell fielded 23 varsity and junior varsity players this season, grades 7-12 and while the varsity squad has struggled at times they have won two straight games to sport a 3-5 mark with the season finale coming on Friday against Delta Academy.

The junior varsity team played a full 11-man schedule and finished the season at 6-2 with their only losses coming to Marshall and Tunica.

To say that 8-man football is important to small schools is a huge understatement.

As so poignantly stated by Marvell head coach Ben Durham, “If you lose your football team, you lose your school.”

When you see a member of an 8-man squad doing battle on Friday nights or participating in an MAIS All-Star game give him a much deserved “Shout Out” for wanting to be a part of high school football.

Week Ten Recap

Canton 36 Winston 6

Senior tailback Lafayette Wales continued his torrid rushing pace in gaining 245 yards on 20 carries and 4 touchdowns as Canton hammered district 2-AA foe Winston 36-6 in Louisville on Friday night.

It was the 3^rd straight win for the Panthers who piled up 341 yards on the ground against the Patriot defense.

Wales has rushed for 483 yards and 9 touchdowns the past two weeks and will lead Canton into the first round of the playoffs when the eighth ranked Panthers (7-3) travel to Clarksdale to take on ninth ranked Lee.

Lee (8-2) defeated Kirk 45-7 on Friday.

Cenla 40 Riverdale 8

The fourth ranked Cenla Lions claimed the District 5-A championship with a convincing 40-8 road win over ninth ranked Riverdale on Friday night.

Tailback Dezmond Eddie rambled for 134 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown and had 6 receptions for 80 yards to pace Cenla who closed the regular season with five straight wins.

Sophomore quarterback Peyton Gauthier went 19/30 for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns, both to senior wide-out Kofi Bieniemy who had 6 catches for 143 yards on the night.

Tailback Dillon Foshee led Riverdale (6-4) with 109 rushing yards and a touchdown. Riverdale finished the regular season winning four of their last five games and will travel to take on Carroll (4-6) this Friday.

Cenla improved to 7-3 overall and will host WCCA in round one playoff action this Friday night. The Lions defeated WCCA 40-2 in week nine.

Marshall 62 DeSoto 38

Junior quarterback Dakota Dailey rushed for 175 yards on 11 carries and scored 5 touchdowns and went 5/8 for 54 yards and a score through the air to lead second ranked Marshall to a 62-38 District 1-A title clinching win over sixth ranked DeSoto in Holly Springs on Friday night.

Fellow junior Devin McGregor sprinted for 203 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass as Marshall secured the number two overall seed in Class A.

Jordon Harris, another Marshall junior, scored two touchdowns on special teams play. One was a 77 yard punt return and the other an 80 yard kick-off return as the Patriots improved to 9-1 on the year.

Linebacker Hunter Barringer led the Marshall defense with 13 tackles, senior Zack Mahan had 8 tackles and 3 sacks and Melvin Harris recorded 11 tackles on the night.

DeSoto fell to 8-2 but erupted for 577 yards of offense against Marshall.

Quarterback Zac Manning went 9/14 for 116 yards and a score and rushed for 135 yards on 22 carries. Tailback Griffin Christine led the Thunderbird ground game with 152 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Bradley Harper added 89 yards on 13 carries and Reed St. Columbia went for 87 yards on 13 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Marshall will host Tunica (4-6) this Friday. The Patriots defeated the Blue Devils 54-14 in week three.

DeSoto will entertain West Memphis (5-5) on Friday. DeSoto defeated the Black Knights 35-7 in week nine.

Magnolia Heights 34 Washington 13

The Magnolia Heights Chiefs (7-2) defeated the Washington Generals 34-13 this past Friday night.

Down 7-0 at the half, the Generals began the third quarter in excellent field position at the Chief 29 yard line after a nice kick-off return of 27 yards by Bobby Elliott. However, the Generals drive was halted by the Chiefs at the six yard line via an interception.

Roman Fratesi and Walker Coleman each had touchdowns for the Generals, while Ross Jernigan converted on one of two extra points. Fratesi had 80 yards rushing on 19 carries. Walker Coleman followed with 66 yards on 6 carries. Gore Pulliam was 14 of 26 for 156 yards in the passing department. Bobby Elliott led all receivers with 55 yards on five catches. He was followed by Colton Haynes with 49 yards on 3 receptions.

Michael Bruton, Tae Epson, Andrew Farmer, and Rob VanNamen led the defensive efforts for the Generals. Washington (5-3) will return to action this Friday night at home vs Pillow.

Deer Creek 28 Immanuel Christian 26

Quarterback Hobie Hobart rushed for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns and passed for 57 yards in leading eighth ranked Deer Creek to a 28-26 road win over District 2-A foe Immanuel Christian on Friday night.

The win was the fifth straight for Deer Creek who will host seventh ranked Newton (6-4) on Friday in round one playoff action.

Terrell Spann contributed with 86 yards rushing for Deer Creek. Chris Smith added 58 and Chance Turner 51 yards and a score.

KC Cunningham paced Immanuel Christian with 135 yards on 19 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Immanuel (4-6) will travel to Natchez on Friday night to take on top ranked and undefeated Trinity.

Leake 35 Oak Hill 0

The fourth ranked Leake Rebels held Oak Hill to 84 yards of offense while the their offense rushed for 341 yards in a 35-0 blowout in West Point on Friday night.

Senior tailback Taylor Nazary rushed for 181 yards on 25 carries and sophomore Joshua Jones picked up 82 yards on 17 carries and 3 touchdowns to lead Leake.

Logan Wilcher contributed with 61 yards on 4 carries and a touchdown as District 2-AA champion Leake improved to 7-3 and 5-0 in district play.

Leake erupted with 21 second half points against Oak Hill (5-5) after holding a 14-0 halftime edge.

The Rebels will host Riverfield (8-2) in round one playoff action this Friday night while Oak Hill travels to Centreville (9-1) to take on the top ranked Tigers.

Silliman Institute - Class AA Boys Cross Country State Champions

MAIS OVERALL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Canton Academy - Class AA Girls Cross Country State Champions

Gateway Tire & Service Center Player of the Week

The Gateway Tire & Service Center Week Ten Player of the Week is Adams County Christian School inside linebacker Brandon Ross.

The 6'1", 205 lb. senior led ACCS to their first district championship in 31 years on Friday night in a 14-8 road win over defending state champion Brookhaven.

Ross spearheaded the Rebel's defense with 20 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 quarterback sack, 1 forced fumble and a pass deflection for Class AA sixth ranked Adams.

"Brandon has had an unbelievable year," said Adams Christian head coach David King. "He has done everything asked of him. Brandon is a very physical player who has a great knowledge of the game and has shown wonderful leadership to our team. I'm very proud to have him on my team."

Ross leads ACCS with 107 tackles on the season and is the team's punter, averaging 38 yards a punt. On offense the senior plays the tight-end position.

Brandon Ross will lead ACCS (9-1) in round one of the playoffs when they host Central Hinds on Friday night.

Colonels run past Green Wave, claim district title

Southern Sports & Travel

When the Indianola Colonels won a district title in 2001 no one believed it would be 12 seasons before another taste of standing alone atop the district would come again but on Friday night before a large home crowd that taste came back as Indianola defeated North Delta 42-28 to win the District 1-AA championship.

The win secured a number one seed and a first round home game against district foe Winona who closed out the regular season at 7-3. The Colonels defeated Winona 27-12 in week four.

“It’s been a long time,” said Indianola head coach Tommy Nester. “Our fans and our community deserve it and these young men deserve it. I’m very proud of our team, our school and our community.”

Tailbacks Ashton Knight and Wheeler Timbs combined for 332 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns to lead fifth ranked Indianola past a North Delta program that had won three consecutive district crowns and went 15-1 in their last 16 district contests.

“You can’t say enough about our backs, they ran hard,” said Nester. “Can’t leave out our offensive line, you win and lose a lot of football games with the men up front.”

Indianola wasted little time on Friday night in setting the tone against North Delta.

After forcing North Delta to punt on the opening possession of the night Indianola struck quickly.

Starting at their own 10 yard line Ashton Knight busted through the Green Wave defense for a quick 10 yards out to the Colonel 20 yard line and then picked up another 13 yards to the 33.

Wheeler Timbs then speed around the right side and went 67 yards for the night’s first score with 8:11 still remaining in the opening quarter.

Tyler Hill’s PAT gave the Colonels an early 7-0 lead.

The defending district champions responded.

Quarterback Hays Hudson directed North Delta on a 12 play, 65 yard drive that was capped off on Bailey Sullivant’s 3 yard plunge with 2:47 to go in the quarter.

Will Kidder added the PAT to notch the contest at 7-7.

Indianola’s Michael Sykes would make North Delta pay, returning a pooch kick to the Green Wave 38 yard line to set the Colonels up in prime field position.

Jonathan Holland’s quarterback keeper from 1 yard out on the first play of the second quarter completed a 6 play, 38 yard drive to put Indianola back on top at 14-7.

North Delta wasn’t going away quietly as the Green Wave went 74 yards and tied the game at 14-14 on Hays Hudson’s 11 yard run with 4:43 to go in the half  but Indianola would finish with a flurry.

Wheeler Timbs erupted off right tackle and went 55 yards on the Colonel’s fourth play following the North Delta score to put Indianola back on top at 21-14 with 3:05 remaining.

After Indianola forced the North Delta offense into a quick three and out the Colonels produced a masterful 8 play, 70 yard drive to close the half.

Jonathan Holland connected with Michael Sykes for a 10 yard touchdown strike with 16 seconds left in the half to give Indianola all the momentum heading into intermission.

Tyler Hill’s PAT attempt was blocked but the Colonels closed the half with a 27-14 advantage.

Indianola continued their surge to start the second half as the Colonels marched 45 yards in 9 plays and extended their lead to 34-14 when Ashton Knight plowed in from 1 yard out at the 8:24 mark of the third quarter but North Delta still had fight in them.

Hay Hudson connected with tight-end Sam Copeland for a 52 yard touchdown strike to cap a 3 play, 63 yard drive and close the deficit to 34-21 with 7:05 still remaining in the third quarter.

While North Delta was able to close the gap, Indianola’s offense was hitting on all cylinders. The Colonels would score on their fourth straight possession when Ashton Knight went in from 2 yards out to finish off a 6 play, 52 yard drive.

Wheeler Timbs found the endzone on a successful 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 42-21 with 4:13 left in the third quarter.

A Hays Hudson 3 yard pass to Sam Copeland with 6:47 remaining in regulation would be North Delta’s final score of the night as Indianola claimed the District 1-AA crown with a 42-28 decision.

Wheeler Timbs led Indianola (9-1 & 5-0) with 171 yards rushing on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns and senior tailback Ashton Knight ran for 161 yards on 27 carries and 2 touchdowns.

North Delta was led by quarterback Hays Hudson with 154 yards passing and 2 touchdowns and 65 yards rushing and a score.

Bailey Sullivant picked up 44 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown.

North Delta ends their 2013 season at 5-5 and 3-2 in district play. It will mark the first time since 2008 North Delta did not qualify for the playoffs.

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Post Game with Indianola Head Coach Tommy Nester

From the notebook..................

>>Week ten of the 2013 MAIS football season is upon us. Hard to imagine how quickly the regular season has passed by but with just one regular season game remaining for Class A and AA squads  the tension will be at its’ highest on Friday night when kick-off time draws near. Playoff positions are up in the air and unlike seasons past, every game counts with regards to seeding and the fight for the all-important home field advantage for the playoffs.

In Class AA only one district has crowned a champion through week nine. Centreville clinched the District 6-AA title with their win over Central Private two weeks ago.

Leake, depending on the district 2-AA tie-breaker, is in the driver’s seat in that respective district and River Oaks can avoid a three way log jam at the top of District 3-AA with a win at home over Riverfield.

The dust will not be cleared until late Friday night.

Head-to-head matchups to determine district champions take place in three of those five districts with Adams traveling to Brookhaven for the District 5-AA title, Simpson goes to Central Hinds for the District 4-AA crown and North Delta visits Indianola for the District 2-AA championship.

Class A has high stakes matchups on Friday night as well.

In District 1-A fifth ranked DeSoto travels to Holly Springs to take on second ranked Marshall for the district title. Both teams sit at 3-0 while in District 2-A a Deer Creek win over Immanuel Christian would create a three way log jam at the top with both those teams and Carroll. All would be at 2-1.

The drama in District 3-A could be high as Newton heads to Benton to try and pin the first district loss of the year on the fourth ranked Raiders. A win by Benton and they seal the deal with a perfect 4-0 mark. A loss, and a Sylva Bay win over Heidelberg, would create a three way tie at the top.  

Cenla travels to Riverdale in a District 5-A battle to determine the district champion. Both squads sit at 2-0 in district competition.

One Class A district in which little doubt exists is 4-A. That is where one of the best five teams in the entire MAIS resides. The top ranked and undefeated Trinity Saints travel to Tallulah for a tune-up game in preparation for the playoffs. Trinity looks to be clear cut favorites to nail down the top seed in Class A.

Early Saturday morning one lucky team will learn their fate when it’s determined who the number 16 seed is.  That squad will travel to Natchez in round one to take on Trinity.

The Class AAA playoffs will begin in three weeks.

>>Indianola will look to win their first district championship since 2001 on Friday night against North Delta but in order to do so they must defeat a program that has won three consecutive district titles and 15 of their past 16 district games.

>>Jackson Academy’s 24-14 home win over arch rival Jackson Prep was the 40^th straight home win for the Raider program. Jackson Academy’s last home loss was a 24-6 defeat at the hands of Prep on August 31^st, 2007.

>>When Tri-County lost 17-7 to Leake in week 5 it was their first district loss since October 17^th, 2008. It snapped an 18 game district win streak and the state’s longest overall win streak at 30. Tri-County has gone 59-4 overall since 2009.
>>Basketball season has begun, please text scores to 985-750-3455.

>>Although I’m from Louisiana I have absolutely fallen in love with the state of Mississippi. The thousands of miles traveled over the past six years have enabled me to see lots of beautiful countryside, meet hundreds of great people and hear many stories, most probably true.

One charming characteristic that never eludes me while traveling the state is the uniqueness of many of the town’s names.

Arm, Chickenbone, Doglap, Hot Coffee, Grin, Chunky, Money, Openface, Panther Burn, Pokerflat, Reform, Screwdriver and Sweatman are just a few that I’m interested in knowing the stories behind.

>>As many of us hit the roads this Friday night please remember to buckle up and remind your kids the same before they walk out the door.

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God is great!

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See ya somewhere……………….

Glory Days, they last forever

Southern Sports & Travel
To quote the words of one of the most famous philosopher’s of my generation, “Glory days, well they’ll pass you by…..Glory days in the wink of a young girl’s eye…..Glory days, Glory days.” These words are from none other than the great Bruce Springsteen and while I humorously refer to him as a famous philosopher of my generation those words have a special and deep meaning that ring true in the hearts and minds of many post high school graduates such as myself. The years have swiftly sped by but certain things can trigger memories from what most of us “old” folks consider as our “Glory Days.”
Last Friday I made the 250 mile drive north for the DeSoto at Deer Creek class A game. Having graduated from a small school it doesn’t take long for those memories to be refreshed in my mind. Small things can trigger thoughts and occurrences that took place some 30 years ago whether it’s the smell of freshly cut grass, cheerleaders on the sidelines (My wife was one) or the halftime entertainment that most football players never see. On most Friday nights I spend lots of time reflecting about the game I just covered as I drive back home and in between text messages and calls I lay out in my mind how to write about that particular game. A portion of that reflection is also directed towards how special those years were for me and it generates a curiosity in my mind as to whether the athletes I see every Friday night will cherish those same things I did.
If you hear someone use the phrase “I wouldn’t have done anything differently” they’re probably not telling the truth. I like to tease some of the kids from time to time that they had better enjoy their high school playing days because they will wake up tomorrow, 48 years old, and asking where all the time went.
As the 2013 football season winds down and teams fight for playoff positions my hope is that along the way you relish the small things. The time spent just before and after the game, the handshakes or pats on the back from supporters, the special camaraderie amongst competitors, the bus rides and of course the butterflies before a game. There is no substitution for high school football, there are no do-overs. As I frequently whispered into my son’s ear before games, "enjoy every minute of it because it’s special."
With only one game remaining for many and the playoffs on the horizon for some, enjoy the little things, live every play like it’s your last. Whether you’re a starter or a backup make the most of your opportunity to make memories so that you can be that one to honestly say, “I wouldn’t have done anything differently.”

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See ya somewhere..........

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**Note**

The above is an article from October, 2010 and is reposted each season prior to the last regular season football game. Portions have been edited.

Week Nine Recap

Lamar 47 Presbyterian 41

Freshman quarterback Davis Harrison threw touchdown passes to five different receivers and senior Lee Martin added 3 touchdowns, one a 93 yard pick six, as fourth ranked Lamar fought from a 31-13 early third quarter deficit to defeat fifth ranked Presbyterian 47-41 in two overtimes on Friday night in Hattiesburg.

Harrison passed for 198 yards and rushed for 58 on the night and Martin dialed up 59 receiving yards and a score, 54 yards on the ground and a score and had the 93 yard interception returned for a touchdown in the game of the night.

Martin also led the Raider defense with 12 tackles and a sack. Dylan Taylor contributed 9 tackles and a sack on the night.

Fate Eiland paced Presbyterian with 122 yards on 20 carries and 2 touchdowns.

Lamar moves to 7-2 on the season and 4-1 in district competition while Presbyterian falls to 6-3 & 3-1.

Lamar will host Russell Christian this week and Presbyterian entertains Jackson Prep.
Lamar's game winning score as called by Allen Balint of Lamar Football Radio is below.

Cenla 40 WCCA 2

Tailback Dezmond Eddie accounted for 222 all-purpose yards to lead sixth ranked Cenla to a 40-2 thumping of WCCA on Friday night. Eddie rushed for 175 yards on 7 carries and scored twice and hauled in 3 receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown as Cenla won their fourth straight.

Peyton Gauthier went 18/28 for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns in a contest that was over with quickly.

Cenla built a 34-0 lead by halftime.

The Lions improved to 6-3 and 2-0 in district play while WCCA slipped to 3-6.

Cenla will play at Riverdale on Friday for the District 5-A Championship while WCCA is idle.

Brookhaven 21 Copiah 18

Brookhaven got all they wanted from Copiah on Friday night in Gallman and it took a Landon Nettles 9 yard run with 50 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Cougars a hard fought 21-18 road win after being down 18-14 late in the contest.

Nettles finished the night with 131 yards on 18 carries and 2 touchdowns as Brookhaven improved to 4-5 on the year.

Quarterback Heath Hickman went 12/17 for 114 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 43 yards.

Brookhaven overcame three turnovers as the Cougars won their fifth straight over Copiah.

Garrett Pace led the Brookhaven defense with 10 tackles.

Syrshawn Fitch led Copiah (1-8) with 93 yards and a touchdown on the ground and 97 receiving yards and a score.

Brookhaven will host Adams on Friday night for the District 5-AA title while Copiah is idle.

Glenbrook 28 Riverfield 20

Glenbrook won a critical district contest on Friday night by defeating Riverfield 28-20 at Riverfield.

Senior quarterback Regan Edwards went 28/44 for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns to pace the Apaches. Edwards also led the Glenbrook ground game with 46 yards.

Wide-out Arthur Jones hauled in 15 receptions for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns and fellow wide-out Jacob While accounted for 7 receptions and 166 yards and a score as Glenbrook improved to 6-3 and 1-1 in district play.

Dakota Shinall returned a kick-off 78 yards to lead the Glenbrook special teams and Tristan Sanders led the Apache defense with 16 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Glenbrook will host Prairie View this week and Riverfield (7-2 & 1-1) travels to Monroe to battle district foe River Oaks.

Canton 49 Oak Hill 14

Lafayette Wales rushed for 238 yards on 24 carries and 5 touchdowns to lead the eighth ranked Canton Panther to a huge 49-14 District 2-AA win over tenth ranked Oak Hill in Canton on Friday night.

Canton rolled up 391 rushing yards on the night in what most considered would be a close contest.

Tailback Kraft McLean added 98 yards on 11 carries and 2 touchdowns to help Canton improve to 6-3 and 2-2 in district play with one game remaining in the regular season.

Drew Riley led Oak Hill (5-4 & 2-2) with 67 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.

Canton heads to Louisville on Friday to take on Winston in a crucial District 2-AA matchup while Oak Hill looks to rebound by hosting fourth ranked Leake in another District 2-AA meeting.

Indianola 40 Kirk 6

Fifth ranked Indianola improved to 8-1 with a 40-6 rout of Kirk on Friday night in Grenada.

Senior tailback Ashton Knight rambled for 195 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns and Wheeler Timbs added 102 yards on 7 carries and 2 scores as Indianola rolled up 433 rushing yards on the night.

Wilson Reed led the Colonel defense with 8 tackles.

Indianola upped their District 1-AA record to a perfect 4-0 and on Friday night will look to capture the district title when they host a North Delta team that has won three straight district championships and 15 of 16 district games the past four seasons.

A win Friday night would give the Colonels their first district championship since 2001.

Kirk slips to 2-7 and 0-4 and will close out the 2013 campaign at Lee (MS).

Adams Christian 49 Central Hinds 28

Tailback Lester Wells rushed for 201 yards on 9 carries and scored 3 touchdowns to lead sixth ranked Adams Christian to a 49-28 win over Central Hinds in Natchez on Friday night.

It was the sixth straight win for an Adams squad that is hitting its’ stride at the perfect time.

Quarterback Tyler Stockstill went 7/14 for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns to compliment the rushing of Wells as the Rebels improved to 8-1 on the season.

Parker Rymer had 2 receptions for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns and Brandon Ross led the Adams defense with 15 tackles.

The win sets up a showdown this Friday night as Adams travels to Brookhaven to determine the District 5-AA championship. Both Adams and Brookhaven enter the contest with 2-0 district marks.

Central Hinds fell to 5-4 and will entertain second ranked Simpson for the District 4-AA crown.

Brian King led Central Hinds with 144 yards rushing and a touchdown.

North Delta 34 Winona 7

Quarterback Hays Hudson scored 4 touchdowns, 2 through the air and 2 on the ground as North Delta pounded Winona 34-7 in a District 1-AA contest in Batesville on Friday night.

Hudson went 7/10 for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 61 yards and 2 scores as North Delta upped their season mark to 5-4 and 3-1 in district play.

Hunter Baker rushed for 148 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown and Chase Coker added 3 receptions for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win.

North Delta travels to Indianola on Friday and with a win could pull even with the Colonels in district play.

North Delta has won three consecutive district titles and has notched a 15-1 record in district play over the past four seasons.

Winona fell to 6-3 and 1-3 in district and will be at Bayou on Friday to wrap up the regular season.

Gateway Tire & Service Center Player of the Week

Canton Academy tailback Lafayette Wales is the Week Nine Gateway Tire  & Service Center Player of the Week.

The 5'10", 180 lb. senior rushed for 238 yards on 24 carries and scored 5 touchdowns in leading eighth ranked Canton to a 49-14 win over Oak Hill.

"Lafayette Wales is not only our team leader in rushing and scoring but is also one of our top leaders with respect to providing inspiration to the rest of the team," said Canton head coach Ron Jurney.  "Lafayette has excellent speed and moves but gets many of his yards as a result of running over and through defensive players. His determination in our game against Oak Hill was evident from the very beginning as he rushed for 238 yards and scored 5 rushing touchdowns."

In his performance on Friday night Wales eclipsed the 1,000 yard rushing mark and now stands at 1,152 yards on the season to go along with 14 touchdowns.

Wales averages 128 yards a game and just shy of 9 yards per carry.

The senior tailback will lead 6-3 Canton this Friday night when the Panthers travel to Louisville to battle Winston in a District 2-AA matchup to wrap up the 2013 regular season.

Cothern explodes, leads Rebels to homecoming win

Southern Sports & Travel

Tailback Ryan Cothern exploded with his second straight 300+ rushing yards performance in leading third ranked Tri-County Academy to a 49-20 spanking of Class A fourth ranked Benton before a jam packed stadium on homecoming night in Flora.

Cothern totaled 311 yards on 24 carries and scored 4 touchdowns on Friday night as Tri-County improved to 8-1 with one game remaining before post season plays begins.

Cothern, who was named the Southern Sports & Travel Co-Player of the Week for last week’s 321 yards and 5 touchdowns performance in a win over Winston, displayed why he is one of the premier backs in the MAIS as the junior used power, speed and elusiveness in dominating a solid Benton defense.

“The past two weeks he has really stepped it up,” said Tri-County head coach David Blount. “He made some runs that I haven’t seen in a long time, it was fun to watch.”

Tri-County pounded out a 10 play, 64 yard scoring drive in setting the tone on the Rebel’s first possession of the night.

Quarterback Trey Bozeman capped the drive as the senior signal-caller darted 22 yards off the left side to put Tri-County on top after having chewed up over five minutes off the clock.

Tucker Millican’s PAT gave TCA a 7-0 edge with 6:54 remaining in the opening quarter of play.

Tri-County added to the lead on their first possession of the second quarter.

Facing a 2^nd and 28 from their own 45 yard line Ryan Cothern electrified the home crowd with a tackle-breaking 55 yard score that left the Benton defense scratching their heads with 6:06 left in the half.

Millican added the PAT as the Rebel’s doubled their advantage to 14-0.

Disaster struck Benton on the ensuing possession when Tri-County linebacker Baylor Travis recovered a Kent Manor fumble at the Raider 34 yard line.

Cothern would plow in from 4 yards out five plays later as Tri-County capitalized on the turnover to finish off a 34 yard, 5 play scoring drive with 4:13 left in the second quarter.

Tucker Millican nailed the PAT to give the Rebel’s a 21-0 cushion.

With not much to show in the first half the Benton offense went to work with quarterback Ben Street providing a much needed spark.

Street engineered a 58 yard drive that culminated on tailback Kent Manor’s 3 yard plunge with 32 seconds remaining in the half.

Austin White hit the PAT as Benton grabbed a dose of much needed momentum as the first half of play looked to be in the bag with Tri-County maintaining a 21-7 lead but the remaining 32 seconds would be just enough for TCA to put a damper on Benton’s momentum grab.

Ryan Cothern baffled the Benton defense with a 34 yard, 1^st down burst to the Raider 26 yard line and two plays later Trey Bozeman lofted a perfectly tossed pass to wide-out Baylor Travis in the corner of the endzone as time expired in the first half.

Tucker Millican added his fourth PAT of the half and Tri-County would take a 28-7 lead into intermission.

Benton’s attempt to get back into the contest would end quickly to start the second half.

On the Raider’s third play from scrimmage Tri-County cornerback Tyler Sullivan picked off a Ben Street pass at the Raider 45 yard line.

Seven plays later Ryan Cothern notched his third touchdown of the night, this one from 5 yards out as Tri-County pushed out to a 35-7 advantage with 7:30 left in the third quarter.
Cothern erupted with a 72 yard touchdown run in the closing seconds of the third quarter.

Both squads played reserves throughout the fourth quarter as Tri-County earned a 49-20 win.

Trey Bozeman finished the night with 57 rushing yards and went 4/9 for 45 yards and a touchdown and freshman Swazy Bozeman rushed for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Benton tailback Kent Manor totaled 102 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns and had an 85 yard kick-off return for a score.

Tri-County’s win was its’ 8^th straight over Benton.

The Rebel’s cap off the regular season next week when they take on Manchester in a District 2-AA matchup while Benton (7-2) hosts district foe and seventh ranked Newton.
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Post Game with Tri-County Head Coach David Blount

Colonels stumble at Oak Hill, fall 14-7

By Watson Cook

Five turnovers are never good. Throw in an inspired Oak Hill football team playing in front of a raucous homecoming crowd and an upset was in the making. The Raiders (5-3) knocked off the top-ranked and previously unbeaten Colonels 14-7 in the lowest-scoring game of the season for either team.

The Colonels turned the ball over in their own territory on their first three possessions. Defensively, IA answered the call early, forcing a three-and-out on Oak Hill's first drive that started at the IA 35, and recovering a fumble on the second Raider possession. However the third consecutive IA turnover led to points. The Raiders took over once again at the IA 35 and took the lead four plays later on Drew Riley's 5-yard touchdown with 10:51 to play in the second quarter. Paxton Trull's PAT gave Oak Hill a 7-0 advantage.

Turning to their workhorse Ashton Knight, the Colonels answered on their next series. Knight (pictured below, #2) capped an 8-play, 72-yard drive with a touchdown run from 11 yards out. Tyler Hill's PAT knotted the game at 7-7 with 7:27 to play in the half.

The Colonels appeared to have taken the lead with only a few seconds remaining in the half as Jonathan Holland found Ben Van Cleve in the back corner of the endzone from 7 yards out. However, the initial call of touchdown was reversed, one of many, many officiating snafu's on the night that left both teams loathing at times, and the game remained tied at halftime.

After the defense forced an Oak Hill punt to open the third quarter, the Colonels put together perhaps their best drive of the night, yet could not come away with points. Ten plays into the series that started on their own 6 the Colonels were looking at 1st and goal from the Raider 9. Unfortunately, that is where the drive stalled and Will Lang's 25-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.

Oak Hill took the lead for good with 4:58 to play in the game on Riley's 7-yard touchdown run. The score was set up by the Raiders' second interception of Jonathan Holland. The pick was returned to the endzone but called back for holding. The penalty gave Oak Hill the ball at the IA 18 and four plays later Riley hit pay-dirt. Trull's PAT made it 14-7.

Holland was picked off for the third time on the following Colonel drive, all but sealing the win for the Raiders. IA did have one final possession, starting from their own 24 with 1:03 to play but turned the ball over on downs at the 29.

The loss dropped the Colonels, who remain unbeaten in district play at 3-0, to 7-1 overall. IA finishes the regular season with district games at Kirk (10/18) and vs North Delta (10/25). Kickoff from Grenada this Friday night is set for 7:00.

Gateway Tire & Service Center Co-Players of the Week

Tri-County tailback Ryan Cothern is the Gateway Tire & Service Center Co-Player of the Week .

The 5'10", 180 lb. junior rushed for 321 yards on 22 carries and scored 5 touchdowns in the Rebel's 42-25 win over Winston on Friday night.

"Ryan has had a great year but he really stepped it up a notch this week," said Tri-County head coach David Blount. "He ran harder this week and made better decisions than he's made all year. Great player, student and outstanding young man. Ryan will be the first to tell you that the offensive line blocked great this week."

Cothern has rushed for 1,315 yards through eight games along with 18 touchdowns this season and eclipsed the 2,100 yard rushing mark as a sophomore last season with 35 touchdowns in leading Tri-County to the Class A state title.

Cothern will lead fourth ranked Tri-County this Friday when they host Benton Academy.
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Glenbrook quarterback Regan Edwards is the Gateway Tire & Service Center Co-Player of the Week.

The 6'1", 170 lb. senior went 15/19 for 523 yards and 7 touchdowns in the Apache's 60-14 win over Claiborne Academy on Friday night.

"Regan got off to a slow start this year, I think because of his season last year there were a lot of expectations put on him," said Glenbrook head coach Greg Tibbitt. "He has responded well the last few weeks like a leader as a leader should. Our offense is clicking on all cylinders now because of Regan. Hopefully our play will continue and carry us to the playoffs."

Edwards is averaging 313 yards passing per contest and has tossed 24 touchdown passes in the Apache's last four games alone. His completion percentage stands at 64% and he has passed for 2,507 yards on the season.

Edwards leads the MAIS with 35 touchdowns through eight games, 32 have been through the air.

Glenbrook travels to Riverfield this Friday. 

Week Eight Recap

Tri-County 42 Winston 25

Junior tailback Ryan Cothern erupted for 321 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns as fourth ranked Tri-County defeated Winston in a District 2-AA matchup in Louisville Friday night.

Quarterback Trey Bozeman went 4/6 for 75 yards as Tri-County improved to 7-1 and 3-1 in district play while Winston fell to 1-7 and 0-3.

Taylor Moody led Winston with 228 all-purpose yards including 165 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown on the ground.

Tri-County will host Class A third ranked Benton this Friday night while Winston travels to Manchester for a district encounter with the Mavericks.

Benton 39 Porter’s Chapel 6

Tailback Kent Manor rushed for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns to propel third ranked Benton to a 39-6 thumping of Porter’s Chapel in Benton on Friday.

Quarterback Ben Street rushed for 40 yards and passed for 118 yards and 3 touchdowns, all to Storm Davis, as Benton won their 7^th straight game.

Jeremy Vandlandingham led the Raider defense with 6 tackles.

Benton upped their season mark to 7-1 and travel to Flora to battle Class AA fourth ranked Tri-County on Friday night.

Porter’s Chapel slipped to 3-5 and will host Tallulah in a District 4-A matchup.

West Memphis 46 Immanuel 7

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Pagan continued his solid play as the Black Knight signal caller by going 13/19 for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 46-7 hammering of Immanuel Christian in West Memphis on Friday night.

Senior wide-out Rickey Patterson hauled in 5 receptions for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns and sophomore linebacker Kirby Patterson recorded 8 tackles, 4 for a loss, to spearhead the defense.

West Memphis improves to 4-4 and will travel to DeSoto this week for a huge District 1-A battle while Immanuel (4-4) hosts Newton.

Parklane 42 Columbia 6

Parklane jumped out to a 35-0 halftime lead behind tailback Dan Gill’s 125 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns as Parklane improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in district play with a 42-6 road win over Columbia.

Quarterback Brady Lea added 49 yards on the ground and a touchdown and Cole Smith notched 2 rushing touchdowns for the Pioneers.

Parklane rushed for 246 yards on the night

On defense Levi Dixon accounted for 6 ½ tackles.

Parklane will host East Rankin next while Columbia travels to Jackson to tackle Jackson Prep.

Silliman 23 Brookhaven 20

Quarterback Zach Kelly scored 2 touchdowns, the second from 5 yards out with 55 seconds remaining in regulation, to propel 8^th ranked Silliman to a comeback win over Brookhaven on Friday night.

Todd Micah Bourgeois led Silliman with 63 yards rushing and a touchdown while tailback Landon Nettles paced Brookhaven with 70 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Silliman improved to 5-3 and will travel to Waynesboro to take on Wayne on Friday night.

Brookhaven falls to 3-5 and heads to Gallman to battle Copiah.

Leake 48 Hartfield 14

Tailback Taylor Nazary rushed for 83 yards on 8 carries and 3 touchdowns in the first half as Leake won its’ fourth straight game with a 48-14 blowout of Hartfield in Madden on Friday.

Logan Wilder added 77 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown and Brandon Johnson’s 21 yard interception return for a touchdown helped 3rd ranked Leake improve to 6-2 and 4-0 in District 2-AA on the season.

Leake will look to make it five straight as the Rebels host Class AAA Heritage this week while Hartfield (3-5 & 0-1) travels to Mendenhall to play 2^nd ranked Simpson.

Marshall 49 Benton County 16

Junior quarterback Dakota Dailey passed for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns, and rushed for 2 more, and Jordan Harris returned a kick-off 82 yards for a score as 2^nd ranked Marshall hammered Benton County 49-16 in Holly Springs on Friday night.

Harris also notched a rushing touchdown on the night and led the Patriot defense with 12 stops.

Melvin Harris recorded 11 tackles.

Marshall moves to 7-1 on the year and will host Lee (AR) next week in a District 1-A meeting.

Jackson Academy 24 Jackson Prep 14

Senior tailbacks Daniel Kennedy and Duncan Maxwell combined for 218 rushing yards as Class AAA top ranked Jackson Academy won their 40^th straight home game by defeating arch rival and 2^nd ranked Jackson Prep 24-14 on Friday night.

Kennedy led all rushers with 122 yards on 13 carries and 3 touchdowns while Maxwell contributed with 96 yards on 23 carries.

Gene Wood led Jackson Prep with 161 passing yards and 2 touchdowns.

Jackson Academy improved to 6-2 on the year and will enjoy a bye week while Jackson Prep will look to improve to 7-2 as they entertain Columbia.

Glenbrook 60 Claiborne 14

Senior quarterback Regan Edwards went 15/19 for 523 yards and 7 touchdowns as Glenbrook mauled Claiborne 60-14 in Minden on Friday night.

Wide-out Logan Clark hauled in 6 receptions for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns and fellow wide-out Arthur Jones had 5 catches for 184 yards and 2 scores as Glenbrook moved to 5-3 on the year.

The Apaches will head to Riverfield on Friday in a big District 3-AA game while Claiborne (3-5) heads to Riverdale for a District 5-A matchup.