Simpson takes second title in three years
Southern
Sports & Travel
Simpson
Academy led the entire MAIS in points allowed at 7.8 points a game heading into
Friday’s Class AA State Championship matchup with top ranked Centreville at
Robinson-Hale Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton.
The
Cougar defense held Centreville to 112 rushing yards and capitalized on three
Tiger turnovers to capture the school’s sixth state championship and second in
three years with a 20-7 win before a large crowd.
Simpson
finished the season with nine straight wins and first year head coach Winston
Mullins credited a tough schedule that prepared them for a successful playoff
run but first gave credit to his predecessor, former head coach Billy Wayne
Hankins.
“Coach
Hankins gave me a pretty good car to drive,” said Mullins. “He didn’t give me a
clunker, he gave me a Cadillac and these guys bought into everything and
nothing really changed except the guy’s name on the door.”
Mullins
couldn’t have scripted a better start to Friday’s championship game.
Andrew
Berry took the opening kick-off and sprinted 67 yards to the Centreville 28
yard line and seven plays later Simpson workhorse Daniel Taylor plowed his way
to pay-dirt from 2 yards out to put the second ranked Cougars on top quickly.
Andrew
Berry's successful PAT gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 8:26 left in the opening
quarter of play.
For
Centreville head coach Bill Hurst the start his squad got off to was a
nightmare as tailback John Marcus McDowell coughed up the football on the Tiger’s
second play from scrimmage.
Simpson
defensive end Seth Batton recovered the McDowell fumble at the Tiger 49 yard
line at the 8:20 mark of the quarter.
Daniel
Taylor ripped off a quick 8 yards on first down to advance the football to the
Centreville 41 and Hayden Benton rambled 26 yards on the ensuing play to set
the Cougars up at the Tiger 15.
Two
plays later Andrew Berry went around the ride side for an 11 yard touchdown run
to cap the 4 play, 49 yard drive.
Berry
added the PAT to up the lead to 14-0 and with 6:22 remaining in the first
quarter Simpson had overwhelmed Centreville.
Centreville
struggled against the Simpson run defense and would punt on their next two
possessions but with just under three minutes left in the half the Tigers
mounted their first drive of the afternoon.
The
Tigers moved into Simpson territory but disaster struck while facing a second
and two at the Cougar 35 yard line.
A
high snap over the head of freshman quarterback Britt Netterville resulted in a
loss and two plays later Simpson defensive back Kolby Burton picked off a Netterville
pass at the Cougar 14 yard line to halt the Centreville drive with 26 seconds
remaining in the half.
Centreville
opened the second half with a purpose and mounted another drive, this one
starting at their own 20 yard line.
Tailback
Mark Curry would exploit the edges of the Simpson defense and Netterville
tossed a picture perfect pass to Colby Shaw for 21 yards to the Cougar 19 yard
line but another high snap would result in an 11 yard loss back to the Simpson
30.
Two
plays later Simpson defensive lineman Chase Ainsworth would sack Netterville
and force a fumble that Seth Batton recovered at the Cougar 43 yard line to
stymie yet another Centreville drive.
With
2:22 left in the third quarter Simpson start building what would be their best
drive of the afternoon.
The
Cougars methodically went 80 yards in 11 plays and would take the wind out of
the Centreville Tigers when senior tailback Daniel Taylor went around the right
side for a 9 yard touchdown run at the 8:55 mark of the fourth quarter to
finish a drive that burned over five minutes off the clock and gave Simpson a
20-0 advantage.
Centreville
still had fight in them and matched Simpson’s drive with an 80 yard march of
their own but doing it quickly as the Tigers went 80 yards in 7 plays in only
1:24.
Mark
Curry went 4 yards around the right edge to give Centreville their first points
of the contest.
Brock
Andrus added the PAT and with 7:31 remaining the Tigers cut the deficit to
20-7.
An
onside kick attempt would go out of bounds giving Simpson possession at the
Centreville 49 yard line and that would ultimately end any chance of a late
game comeback from the Tigers.
Senior
tailback Daniel Taylor rushed for 150 yards on 29 carries and 2 touchdowns to
lead the new Class AA State Champions. Taylor also recorded 7.5 tackles on
defense.
‘Daniel
is a warrior,” said Mullins. “You would have to cut his leg off to keep him out
of a game like today. He just loves to play football, he loves the game, he
loves being around his teammates and it’s never about Daniel, it’s always about
Simpson.”
Fellow
senior tailback Andrew Berry ran for 47 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown and
senior Hayden Benton rushed two times for 31 yards. Benton also had 7.5 stops
on the defensive side of the football.
Senior
defensive lineman Chase Ainsworth had a sack and forced fumble and senior
defensive end Seth Batton had 2 fumble recoveries and 2 tackles.
Defensive
back Kolby Burton had an interception and 2 tackles.
Simpson
wraps up the 2013 campaign at 13-1 and as head coach Winston Mullins put it; “It’s
an incredible feeling being the head coach of Simpson Academy and winning a
championship.”
Centreville
closes out the season at 12-2 but with all but three starters returning next
season the Tigers have high hopes of returning to the championship game.
Junior
tailback Mark Curry rushed for 50 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown for the
Tigers.
John
Marcus McDowell netted 33 yards on 7 carries and freshman quarterback Britt
Netterville went 13/21 for 161 yards and 1 interception on the day.
Netterville
stepped in to replace Casey Haygood who had surgery two weeks ago to repair a
broken ankle suffered in the Tri-County playoff win.
Simpson
totaled 263 rushing yards to Centreville’s 112.
Centreville
had 161 passing yards to Simpson’s 11.
In
time of possession Simpson dominated with 29:12 to 18:48 for Centreville. |
| 2013 CLASS AA STATE CHAMPIONS - SIMPSON ACADEMY |
Post Game with Simpson Head Coach Winston Mullins
