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Josh's Corner 11/30

This week in Mississippi High School Football

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS

Shaw Hawks (12-2) VS Noxapater Tigers (11-3)

Players to Watch: Shaw: Lavontay Phillips MLB/OL 5-6 210

Noxapater: Ethan Hamilton QB 6-1 210

Gregory McBeath WR/DB 5-11 160

These are two teams who have not played for a state championship in a long time. Both teams are north of Interstate 20, but Noxapater will represent the south in this game. Noxapater is led by an offense that averages 39.2 points per game. Ethan Hamilton leads the offense with 1,903 yards passing and 1,134 yards rushing with 36 total touchdowns. Trey Baber has pitched is the leading rusher with 1,172 yards rushing with 17 touchdowns while Gregory McBeath is the leading receiver with 38 catches for 583 yards with 7 touchdowns. Noxapter has three players that have over 100 tackles. McBeath has 126 tackles, Baber has 120 tackles and Anthony Brown also has 120 tackles to lead the defense. On the other sideline, Shaw will try to utilize a strong winning game to bring home the big gold trophy. Shaw has no 1,000 yard rushers, but the Hawks have ran for 3,334 yards as a team this season. Chris Harthorne leads the team in rushing with 913 yards. Shaw has four players that have over 100 tackles. Lerandal Allen has 137 tackles, Harthorne has 126 tackles, Corderius Shepherd has 121 tackles and Lavontay Phillps has 115 tackles to lead the defense.

In conclusion, this should be an interesting game. I think Noxapater wins.

Noxapater 26

Shaw 20

West Bolivar Eagles (14-1) VS East Marion Eagles (13-1)

Players to Watch: Demario Brown…LB…5-7...205... West Bolivar

Demarrion Haynes…ATH…5-8...180... West Bolivar

Jacorey Lee…OL…6-4…250… West Bolivar

Jerry Rice…DL/OL…5-8…216… West Bolivar

Jovious Wade…DB…5-10…170… West Bolivar

Terrence Williams…OT…6-2…310… West Bolivar

Trevaris Hampton…RB…5-6…150… West Bolivar

Kylan Johnson…QB…6-0…160… West Bolivar

William Lloyd…LB…6-0...180... West Bolivar

Kailo Moore…RB…5-11...190... West Bolivar

Xavier Grindle…RB…5-10…190… East Marion

Deandrey Johnson…QB/S…5-9…167… East Marion

While West Bolivar was the likely favorite to win the north state 2A championship, East Marion did not win its own division, but did pull off the upset of division champion Bassfield in the south state championship game. East Marion is led by Dandy Dozen running back Xavier Grindle. Grindle has ran for 2,034 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. Gerrod Howard and Antron Watts lead the defense with 111 tackles each. Watts also leads the team with 12 sacks. Grindle leads the team with seven interceptions. West Bolivar has a player who some say is the fastest player in the state of Mississippi in Kailo Moore. Moore, a junior, has rushed for 1,439 yards this season and 19 touchdowns this season. Kylan Johnson has passed for 1,508 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Jovious Wade is the leading receiver with 30 catches for 572 yards with 6 touchdowns. Damario Brown leads the defense with 129 tackles. William Lloyd has 119 tackles as well.

In this game, I expect Kailo Moore to lead his team to victory.

West Bolivar 30

East Marion 27

Olive Branch Conquistadors (14-0) VS Petal Panthers (10-4)

Players to Watch:

D’Arthur Cowan…WR…6-2…175… Olive Branch

Todd Mays…QB…6-1…205… Olive Branch

Wynton McManis…LB…6-1…201…Olive Branch

Jaylen Miller…RB…5-10…165… Olive Branch

John Pittman…P/K…6-1…175… Olive Branch

Leonard Pegues…LB…5-11…195… Olive Branch

Jap Payne…RB…5-10…170… Olive Branch

Anthony Alford…QB…6-1…215… Petal

Jamonee Brown…DT…6-1…277… Petal

Jaryd Whittman…OL…6-4…290… Petal

Jamarcus Revies…WR…5-9…165… Petal

Jessie Jackson…WR…6-0…171… Petal

The 6A championship will be history in the making. It will be the first time since 2001 that South Panola hasn’t played for the state championship in the state’s biggest classification. Each team is led by a great quarterback. For Olive Branch its Todd Mays. Mays has had an amazing season with 2,874 yards passing and 1,215 yards rushing with 42 total touchdowns. Byrekus “Jap” Payne is the teams next leading rusher to Mays with 589 yards rushing. D’Arthur Cowan leads the team with 59 catches for 1,209 yards with 15 touchdowns. Cowan is a Dandy Dozen player who is committed to play college football at Arkansas . Leonard Pegues leads the team with 144 tackles while Wynton McManis has 122 tackles. Petal will be led by its quarterback, Anthony Alford. Alford is considered by many to be the best athlete in Mississippi . Alford is also projected to be drafted early in the Amateur Baseball Draft in June 2012. Alford has also had an amazing season. Alford has passed for 1,892 yards and rushed for 1,524 yards with 38 total touchdowns. Haydn Lott and Trevor Williams lead the defense for the Petal Panthers. Petal is definitely a surprise team, the Panthers have never won a state playoff game before this season, but it will play for a state championship Friday night.

In this one, Petal is a hot team, playing its best football. Olive Branch is undefeated and has waited for this opportunity for a very long time. I expect it to come down to the wire.

Olive Branch 24

Petal 23

Saturday preview

Charleston Tigers (13-2) VS Hazlehurst Indians (13-1)

Players to Watch: Akeem Brown…DB…5-10...188... Charleston

Percy O’Bannon…RB…5-11...195... Charleston

Travorious Love…OL…6-3...280... Charleston

Marquez Stokes…DT…6-2...265... Charleston

Antwan Wilson…QB/P…6-1...175... Charleston

Kameron Myers…DB/RB…5-8...170 ... Charleston

Demetrius Cain…RB/OLB…5-11…195… Hazlehurst

The first game on Saturday will be a rematch of the 2005 3A state championship game that Hazlehurst won 14-0 to cap off a perfect season back in 2005. Charleston is led on offense by a great running back-quarterback tandem of Antwan Wilson and Percy O’ Bannon. Wilson has passed for 1,322 yards and rushed for 1,195 yards with 29 total touchdowns. O’ Bannon has been a force on the ground with 1,878 rushing yards on 254 carries with 27 touchdowns. The leading receiver for Charleston is Kameron Myers with 31 catches for 571 yards with 10 touchdowns. Trevoris Meeks leads the team with 82 tackles. Antonius Dogan has an amazing 8 interceptions on defense as well. Hazlehurst also has a very good quarterback-running back tandem as well. Kenneth Coleman has thrown for 1,215 yards and 8 touchdowns this year. Demetrius Cain has run for an impressive 1,744 yards with 22 touchdowns this season. Cain has also caught 35 passes for 404 yards. Dedric Reese leads the team in receiving yards with 540 on 35 catches with 7 touchdowns. Cain also leads the team in tackles with 112.

This should be a good game, a grudge match from six years ago.

Hazlehurst 20

Charleston 16

Lafayette Commodores (15-0) Laurel Golden Tornadoes (13-1)

Players to Watch: Demarkus Dennis…RB…5-10…205… Lafayette

Jamel Dennis…LB…6-0…203… Lafayette

DeAndre Greer…OL…6-0...265... Lafayette

Tyler Jackson…K/P…5-11…190… Lafayette

Jeremy Liggins…QB…6-3…245… Lafayette

D.Q. Reynolds…DT…6-2…345… Lafayette

Keeyon Tyson…DE…6-1…186… Lafayette

Alec Michael…LB…5-11…200… Lafayette

Defond Bester…LB…5-9…200… Laurel

Dequan Heidelberg…WR…5-10…170… Laurel

Justin Mack…WR…6-1…180… Laurel

Dontrell Pruitt…QB…5-10…165… Laurel

Antoine Lockhart…DL…???...???... Laurel

Virzil Tillman...RB/LB…5-10…172… Laurel

The 4A Championship game will be between the two teams that I predicted to play for the championship before the season started. Both teams have lived up to its pre-season hype. Lafayette is led by Dandy Dozen quarterback Jeremy Liggins. The 6-4 275 pound behemoth quarterback has passed for 1,575 yards and 15 touchdowns this year to go along with 840 yards rushing on the ground. Demarkus Dennis is the workhorse. Dennis has run for 2,247 yards on 239 carries with 26 touchdowns, breaking the 2,000 yard mark for the 2nd year in a row. Brandon Mack leads the team in receiving with 20 catches for 445 yards with 7 touchdowns. Jamel Dennis leads the defense with a whopping 142 tackles on the season. Dennis, Keeyon Tyson and Cortez Coleman each have 12 sacks for the Commodores. Jeremiah Jones leads the secondary with 7 interceptions. The unquestioned leader for the Laurel Golden Tornadoes is the four year starter quarterback Dontreall Pruitt. Pruitt has passed for 2,980 yards with 36 touchdowns this season. Pruitt’s favorite target is Justin Mack. Mack has caught 60 passes for 1,269 yards with 21 touchdowns this season. Virzil Tillman leads the way on the ground with 1,435 yards on 222 carries with 19 touchdowns. The Golden Tornadoes have three players with over 100 tackles. Allen Sentimore has 115 tackles, Zach Thigpen has 144 tackles and Defond Bester has 199 tackles.

This game should be a dandy. I think Lafayette will be too much for Laurel .

Lafayette 45

Laurel 31

Starkville Yellow Jackets (12-2) VS Picayune Maroon Tide (12-2)

Players to Watch: Daniel Fumo…K…6-2…160… Starkville

Stanley Higgins…LB…6-2...205... Starkville

Devonte Davis…RB…6-1…190… Starkville

Troy Egana…LB…5-6…135… Picayune

Cody Smith…LB…5-7…180… Picayune

The 5A match up will feature two teams with identical records. Gabe Myles leads the Starkville offense from his quarterback position. Myles has passed for 1837 yards and ran for 849 yards with 26 total touchdowns. Devin Mitchell is the leading receiver with 34 catches for 772 yards with 10 touchdowns. Devonte Davis is a standout for the Starkville defense. Picayune is a running team, always has been. Leading the rushing attack is Deronte Magee; Magee has rushed for 1834 yards on 311 carries with 14 touchdowns this season. Picayune also has a strong defense with four players with over 100 tackles. Semaj Branch has 108 tackles, Chad Mitchell has 111 tackles, Cody Smith has 172 tackles and Troy Egana is fourth in the state with 203 tackles.

I expect a tough defensive game, with points being hard to come by.

Picayune 17

Starkville 15