CARTHAGE — The Noxubee County High School football team secured a first-round Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A playoff game with a 55-23 Region 4 victory against Leake Central on Friday night.
Playing for the first time since Louisville handed Noxubee County its first region loss in seven seasons, Noxubee County (5-5, 2-1) bounced back with a dominating performance.
Kyziah Pruitt scored on runs of 8 and 3 yards. Maliek Stallings scored on a 15-yard run, while Khristopher White scored on a 9-yard run and Kaiyus Lewis scored on a 4-yard run.
White hit Stallings for a 25-yard touchdown pass.
On defense, the Tigers got a 10-yard fumble return touchdown by Chauncey Triplett and a safety.
Michael Barber kicked a 41-yard field goal.
Noxubee County will play host to New Hope on Friday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
n Jackson Prep 56, New Hope 7: At Jackson, the Trojans gave up 35 first-quarter points in a road loss to the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) member Patriots.
For New Hope (1-9), Braylen Miller scored in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard run.
New Hope has clinched a MHSAA Class 4A playoff appearance.
n Noxapater 54, West Lowndes 20: At Columbus, the Panthers suffered a big blow to their playoff chances in MHSAA Class 1A, Region 3 competition with this home loss.
For West Lowndes (2-7, 2-4), Quay Sanders scored on a 40-yard run. Melvin Crawford threw a 53-yard touchdown to Sanders and a 45-yard touchdown pass to Ki’kwon Cork.
Sanders had 17 rushes for 160 yards for the Panthers.
West Lowndes will play Friday night at Ethel.
n French Camp Academy 42, Hamilton 7: At French Camp, the Panthers (1-8, 0-6) dropped their eighth-straight game while remaining winless in MHSAA Class 1A, Region 3 play.
Hamilton will play host to Leake County on Friday night.
n Houston 27, Aberdeen 14: At Houston, the Toppers won a tight defensive battle thanks in large part to a 20-point second quarter in MHSAA Class 3A, Region 4 play.
With the win, Houston (8-1, 4-0) clinched the region title and top seed, while Aberdeen (5-5, 2-2) will fight to hold on to the No. 3 seed from the region Friday night at South Pontotoc.
Fred Fields hit Julius Bell for a 61-yard touchdown midway in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 20-14. However, the rally ended there.
Jonathan Moore also scored on a 3-yard run for the Bulldogs. Fields was sacked 10 times. He had 28 rushes for 145 yards.
n Leake Academy 29, Starkville Academy 20: At Madden, the Volunteers dropped their second-straight Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA, District 2 game to close the regular season.
Starkville Academy (8-2, 2-2) finished third in the district but qualified for the Class AAA playoffs. The reigning state champions earned the No. 6 seed and will play host to Natchez Cathedral in a first-round playoff game Friday night at J.E. Logan Field.
Starkville Academy erased a 13-0 first-quarter deficit to lead 14-13 at halftime. For the Volunteers, C.J. Jackson scored on a 51-yard run before Nason Heflin scored on a 61-yard touchdown reception from Garrett Lewis.
Taylor Arnold hit Zak Kelly for a touchdown to give Starkville Academy a 20-13 lead midway through the third quarter.
Leake Academy (8-2, 3-1) tied the contest with 7 minutes, 45 seconds remaining. Cameron Brown would then hit a game-winning field goal with two seconds left. Leake Academy recovered a fumble in the end zone on the kickoff to create the final margin.
n Oak Hill Academy 24, Marshall Academy 18: At West Point, the Raiders won on Senior Night in MAIS Class AA, District 1 play.
With the win, Oak Hill Academy (4-6, 1-4) earned the No. 11 seed in the Class AA playoffs and will play at No. 6 seed Tri-County Academy in a first-round playoff game Friday night.
Ash Cullum threw two touchdowns and rushed for another score. Collin Coggins caught both touchdowns. Grayson Easterling hit three PATs, a 50-yard field goal, and recorded five touchbacks.
On defense, the Raiders forced four turnovers. Jonah Caskey and Coggins had interceptions, while Dylan Bryan and Jaden Craven had fumble recoveries. Joseph Golson and Bryan had sacks.
Linebacker Jake Makamson also had a big night and has 100 tackles for the season.
n Columbus Christian Academy 21, Deer Creek School 20: At Steens, the Rams closed the regular season with a MAIS Class A victory at home.
n Manchester Academy 41, Hebron Christian 0: At Pheba, the Eagles (1-9, 1-9) came up short in their final regular-season MAIS Eight-Man game for the season.
n Victory Christian makes Christian Football Association playoffs: The Victory Christian Academy Eagles earned the No. 4 seed for the Christian Football Association playoffs.
VCA will take on top-seeded Russell Christian at 7 p.m. Friday in Meridian. Tabernacle beat East Memorial to earn the No. 2 seed. The teams will meet again Friday in the semifinals. The winners will advance to the CFA championship game.
West Alabama
n Southern Academy 39, Pickens Academy 6: At Carrollton, Alabama, William Parker was 5-for-13 for 48 yards and an interception Friday in the Pirates loss in Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) Class A, Region 2 action.
Pickens Academy (2-7, 2-3 region) had 34 carries for 122 yards.
Braden Davidson had 10 tackles, Clark Noland had nine, and John Michael Smith had seven.
Pickens Academy will play Friday at Patrician Academy.
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