JACKSON — The Starkville Academy football team”s hot streak continued Friday with a 42-8 win against Hillcrest Christian School.
Ryan Mann ran for more than 100 yards for the second straight game, posting 139 yards on 19 carries. The senior fullback scored three touchdowns that helped the Volunteers build a 28-0 lead in the third quarter.
The Volunteers (5-0, 1-0 Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA South Division 2) forced three turnovers in their district opener, including two fumble recoveries from Jordan Bright.
Hillcrest Christian (1-4, 0-2) mustered just 107 rushing yards, 82 of which came on the last drive of the game. Hillcrest Christian didn”t score until the 11-second mark of the fourth quarter.
Colby Runnels had 65 rushing yards on eight carries. The junior running back added two touchdowns.
Starkville Academy will put its unbeaten record on the line Friday at Jackson Prep.
n Lee Academy 29, Heritage Academy 14: At Clarksdale,
Brandon Bell scored two touchdowns, but the Patriots (2-3) committed three of their five turnovers in the first half.
“We just turned it over and gave up some big plays with the one pass play and the long run they had,” Heritage Academy Brad Butler said. “I felt like we were in teh game. It was 15-7 at halftime, and the field goal hurt, but we were up 7-6 with les than a minute to go in the first half.
Heritage Academy took a 7-0 lead with 1 minute, 38 seconds left in the first qurter on a 2-yard run by Bell. Hudson Bean kicked the extra point.
Lee Academy took the lead with 37 seconds left in the second quarter on a 15-yard run. The kick failed, but Lee Academy capitalized on a turnover, one of five turnovers on the evening, to put the hosts in position to kick a field goal with 14 seconds left before halftime that made it 15-7.
Lee Academy added to its lead in the third quarter on a 35-yard run. Heritage Academy answered on a 3-yard run by Bell with 9:32 remaining in the fourth quarter. Bean”s kick made it 22-14.
But Lee Academy put the game away with 8:02 to go on a 75-yard pass play.
“Once we did start getting some momentum back, we gave up a long pass play,” Butler said. “It still was not the intensity we”re looking for.”
n Central Academy 28, Kemper Academy 26: At DeKalb, Drew Pearson scored on a 3-yard run with 2 minutes, 59 seconds to play in the game Friday night to help the Vikings improve to 5-0.
The win helps Central Academy avenge a loss to Kemper Academy in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Eight-Man title game in Jackson.
Cole Newman hit Britt Reynolds with an 11-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. T.J. Coleman also scored on an 11-yard run in the second quarter and Newman had the two-point conversion.
Cole Newman had a 5-yard run and added the two-point conversion in the third quarter to give the Vikings a 22-14 lead at halftime.
Newman had 20 carries for 68 yards. He also was 8 of 11 for 119 yards. He added an interception from his defensive back position. Pearson had four catches for 45 yards. He had a team-high 12 tackles. Cody Brown had five tackles, an interception, and recovered an onsides kick.
Kemper Academy scored on a 70-yard pass in the fourth quarter that gave it a 26-22 lead.
Central Academy will play host to Veritas at 7 p.m. Friday.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.