Starkville Academy football players and coaches were enthusiastic about their practice tasks Wednesday afternoon.
The upbeat nature was on full display five days after the Volunteers suffered their first loss of the season.
After seeing its season-opening five-game win streak snapped in a 23-0 loss at Jackson Prep, Starkville Academy will try to return to the win column at 7 tonight when it plays host to Copiah Academy in a Homecoming/Class AAA, District 2 North Division game at J.E. Logan Field.
“You never like to lose,” Starkville Academy coach Jeff Terrill said. “However, when you are playing a bigger school with twice your numbers, there is nothing wrong with being excited about the effort you gave. That game will pay off when we are in other high-pressure situations down the road.”
For the first time this season, Starkville Academy (5-1, 1-1 district) was held under 100 yards rushing, while, Jackson Prep rushed for more than 300 yards. Hamel McGraw scored a pair of second-half touchdowns as the Patriots wore down the Volunteers.
“We played them hard,” Starkville Academy senior fullback/linebacker Ryan Mann said. “But we felt we could have done much better. It was 9-0 at the half. It has been a long time since they played another academy and it was 9-0 at the half.
“It has to be the closest game they have had in some time, so we can take pride in that.”
While the defeat counts in the district standings, Starkville Academy can take solace in the fact Jackson Prep is in the South Division. The Volunteers are 1-0 in the North half of the league, where Copiah Academy and East Rankin Academy stand in the way of a run to the district title.
“After being on the road for the last three weeks, we are excited about being back home,” Terrill said. “The second half (of the season) is when you start battling for the playoffs. Copiah is a big, big step for us in that regard. Winning Friday night won’t sew up a playoff spot, but it puts you in the driver’s seat.”
A return to the postseason would be exclamation point to an already successful season. A victory Friday would clinch Starkville Academy’s first winning season since 2005, when it advanced to the state championship.
“Our first game this season was our best game,” Starkville Academy senior right guard/defensive tackle Angus Catchot said. “We have practiced hard, but we still haven’t had the kind of game we can have or need to have to win a championship. If we keep practicing hard, we have a chance to have a good finish to the season.”
The Volunteers were winless in 2009. Terrill led the squad to three victories last season in his first year as coach.
“There is a lot of excitement for this football team,” Mann said. “This is the most wins I have ever had. It has been exciting. But we still have some really big goals to meet.”
Catchot credits the wealth of knowledge brought to the team by first-year assistant coach Bubba Davis. A coaching veteran in Alabama and Mississippi, Davis has brought a new work ethic and commitment to the Volunteers.
“(Coach Davis) got us on a weight program,” Catchot said. “It was different than anything else we had ever done in the past. We worked out and were running every day. We lifted more weights and ran more than we ever had before. That work ethic and attitude has been the difference on this year’s team.”
Copiah Academy will enter the game 3-3 and 0-2 in district. The Colonels haven’t played any of their North Division rivals. Inside the district, it has lost to Jackson Prep (38-0 at home) and to Presbyterian Christian (42-14 on the road).
“Copiah has the best tailback (senior Kelton Smith) we have faced all season,” Terrill said. “He can make plays. He is the type of player who can change the game by himself. Our main task will be stopping him.”
Smith ran for 1,394 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Of the 16 scores, five came on kick returns.
The Volunteers also have also shown the ability to run it this season. Mann has three 100-yard rushing games, while junior Colby Runnels has two and junior quarterback Drew Pellum has one.
Part of the team’s success running the football can be attributed to the offensive line of senior left tackle Collin Stokes, junior left guard Lane McClendon, senior center Cody Smith, junior right tackle Cole Phelps, and Catchot at right guard.
“I take great pride in our work,” Catchot said. “It’s a total five-man effort. If we block correctly and make the key plays we need to, this team has the talented skilled players who can take it from there.”
Three of Starkville Academy’s final five games will be at home, including three of the final four district opponents. The other North Division foe is East Rankin, which comes to Starkville on Oct. 21.
West Oktibbeha (3-2, 1-1) at Sebastopol (1-4, 0-3)
After a couple of frustrating contests, the Timberwolves snapped a two-game losing streak Friday with a 38-8 Class 1A, Region 3 win against Weir in Maben.
West Oktibbeha will try to make it two in a row in the region when it plays at 7:30 p.m. today at Sebastopol.
“We have had a tough couple of weeks,” West Oktibbeha coach Adam Lowrey said. “It was good seeing the players have fun again. We found an offensive rhythm early in the game and enjoyed some success.”
Quarterback Von Smith was 29 of 43 for 409 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Drake Powell had 15 catches for 220 yards and one score. Dwight Quinn, the team’s leading receiver, missed that game due to injury but is expected back tonight.
“When you play on the road, it is always a challenge,” Lowrey said. “We will have to score early and grab some momentum. It would be great for this team if they were able to start region play at 2-1.”
The Timberwolves erased an early 8-0 deficit in the victory. Tiberias Lampkin and Bishop Robinson each added two touchdowns. The win was West Oktibbeha’s first against Weir in the region.
Sebastopol is riding a three-game losing streak in region play. Sebastopol has lost to East Oktibbeha (20-9), Noxapater (36-12), and Pelahatchie (68-35).
East Oktibbeha (5-1, 3-0) is open.
The Titans will take a much-needed week off after beating West Lowndes 6-0 in a Class 1A, Region 3 game Friday night in Crawford.
The victory was East Oktibbeha’s first against West Lowndes on the field in six seasons.
“The time off comes at a really good time,” East Oktibbeha coach Randy Brooks said. “We have had a great deal of difficulty beating West Lowndes. After such an emotionally draining game, we need some time off to rest some players and get everybody back up to full speed.”
With East Oktibbeha and West Lowndes staring overtime in the face, Jamarquiz Page had the biggest play in the Titans’ season. Page scored on a blocked punt return with 2 minutes, 28 seconds left in regulation.
“We have five games left and all are inside the region,” Brooks said. “This team has a lot left to accomplish. I think they are hungry and excited about continuing to work hard.”
East Oktibbeha will return to action Oct. 7 at Noxapater.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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