HAMILTON — The Hamilton High School football team spent most of its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 2A first-round playoff game looking for one big offensive play.
Unfortunately for the Lions, that play never came.
Da’Andrea Kelly’s 21-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter was the lone offensive highlight as Hollandale Simmons pulled an 8-6 upset of the homestanding Lions on Friday night at Jimmy Moore Field.
Simmons, the Region 4 third seed, improves to 7-4 and now will play host to Okolona at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round.
Hamilton, the Region 2 second seed, finishes the year at 9-3.
“We had a really good year, but this is not the way you wanted it to end,” Hamilton coach Ray Weeks said. “They had some really big guys up front and we couldn’t get anything going. That was the story all night. A penalty here, tackle for loss there. We moved the ball but couldn’t finish.”
So instead, the Lions season is finished. Hamilton had 226 yards total offense. The Lions received two field goals from Sander Grondman – from 31 and 37 yards. However, Grondman also missed from 35 and 47 yards. Hamilton also had the only two turnovers.
“Our defense played one heck of a game,” Kelly said. “It was the best game they have played all year. We needed this win, and the defense found a way to get it for us.”
The Blue Devils were playing without workhorse tailback Tyrique Hynes. A senior, Hynes has run for 1,513 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He missed this contest thanks to a one-game suspension.
“Without Ty, we knew we would have to really step it up on defense,” said Simmons senior cornerback Rashuun Alexander, who had the game-clinching interception. “Ty makes our offense go. At the same time, we had some other play makers. People had to step up and make plays.
“Defensively we played perfect tonight. The best way to overcome adversity is to go out and make all the plays.”
Hamilton appeared ready to set the tone on the game’s opening drive. The Lions moved 50 yards on 10 plays. Behind the hard running of Cojuante McMillian and Deion Howard, Hamilton moved all the way to the Simmons 20-yard line.
On fourth-and-2, Grondman drilled a 37-yard field goal.
Simmons was forced to punt on its first possession. On drive No. 2, the Blue Devils gained roughly half their total offense for the night. Simmons finished with 135 yards, including 64 on this scoring march.
Kelly kept on an option pitch and rambled 21 yards for the score. Since Hynes is also the squad’s kicker, Kelly called his number on the two-point try. The Blue Devils led 8-3 with 11 minutes, 15 seconds left in the first half.
“This was such a huge win for us,” said Simmons coach Roger Burton, a former assistant coach at West Point High. “I am from Lowndes County, so this was basically like coming home for me. We knew we might struggle on offense without our tailback. However, I am really proud of our effort on both sides of the ball.
“We played hard and kept believing. That is what paid off in the end.”
Hamilton answered the Simmons’ touchdown with another field goal. This time, the Lions churned out four first downs and moved to the Simmons 13. From the 13, the drive stalled and Grondman came on for a successful 31-yard try.
Perhaps the biggest defensive stop for Simmons came in the waning minutes of the first half. Hamilton burned all of its timeouts and took over on its 41 with 1:34 left in the half.
Quarterback Zarrat Sims hit Austin Welch, who pitched to Howard for a 17-yard pass-and-catch. Later, facing a second-and-10 from the Simmons 18, Sims was called for intentional grounding. On third-and-29, Sims kept around left end for 19 yards.
That pickup allowed Grondman to try a 35-yard field goal. This kick sailed wide left by inches as the first half expired.
“We really had a tough time with consistency on offense,” Weeks said. “Give credit to their defense for playing lights out. However, we made too many mistakes in critical situations to score.”
In the second half, Hamilton had four possessions. Two ended with interceptions, while another ended in a punt. Grondman also missed a 47-yard try early in the fourth quarter.
That failed kick was actually returned 98 yards by Kelly down to the Hamilton 1-yard line. However, a block in the back penalty nullified that big gainer.
Simmons only managed three first downs and 58 yards in the second half. Thanks to the fine punting of Caleb Garvin and marginal offensive movement, the Lions held the upper hand in field position most of the night. Still, the positives couldn’t lead to victory.
“This was a good season for us,” Weeks said. “The guys played hard. We had some really big wins. You just hate to see it end on a note like this.”
Meanwhile for Simmons the postseason continues. The Blue Devils are four wins from a state title.
“Four more wins, that is all it takes,” Alexander said. “Either way, we knew we had to make it out of the first round. Otherwise, the hometown would not have let us live this down.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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