The New Hope High School defense answered the call.
With the Trojans clinging to a two-point lead and their offense stalled, the defense decided the time was right to take the the game over.
Juan Cedano deflected a Wyatt Roberts pass that M.J. Shirley intercepted in the end zone, and Trae Collins added another interception return for a touchdown Friday night to lead New Hope to a 43-26 victory against Louisville in the season opener for both teams in Columbus.
New Hope added five sacks and also capitalized on an 86-yard kick return for a touchdown by Jauquin Weatherspoon in the victory.
Brady Davis also had three touchdown passes, including a tipped ball off the hands of Ryan lee into the arms of Trae Collins in the first quarter. The score came after New Hope recovered an onside kick to open the game.
For more on this game and all of the action from the Greater Golden Triangle area, see Sunday’s edition of The Dispatch.
Here is a list of scores provided by The Associated Press. Local scores are at the top:
Local
Caledonia 50, Nettleton 7
Clinton Christian Academy 68, Victory Christian 42
Columbus 21, Aberdeen 0
Hebron Christian 20, Strider Aca. 6
Lamar School 36, Heritage Aca. 23
New Hope 43, Louisville 26
Noxubee County 29, Starkville 8
Oak Hill Aca. 13, Newton Co. Aca. 6
Smithville 21, Hamilton 12
Starkville Aca. 13, St. Andrew’s 0
East Oktibbeha vs. Leake County, ppd. to Aug 18.
West Oktibbeha 66, Marshall 6
Winona Christian 37, ICCE 0
State
Ackerman 12, Noxapater 0
Alcorn Central 36, Biggersville 22
Amanda Elzy 41, West Tallahatchie 6
Amory 48, Mooreville 14
Baldwyn 22, Kossuth 6
Bassfield 41, Seminary 0
Bay St. Louis 17, St. Martin 7
Benton Academy 19, Carroll Aca. 8
Booneville 35, Walnut 15
Brandon 44, Warren Central 21
Bruce 40, J.F. Kennedy 8
Byhalia 26, Tishomingo County 14
Calhoun Aca. 20, Sharkey-Issaquena Aca. 6
Calhoun City 47, Coffeeville 14
Callaway 20, Northwest Rankin 16
Canton 40, Wingfield 0
Cathedral 42, Adams Christian 13
Central Hinds Aca. 39, Riverfield Academy 18
Central Holmes 24, De Soto, Ark. 20
Centreville Aca. 56, Amite School 0
Cleveland 21, Ruleville 6
Coldwater 53, Holly Springs 20
Columbia 22, Poplarville 21
Columbia Aca. 44, Prentiss Christian 22
Deer Creek School 40, Humphreys Aca. 20
DeSoto Central 25, Lewisburg 22
East Marion 27, South Pike 6
East Rankin Aca. 24, Pillow Aca. 0
East Side 24, Shaw 14
East Webster 30, Vardaman 14
Ethel 32, West Lincoln 6
Eupora 20, French Camp 10
Falkner 34, Middleton, Tenn. 13
Florence 29, Yazoo County 28
Forest 27, West Lauderdale 14
Forest Hill 21, Provine 12
Forrest Co. AHS 49, Stone County 26
Franklin Co. 40, North Pike 0
Gentry 41, Greenville-Weston 23
Greene County 34, Perry Central 6
Greenville Christian 18, Tunica Academy 14
Greenwood 52, LeFlore County 12
Hinds AHS 28, Raymond 7
Houston 47, South Pontotoc 13
Humphreys 38, Coahoma Co. 6
Indianola Aca. 40, Bayou Aca. 0
Itawamba 17, Saltillo 7
Jackson Prep 38, Madison-Ridgeland Aca. 7
Jefferson County 27, Trinity Episcopal 0
Kemper Aca. 40, Veritas School 0
Kirk Aca. 35, West Memphis Christian, Ark. 7
Kosciusko 41, Shannon 30
Lafayette 8, Tupelo 3
Lake 21, Sebastopol 6
Lake Cormorant 27, Sheffield, Tenn. 6
Laurel 32, South Jones 22
Lawrence County 7, Hazlehurst 0
Leake Central 52, Choctaw Central 19
Leland 22, Ray Brooks 18
Lumberton 21, Kemper County 6
Manchester Aca. 27, Hillcrest Christian 0
Marshall Aca. 28, Magnolia Heights 10
Marvell Academy, Ark. 32, North Sunflower Aca. 12
McComb 32, Terry 28
Meridian 27, Clinton 6
Mize 12, Magee 7
Moss Point 33, George County 28
Mt. Salus 38, Rebul Aca. 0
Munford, Tenn. 28, Horn Lake 0
New Albany 28, Ripley 21
North Delta 24, Clarksdale Lee Aca. 13
North Pontotoc 19, Mantachie 16
Northeast Jones 39, Heidelberg 0
Northeast Lauderdale 45, Newton 7
O’Bannon 28, Coahoma AHS 0
Oak Grove 64, Sumrall 6
Ocean Springs 42, Gautier 21
Okolona 33, Houlka 0
Olive Branch 28, Madison Central 14
Oxford 28, Grenada 22
Parklane Aca. 45, Bowling Green, La. 6
Pearl 49, Vicksburg 7
Pearl River Central 41, Hancock 7
Pelahatchie 17, Pisgah 0
Philadelphia 7, Morton 0
Pontotoc 24, Velma Jackson 6
Port Gibson 40, Hollandale Simmons 12
Porter’s Chapel Aca. 58, Union Christian Academy, La. 0
Potts Camp 32, H. W. Byers 6
Prentiss 21, Richland 0
Purvis 28, North Forrest 24
Quitman 28, Neshoba Central 16
Raleigh 36, Puckett 14
Richton 38, Heidelberg Academy 6
Ridgeland 27, Mendenhall 20
Rosa Fort 30, North Panola 0
Russell Christian Academy 48, Christian Collegiate 6
Salem 26, Enterprise Lincoln 0
Simpson Aca. 42, Leake Aca. 13
South Choctaw Academy, Ala. 12, Wayne Aca. 7
South Delta 42, Lanier 6
Southeast Lauderdale 55, Clarkdale 22
St. Joseph-Greenville 28, Riverside 0
St. Joseph-Madison 41, St. Aloysius 7
St. Patrick 9, McLaurin 7
Strayhorn 45, TCPS 0
Stringer 21, Pass Christian 12
Tallulah, La. 46, Park Place Christian Academy 0
Tylertown 55, Jackson Jim Hill 14
Union 31, Nanih Waiya 12
Union County 45, Hatley 20
Vancleave 48, East Central 33
Washington School 32, River Oaks, La. 6
Water Valley 41, Independence 0
Weir 21, J.Z. George 20
Wesson 15, Crystal Springs 8
West Bolivar 7, Clarksdale 6
West Marion 44, Dexter 6
Wilkinson County 24, Natchez 16
Williams-Sullivan 42, McAdams 6
Winona 23, Senatobia 21
Winston Aca. 36, Sylva-Bay Aca. 7
Yazoo City 20, Germantown 14
POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
Mount Olive vs. Collins, ppd.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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