By Don Rowe
Special to The Dispatch
ABERDEEN — The start to Aberdeen’s 57-29 non-region win over Itawamba AHS was, to say the least, not very promising for the Bulldogs.
First of all, Aberdeen’s run-through tunnel deflated just minutes before the start of the game and then Aberdeen was penalized on the opening kickoff and had to kick again.
More importantly, the Indians jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their opening possession when quarterback Vijay Miller and wide receiver Chandler South hooked up on a 9-yard scoring play and Coby Williamson added the point after to cap a near-flawless 9-play, 63-yard march.
“Things certainly didn’t start off the way we planned,” said Aberdeen head coach Mark Bray. “It got a little shaky there at the beginning, but things have a way of working out over the course of the game.”
And boy, did it work out for Aberdeen, as the Bulldogs needed but nine seconds and one play, a 67-yard TD strike from quarterback Josh Williams to Tyreke Gates followed by a 2-point conversion run from Deonte Carter, to open the floodgates.
“When all our pieces work together like they did tonight, we’re a pretty good offensive team,” said Bray.
The Dogs, who were held to 76 yards of total offense a week ago in a shutout loss to Noxubee County, racked up an even 500 yards against the Indians – 255 rushing and 245 passing.
Despite Aberdeen’s impressive offensive numbers, however, the game turned on a 50-yard punt, followed by a defensive take-away just seconds before halftime.
IAHS had battled back from a 22-7 deficit on Hunter White’s 13-yard scoring run and on a Hakee Rainey fumble recovery in the end zone after a 43-yard pass to Taylor Mears was bobbled just short of the goal line with just over three minutes left in the half.
Tied at 22, IAHS then stuffed Williams on a third-and-3 near midfield on the Dogs’ ensuing possession. Williams’ subsequent fourth-down, 50-yard punt was downed at the 2 with under a minute to play, and all IAHS wanted to do was run out the clock.
But disaster struck when the Indians fumbled the ball away on first down and C.J. Williams was there to claim it for Aberdeen at the 8. Again, it took Aberdeen only nine seconds to score when Williams took it in himself and then hit Gates for the 2-point conversion and a 30-22 halftime lead.
“That play in particular and Josh’s third-down run on our first possession of the second half were game-changers for us,” said Bray. “The momentum went our way early in the game, then back to them and then back to us on the fumble and that momentum carried over to the second half.”
IAHS head coach and offensive play-caller Toby Collums, who matched wits with fellow Smithville grad Eric Spann (Aberdeen’s defensive coordinator) throughout the game, agreed with Bray.
“That one play was definitely the turning point,” said Collums. “We’re tied at 22-all after being down two scores and things were going our way.”
After scoring three times and picking up 201 yards total offense the first half, the Indians were held to 72 yards rushing and only three completions for 11 yards in the third and fourth quarters.
“We played well offensively the first half – minus the turnovers – but after the fumble, we lost the momentum and never came out for the second half.”
Aberdeen, whose win ended a three-game losing streak to IAHS, salted the game away for all practical purposes on its initial drive of the second half. Williams’ aforementioned 36-yard keeper on a third-and-9 from the Aberdeen 19 gave the Dogs some breathing room and then Jerrick Orr, who had dropped a sure touchdown pass just seconds earlier, made a leaping catch to complete a 40-yard TD pass play from Williams less than a minute-and-a-half into the third quarter.
Williams added the 2-point conversion to give the Bulldogs a 38-22 lead and the rout was on.
On Itawamba’s ensuing possession, Aberdeen defender B.J. Williams picked off a Miller pass near midfield and returned it to the Indians’ 20, but a block-in-the-back penalty nullified the return. Undaunted, Williams found Orr wide open on a 39-yard touchdown strike for a 44-22 lead with 9:48 left in the third period.
Williams and Orr hooked up a third time minutes later, this one good for 30 yards, his third TD catch in less than seven minutes. Demarea Dobbins added the point after kick for a 51-22 lead.
Ironically enough, Orr did not play the first half.
“Let’s just say he (Orr) sat out the first half because of a lack of effort in practice earlier this week,” said Bray.
A Tae Carothers’ punt block and recovery at the Indians’ 12 set up Aberdeen’s final scoring play of the game, a 10-yard run by back-up quarterback Tramonte Prather with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
“We played much better in the second half,” said Bray. “It goes back to doing the little things in practice right – the way you practice is usually the way you play.”
Itawamba avoided the second-half shutout on White’s 5-yard run with 5:04 left in the game.
Carter, who picked up 67 tough yards up the middle, scored the Bulldogs’ second touchdown on a 12-yard burst back in the first quarter to cap a 10-play, 82-yard drive and then Williams added an 11-yard TD run in the second period to stake Aberdeen to its early 22-7 cushion.
“No. 27 (Carter) kept them honest up the middle,” said Bray.
“Too, Josh (Williams) had a good night running and throwing and when we give him time to throw, he makes a lot of things happen.”
After running for his life all game long against Noxubee defenders a week ago and finishing with a minus 60 yards rushing, Williams found the IAHS defense to his liking as he rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and threw for 245 yards on a 12-for-18 effort and four scores – all of which covered 30 or more yards.
“Give credit to Aberdeen, they have the playmakers and they came through for them,” said Collums. “They’re a dangerous football team and if you don’t match them punch-for-punch the outcome isn’t going to be pretty.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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