KOSCIUSKO — “Hey coach, we gonna see y’all again,” said a Kosciusko football player to Noxubee County coach Tyrone Shorter after the Whippets lost to the Tigers 48-25 in a Class 4A, Region 4 game Friday night.
“They were big and strong and a tough matchup, but turnovers killed them,” said Shorter, referring to scoop and scores by linebackers Kavorkian Brewer and Quendarion Barnett in the fourth quarter that accounted for 14 of the Tigers points. Brewer scored from 22 yards with 9 minutes, 18 seconds remaining, while Barnett recovered his in the end zone with 1:08 remaining.
Tiger running back Ladaveon Smith jumped on a fumble 18 seconds to give Noxubee County a 41-25 lead before Barnett’s recovery accounted for the final margin.
The victory helped Noxubee County improve to 5-2, 1-0, while Kosciusko fell to 5-2, 0-1.
“They are a really good football team, and we knew that coming in,” Shorter said. “We’ve been keeping up with them and they have been playing some really good football.”
The scoring came early and often in the first half. Kosciusko kick returner Jamarcus Hannah took the opening kick and zigzagged his way to the end zone for a 79-yard score. The Tigers answered on a two-minute drive, as quarterback Timorrius Conner (13 of 17 for 185 yards, two touchdowns) found Tamarcus Silvers on a 10-yard touchdown strike. Zachery Kauffman’s extra point tied the game.
Kosciusko kicker Joe Patterson split the uprights from 34 yards with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter to give the Whippets a 10-7 lead to start the second quarter.
Junior defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, who is used as a running back in short-yardage situations, bulled his way for a 1-yard score to help his Tigers re-claim the lead, 14-10, after Kauffman’s kick with 10:35 left in the half.
Kosciusko answered when wide receiver Stefan Harmon took the handoff and scored on a 6-yard run, but the kick sailed wide with 6:41 remaining in the half.
Noxubee County regained the lead when Conner found Simmons on a 4-yard dart to give the Tigers a 21-16 lead after Kauffman’s kick with 3:46 left in the quarter.
Patterson connected again for the Whippets on a 34-yard field goal to make it 21-19 at halftime.
Noxubee County had deferred until the second half and used an impressive two-minute drive that culminated in a 20-yard touchdown run by running back Shannessy Sherrod that made it 28-19. The remaining 10 minutes of the quarter turned into a defensive struggle.
Brewer’s scoop-and-score pushed Noxubee County’s lead to 34-19. Kosciusko quarterback Tim Wade (5 of 9 for 73 yards, one touchdown) found Josh Dodd with a 7-yard touchdown pass with 5:28 remaining. The Whippets failed on the two-point conversion and trailed the 34-25 before the turnovers did them in.
“Early on we knew what they were doing, but they were just hitting us in the mouth,” Shorter said. “I’m proud of our guys, especially the offense because they really put it together tonight. We did great job of mixing things up, and we saw some things we were able to hurt them with.”
Shorter feels the Tigers and Whippets will play again in the Class 4A North State playoffs.
“They have a good football team and a good coaching staff and they are well coached,” Shorter said. “They are solid and the turnovers really hurt them tonight.”
Noxubee County had 352 yards offense, including 155 passing and 167 rushing. The Whippets had 342 yards (73 passing, 269 rushing).
Noxubee County will play host to Leake Central at 7 p.m. Friday.
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