When the season began, football players at West Point High School felt like the team was ready to return to the upper echelon in Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A play.
West Point (10-2) will have a chance to prove it has realized that goal at 7 tonight when it plays at Grenada (10-2) in the second round of the MHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
A year ago, West Point’s magic ran out in the second round in a loss to Region 1 Oxford in the second round of the playoffs.
“This is what we have worked for all season,” West Point senior defensive lineman Tony Rush said. “We know the last couple of seasons have not lived up to West Point standards. The goal was to change that. We want to play for state championships again.”
After dropping a heart-breaking overtime decision to Starkville in the 2012 North State championship game, West Point lost five games in the next two seasons.
This season, a veteran defense has blended with some raw talent on offense. West Point has won seven-straight games since a 50-28 region loss to Oxford. The other loss was a 16-0 setback to Starkville. Oxford is a favorite in Class 5A, while Starkville has assumed that role thanks to Madison Central’s victory against reigning Class 6A state champion South Panola.
“I think this team is really battle-tested,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “I think that may be its best characteristic. If you look up and down the roster, we are counting on a lot of young players. But now those sophomores have played 12 games. We are a much different team than the one that started the season.”
Sophomore quarterback Marcus Murphy and sophomore running back Chris Calvert make offense go. Murphy has run for 1,415 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Calvert has 1,247 yards and 17 touchdowns.
West Point leads Class 5A with 3,836 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns.
“The offensive line has been great this season,” Calvert said. “I think we owe everything to those guys. Our job is not easy but they have made it look easy. It has been a pleasure running behind those guys. West Point football is about running the ball. We have been able to do be really good at doing that.”
The passing game has complemented the ground game. Murphy has thrown for 667 yards and eight touchdowns. West Point also has found a set of plays for Demarrio Edwards. The junior lines up at receiver, slot back, and has a set of plays at quarterback. Edwards has two touchdown passes to Murphy.
“West Point football is about running the ball,” Chambless said. “A lot of it starts with No. 78 (All-State lineman Scott Lashley), but the other guys have really stepped up, too. We thought the offensive line would be a strong area. They have not disappointed.”
However, to return to elite status and to win the school’s first state championship since 2010, the major changes had to come on defense. After the demoralizing loss to Oxford, West Point has turned things around on defense. It has allowed one touchdown in the last 18 quarters.
“The Oxford loss has served as huge motivation,” West Point sophomore defensive lineman Terrence Cherry said. “We were in a rhythm and maybe a little over confident. That game showed us we still had a lot to work on to become a true state championship team.”
West Point senior linebacker Nick Melton said the team is “very close” to playing the championship-caliber defense that has been the cornerstone of several state championship teams.
“We have really worked hard to get back to that point,” Melton said. “I think the guys are excited because they know how far we have come. We feel like we can go out and shut anybody out. That is a good feeling. It is a new feeling for the seniors because we haven’t had that kind of confidence the last couple of years.”
Fresh off a 31-6 victory against Clarksdale in the first round, Grenada enters the game on an eight-game winning streak. West Point beat Grenada 21-16 last season in the season opener.
A lot has changed since then and the start of the 2015 season. The Chargers have improved. The Green Wave are better, too.
“Our main goal is to compete for a state championship,” Melton said. “If you don’t do that around here, the season is not a success.”
The winner will face Oxford (10-2) or Germantown (9-3) in the North State Class 5A championship game next Friday.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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