CLINTON — Playing the same team twice in one season is never an easy test, especially when the second meeting has higher stakes.
The added wrinkle for the Starkville High School football team was it had to devise a new game plan to account for the return of Clinton High junior quarterback Cam Akers, an Alabama commitment, who is one of the state’s most dangerous players. Akers missed the first meeting Nov. 6 due to an injury.
While Akers made an impact, the Arrows didn’t have enough in their second game plan to slow Avery Brown or the Yellow Jackets’ high-scoring ways.
Brown had 33 carries for 245 yards and four touchdowns to lead Starkville to a 45-27 victory in the second round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A playoffs.
With the win, Starkville, the No. 1 seed from Region 2, will play host to Madison Central, the No. 4 seed from Region 2, at 7 p.m. Friday. The winner will advance to the Class 6A State title game against the winner of the Petal-Meridian game at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Ole Miss’ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.
It should be a familiar refrain for Starkville, which beat Clinton 45-7 on Nov. 7 in Starkville. Coach Ricky Woods’ team beat Madison Central 28-10 on Oct. 16 in Starkville. But Madison Central (9-5) stunned the state when it upset top-ranked South Panola 14-8 in the first round.
“Our game plan coming in was to run the ball, and we were able to do that,” Woods said. “The kids wanted to run it, so we just told them to score.”
Brown made the game plan work, fueling an attack that had 41 carries for 297 yards. He had a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, and added scores of 14 and 12 yards in the third quarter. His 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter helped the Yellow Jackets pull away. A 92-yard interception return for a touchdown by Willie Gay wrapped up the victory.
“(Starkville) made big plays and did a great job running the ball tonight,” Clinton coach Judd Boswell said. “At the end of the day, they were just a better team than we were (Friday night).”
Akers kept Clinton (8-5) in the game by racking up 474 yards of offense –196 rushing on 19 carries and 278 yards passing. Despite his stellar performance, he threw two interceptions that proved costly.
Neither team was able to get anything going offensively to start the game, until Brown found the end zone with seven seconds left in the first quarter. Wesley Albritton nailed the extra point to give Starkville a 7-0 lead.
Clinton had the ball in good field position at its 39-yard line to open the second quarter, but the Yellow Jackets recovered a fumble by the Arrows. Starkville couldn’t capitalize on excellent field position and had to settle for a field goal by Albritton.
The Arrows found the end zone midway through the second quarter on a 16-yard run by Darius Maberry. Tucker Barefoot’s kick cut Starkville’s lead to 10-7.
Starkville responded on the ensuing kickoff on Terrance Grayer’s 74-yard return for a score.
Barefoot missed a field goal with three seconds remaining in the half to give Starkville a 17-7 halftime lead.
On its opening drive of the second half, Akers led the Arrows 66 yards. He capped the drive with a 12-yard pass to receiver Kam’ron White for the score. Barefoot’s kick made it 17-14.
Starkville (12-1) regained possession, but Armani Lewis intercepted Montario Montgomery and returned it to the Starkville 32-yard line. The Arrows made quick work of the short field, as Akers scored on a 3-yard run. Barefoot’s kick was blocked, but Clinton held its first lead of the ballgame.
Trailing 20-17, Starkville regained the lead thanks to Brown’s second score. Albritton’s kick made it 24-20. Brown added to the lead on the Yellow Jackets’ next drive, scoring on a 12-yard run.
But Akers kept making plays, running for his second score — a 72-yard touchdown — early in the fourth quarter. Barefoot’s kick cut Starkville’s lead to 31-27.
The Yellow Jackets continued to ride Brown, who added his final score of the night. He also had seven catches for 78 yards.
“When we got to the red zone, we expected to score,” Brown said. “I want to give a shout out to our offensive linemen. They helped me make the big plays.”
With Clinton driving deep into Starkville territory late in the game, Gay’s interception capped the scoring.
“We kept fighting,” Starkville defensive lineman Maleke Bell said. “Cam Akers is a great player. We just had to stay focused, locked in and play fundamental football.”
Friday’s game will be the fourth time in five years Starkville has played in the North State championship game.
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