After missing the postseason a year ago, the Caledonia High School football team’s senior class vowed to get the squad back to the playoffs.
That mission was accomplished Friday night in a 49-35 victory against Leake Central in a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A, Region 4 matchup.
Caledonia (5-5, 2-3 region) will play at Region 3 champion Greenwood (7-3, 4-0) Friday night to start the playoffs.
“The first goal you set every year is to make the playoffs,” Caledonia coach Andy Crotwell said. “For the seniors, it was good to accomplish that goal and make it back. They have worked hard in helping us build the program.”
Caledonia qualified for the playoffs in 2014 but had a near-miss a year ago. This season, the Confederates won two of their final three region games to qualify.
Against Leake Central, Caledonia built a 35-7 halftime lead and had to hold off a furious second-half rally.
“We started out strong,” Crotwell said. “The kids knew the playoffs were on the line, and I thought they came out really motivated, ready to play. We had some mistakes that hurt us (in a 47-33 loss to Noxubee County). We played a better overall game.”
Caledonia won the behind a powerful offensive attack that netted 510 yards. Spencer Unruh was 18 of 20 for 388 yards and six touchdowns. All six receiving scores went to Jamel Thomas, who had 12 catches for 312 yards.
“It was a special night for those two seniors,” Crotwell said. “You could tell early on they were going to have a big night.”
Zion Ford led the rushing attack with 21 carries for 84 yards. Unruh also had a rushing touchdown.
Ty’Zarius Armon ran for 105 yards and two scores to lead Leake Central.
n Aberdeen 60, Nettleton 41: At Nettleton, the Bulldogs qualified for the MHSAA Class 3A playoffs thanks to this road victory.
Aberdeen held a 22-14 lead at halftime but scored on four-straight possessions in the third quarter to pull away.
For Aberdeen, Dajoun Rogers ran for 205 yards and four touchdowns. Fred Fields had two rushing scores and threw for two more scores. Fields also went over 100 yards rushing and completed 10 of 14 passes for 115 yards. Cameron Braylock also had a touchdown.
Rogers and Jordan Gillispie each had a receiving touchdown. Gillispie had four catches for 60 yards.
Aberdeen (3-8, 2-3 region) will face Region 3 champion Velma Jackson (9-1, 5-0) in a first-round playoff game on the road Friday night.
n Smithville 49, Hamilton 14: At Hamilton, the Lions suffered a big blow to their playoff hopes in MHSAA Class 1A, Region 1 play.
Hamilton ends the regular season at Vardaman (6-4, 4-2) Friday night.
Bryson Butler and Branson Shields each scored touchdowns for the Lions.
n In other games Friday night, the season game to an end in Mississippi Association of Schools (MAIS) Eight-Man action.
In Charleston, Central Academy finished the season at 2-8 after a 44-8 loss to Strider Academy. Hebron Christian finished 0-9 after dropping a 28-0 home decision to Kemper Academy.
Junior College Football
n Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College (MACJC) playoffs set: At Scooba, the No. 3 East Mississippi Community will play host to Mississippi Gulf Coast on Saturday in the opening round of the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) playoffs.
EMCC (8-1, 6-0 North) and Gulf Coast will kick off at 2 p.m. at Sullivan-Windham Field.
That matchup was set after East Central C.C. defeated Southwest Mississippi C.C. 42-13 Saturday night in Summit to win the MACJC South Division.
Columbus native Christopher Deloach had an 18-yard touchdown reception to help lead the Warriors (5-4, 5-1 South).
Mississippi Gulf Coast (5-4, 4-2 South) finished the second in the South Division. In the regular season, EMCC beat Gulf Coast, 45-7 in Perkinston.
The other semifinal matchup also will start at 2 p.m. Saturday and matches No. 2 North seed and fifth-ranked Northwest Mississippi C.C. (8-1, 5-1 North) against East Central in Decatur.
It is the first time in 40 seasons East Central has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
n In other action Saturday, No. 19 Holmes C.C. rallied to beat No. 15 Itawamba C.C.
63-49.
Holmes C.C. outscored ICC 28-7 in the fourth quarter.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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