Two teams eliminated from the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A playoffs had one goal in mind Friday in their regular-season finale: to send their seniors off on a winning note.
The New Hope High School football team accomplished its goal by taking advantage of four turnovers en route to a season-ending 37-13 victory against Saltillo in a Class 5A, Region 1 game.
“I know everyone associated with our program expected us to get to the playoffs, but we play in an extremely tough region,” said New Hope coach Kris Pickle, whose team finished 6-5 and 3-4 in the region. “West Point, Oxford, and Clarksdale have all played in the state championship game in recent years, and all three programs have proven to be tough opponents year in and year out.
“But these seniors have fought through a lot of adversity this year and have won 19 games the past three years. Moving on to next year, they will definitely be missed.”
Six departing seniors led the Trojans. Quarterback Thomas Stevens was 14 for 26 for 191 yards. Wide receivers T. J. Stephens (five catches for 80), Andre Erby (four for 60), and Terryonte Thomas (three for 55) played key roles in the passing game.
Tony Deloach was the leading rusher with 111 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns, while Erby had a 40-yard touchdown on his only carry. Erby also set up New Hope’s second touchdown with a 26-yard completion on a halfback pass to Thomas.
Kicker Nathan Wilson made all five of his point after attempts.
Tre Ellis tied for the team lead in tackles with six.
Saltillo coach Pat Byrd’s team also suffered through a great deal of adversity, as a rash of injuries took its toll on the Tigers.
“Not making any excuses, but we are just a shell of the team which started for us the first two games,” said Byrd, whose team finished 2-10 and 1-6. “We’ve been crippled with injuries, and that’s just a fact, not an excuse.
“Only one offensive lineman who started tonight started the season and we lost all of our wide receivers — one of which is now our starting quarterback. We have been crippled with injuries.”
New Hope scored 37 unanswered points before Saltillo tacked on the final 13 points against Pickle’s second team.
Erby’s 40-yard run came midway through the first quarter, one play after a Stevens-to-Erby-to-Thomas halfback pass garnered 26 yards and a first down.
Two quick touchdowns in the final 1 minute, 53 seconds of the first quarter extended the margin to 21-0. Deloach sandwiched an 8-yard run and a 10-yard touchdown scamper around a 34-yard pass completion from Stevens to Thomas.
On Saltillo’s ensuing possession, defensive back Jame Taylor intercepted Tytus Heard in front of the Trojan bench at the Tigers’ 44-yard line. It took Stevens one play to find Erby open 20 yards behind the nearest defender for the touchdown with 34 seconds left in the first quarter.
Wilson’s third point-after attempt made it 21-0.
New Hope posted a three-and-out on its first possession of the second quarter, but Stevens’ fourth-down 55-yard punt pinned the Tigers at their 4. One play later, Heard bobbled the snap and was dropped in the end zone for a safety and a 23-0 lead.
Big plays set up New Hope’s fourth touchdown with a little more than three minutes left in the second quarter. Pass completions of 12 and 23 yards set up runs of 19 and 18 yards by Deloach. The last of which was his second touchdown of the half that capped a six-play, 72-yard drive.
Up 30-0 at the half and after a scoreless third quarter, Deloach scored his third touchdown on a 12-yard run after defensive back Kyree Fields stripped the ball from scatback Marlon Sanders at the 35 and returned it to the Tigers’ 21.
Wilson’s kick accounted for the Trojans’ final point of the season with a little less than 10 minutes remaining.
“We had some miscues, but we executed pretty well in the first half,” Pickle said. “We tried to play a lot of people in the second half because I have a great deal of respect for coach Byrd. Our goal was to win the game but not to come out and try to embarrass anybody.”
On Saltillo’s ensuing possession, Heard scampered 51 yards for a touchdown to spoil New Hope’s shutout. He added a 4-yard touchdown plunge with 3:28 to play.
“We dug ourselves a hole in the first half and couldn’t get past that,” Byrd said. “We did not do a good job of defending them in space, and they have some very good, talented athletes on offense.
“We did play much better in the third quarter, and we fought and scratched the entire game. Overall, we’re a much improved team from a year ago, and I’m sorry we couldn’t have written a better chapter for our seniors to go out on.”
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