MACON — Losses are sometimes for the best, even if they get out of hand.
After a 43-3 defeat to Starkville on Friday night, Noxubee County High School football coach Tyrone Shorter wanted his players, coaches, and fans to remember recent history.
Shorter reminisced in his team huddle about a 51-19 loss to Starkville in the 2014 season opener. That team, which featured current Mississippi State standout Jeffery Simmons, who was in attendance at Tiger Stadium, won the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State championship.
Shorter hopes his 2017 edition can follow the same path.
“We know we’re better. We’ve been here before,” Shorter said. “We just have to regroup.”
The Tigers had the first-game blues. They missed tackles and assignments and hurt themselves more often than Starkville inflicted damage.
“We’ve got to get better defensively,” Shorter said. “I never thought our defense would have came out and played this poorly.”
Last season, Noxubee County lost to West Point 47-6, which was the program’s largest margin of defeat since a 42-0 loss to Meridian on Sept. 8, 2000.
Against Starkville, many of the Noxubee County players looked gassed or needed attention for cramps. Starkville took full advantage by the second quarter, scoring 40 unanswered points and amassing 392 yards.
“I thought we were in half, better shape than that,” Shorter said.
Receiving the game-opening kickoff, the action looked tantalizing. Noxubee County reached Starkville territory in three plays. Five plays later, Samuel Lowery kicked a 25-yard field goal.
Prior to the game, Shorter said he liked what he’d seen from his offense. However, negative-yard plays and penalties spoiled momentum at moments when Noxubee County could have fought back in the debut of new offensive co-coordinators Teddy Young and John Sallis.
“We hurt ourselves (on offense) more times than none,” Shorter said. “We moved the ball up and down the field, but we would stall out.”
Kyziah Pruitt, who took snaps on both sides of the ball was a standout. The junior wide receiver and cornerback opened his receiving account with a 36-yard reception from Maliek Stallings. The fade route required Pruitt to beat the tight man coverage with an explosive vertical leap and balance to keep his feet inbounds. The third-down reception led to the field goal.
On Starkville’s first drive, Pruitt delivered a game-changing play. Quarterback Malik Brown attempted a pass to the end zone on third down from the Tigers’ 15-yard line, but Pruitt broke it up and forced the Yellow Jackets to settle for Garin Boinol’s 31-yard field goal.
“We tried to play him both ways tonight, which really hurt us because it took away from the explosiveness he provides on the offensive side,” Shorter said. “He had to play a lot of plays tonight. He’s a playmaker, and I don’t think we got him the ball enough.”
Pruitt left the game momentarily in the second quarter after his sixth reception. He received a punishing tackle that left him without breath and out until the second half. He returned and finished with nine catches for 100 yards.
The non-conference schedule doesn’t get easier for Noxubee County, which will face Class 6A Columbus at 7 p.m. Friday. Games at Shannon and at Meridian will follow.
“I have no other choice but to play these bigger schools,” Shorter said. “Nobody else wants to play us. We have to stay healthy during these games against bigger teams.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.