MACON — Be prepared to touch the ball if you’re a skill-position player for the Noxubee County High School football team.
You might carry the ball on an option play or catch a quick screen to the boundary. You might run deep for a pass, and you might score a touchdown.
The “unselfish” trend of the last three weeks is just as much responsible coaching as it is a motive, as Noxubee coach Tyrone Shorter has been keen get the Tigers rolling after their annual non-district gauntlet.
On Friday, six players scored touchdowns and different players rushed for 70 yards or more in a 46-7 Homecoming victory against New Hope in a Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A, Region 4 game at Tiger Stadium.
Quarterback Khristopher White had touchdown passes of 35 and 25 yards and was 8-for-11 for 207 yards. Four Tigers had 35 receiving yards or more, led by Jeffery Malone, who caught five passes for 86 yards.
“It’s a team sport,” White said. “I’m not a selfish player. I like to spread the ball around, and that’s what the coaches want me to do.”
Noxubee County (6-5, 3-1 region) has scored 45 points in each of their last three games. It will be the No. 2 seed from Region 4 and will play host to New Albany next week in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
“We’re healthy and playing good football,” Shorter said.
As explosive as the offense has been, it has been “vanilla,” Shorter said. He has been strategizing what plays and personnel groupings are used in games to limit what opponents will see on tape. For instance, the Tigers haven’t unleashed a full passing offense with senior receiver Kyziah Pruitt at quarterback.
“A lot of people don’t think (Pruitt) can’t throw the football, but I wanted to show some tonight on film that he can so they won’t just crowd the box on him,” Shorter said.
Pruitt completed both of his passes for 39 yards. He also rushed for 71 yards on nine carries. He scored twice and had a catch for 42 yards.
New Hope (1-10, 1-3) took a 7-6 lead after CJ Sanders recovered a Braylen Miller fumble at the goal line to cap a 20-play, 73-yard drive. Though the Trojans logged only one first down the rest of the game, Shorter said he’s thankful his players received a needed wake-up call after overlooking New Hope because of its record.
“I remember a few times in practice, a couple of guys said, ‘Coach, we’re just playing New Hope,’ ” Shorter said. “That stuff burns me up. New Hope has good coaches and was going to be prepared to play, and they were. That drive woke us up. I’m glad it happened.”
The Tigers’ lack of focus is a troubling trend that has spilled over into other facets of the game, namely penalties. Noxubee County has committed 10 or more penalties in each of its last three games.
“Coach always preaches the ‘small things will get you beat,’ ” White said. “False starts, not making the right block or cuts at the right times … we have to improve our focus.”
Braylen Miller led New Hope with 53 yards on 22 carries.
New Hope, which will the No. 4 seed from Region 4, will take on No. 1 seed Senatobia next week in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.
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