JACKSON — It”s all about respect for the Aberdeen High School football team.
Last year, many in the state thought the Bulldogs were good enough to get to Jackson to play for a state title.
Those believers were right, but Tylertown proved to be just a little better, earning a 34-20 victory in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 3A title game.
Entering this season, there were more naysayers about Aberdeen than advocates.
“The Bulldogs lost too many seniors,” some said.
“Aberdeen doesn”t have as much firepower to make it back to Jackson,” others said.
Those experts only had to watch Chris Duncan last week in the final seconds of his team”s 28-0 victory against Winona in the Class 3A North State title game to see his reaction.
Duncan, who isn”t the most demonstrative coach on the sidelines, raised his leg and pumped his fist in excitement as the final horn sounded. He smiled Monday when asked what he was thinking when he made that move.
“As a staff, we really wanted to get back,” Duncan said. “When people tell you you can”t do something, I have always been determined to do it, and I guess that was the relief of getting back because a lot of people didn”t give us a chance. I was excited for the kids, excited for the school, and all of the things that have went on this year.”
Aberdeen (14-1) will try to end its season on a 15-game winning streak at 11 a.m. Saturday when it takes on Forest (14-0) in the Class 3A championship at Mississippi Memorial Stadium.
Duncan credits first-year assistant coach Justin Moss, who replaced Kris Pickle, who took a coaching job at Northeast Jones, for his work in his first year as offensive coordinator of the varsity team. He also praised the work of Patrick Schoolar for helping to produce a defense that has pitched two of its four shutouts this season in the playoffs.
“It is dedication from the coaches and the players to get back to this point,” Duncan said. “A lot of people didn”t give us a chance after last year. They said, ”They will be rebuilding.” We told the kids and I think they took it to heart and kind of played with a chip on their shoulders all year to get back.
“The Lord has been good to us and feel blessed to make it this far. It has been a fun year as a coach.”
Duncan believes you can coach with a chip on your shoulder, and he and his assistant coaches, including Sammie Burroughs, Latorrence Bivens, and Alex Williams, have worked with that motivation all year. He said he told Moss when he hired him he wanted to get back to the state title game more than he ever has, and he credited Moss for buying in and being loyal.
“(Moss) has done a heck of a job,” Duncan said. “Having a staff that is together and is working together and is having fun has been great. I can”t say enough about our young kids. They bought in to how we did stuff. We had to change how we did stuff. To be able to do that and to make it back to Jackson after completely changing your offense says something about them and their ability to buy in and accept our coaching.”
The change Duncan mentioned involved moving from a spread attack on offense to a running game that relies on a tough offensive line and the running of senior running back Victor Hodges. The addition late in the year of senior Brandon Smith to the backfield has given the Bulldogs an added dimension of speed that has helped catapult them back to Jackson.
Duncan said he had coached with Moss for a few years and knew he would do a good job.
“He is a hard-nosed, good coach,” Duncan said of Moss. “He understands the chain of command, and we work really well together in that aspect. He has done a heck of a job calling plays and being patient. What we have done on offense has made us better on defense.”
Hodges, who has 299 carries and 2,033 yards and 34 touchdowns, is confident about his team”s chances. He knows Forest has nine shutouts and has allowed only 42 points this season, but that doesn”t faze him.
After all, he, like the rest of the Aberdeen coaches and players, will take the field Saturday with a chip on their shoulder and with something to prove.
“As long as we play Aberdeen football really can”t nobody touch us,” Hodges said. “Not downing Forest or anything, but we”re on our own level of game. As long as we come ready to do what we”re supposed to do, we will come out with the ”W”.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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.