After playing its best game of the season last week, the West Point High School football team will try to duplicate that effort at 7:30 tonight when it plays host to Class 5A, Region 1 rival Hernando at McCallister Field.
“We have not done a real good job of putting back-to-back games together this season,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “The biggest challenge for us is staying within ourselves and making sure we play to our potential.”
Last week, the Green Wave extended their three-season division win streak to 15 with a 42-14 victory at Lake Cormorant. The contest was much different from last season when West Point earned a 28-27 victory in Clay County.
“All three phases played well,” Chambless said. “It was our most complete game of the year on offense. Defensively, we did a great job of pressuring the quarterback. We really disrupted what they were trying to do. This is how we will have to play to win games in the division.”
Senior quarterback DeQuinten Spraggins had three touchdowns. Junior tailback Tez Lane ran for 170 yards and another score. Defensively, Freddie Reed and Ed Brown each had a pair of sacks, while Jonathan Patterson had an interception.
“It was our best defensive effort of the year,” Chambless said. “We played hungry and with a purpose. We were able to get them out of sync offensively, and our defensive backs did their jobs as well.”
West Point led 28-0 at halftime and 42-0 after three quarters, and finished with 382 yards of offense.
Hernando is 1-4 and 0-1 in the region. It opened region play last week with a 21-14 home loss to Clarksdale. All of Hernando’s games have been decided by 14 points or less, with four being decided by a touchdown or less.
West Point beat Hernando 21-14 last season.
Leake Academy (2-4, 1-0) at Oak Hill Academy (0-6, 0-3)
The Raiders hope a return home will be the spark they need to get their first win and to build momentum.
Oak Hill Academy will play three of its final four regular-season games at home. A game at 7 tonight against Leake County is the first of that group.
“We are looking for something to help us turn this thing around,” Oak Hill coach Benjie Merchant said. “We have had some injuries. Fortunately, we are getting some of those players back. We are in need of a spark.”
The Raiders have been shut out in their last three contests.
“We have played some really good opponents,” Merchant said. “They have been able to take control of the ballgame early. We have had a difficult time matching up early in these games.”
Oak Hill Academy’s final four opponents are below .500. Leake Academy and Immanuel Christian (Oct. 28 in West Point) are the final region foes on the schedule.
Hebron Christian (2-2) at Kemper Academy (2-4)
The Eagles will try to bounce back from a heartbreaking 52-50 loss to Park Place Christian at 7 tonight when they play in DeKalb.
Last week, Hebron Christian led 26-6 at halftime. It didn’t trail until Park Place Christian quarterback Cage Gordan scored on a 10-yard run and also kept for the two-point conversion in the second overtime. Hebron Christian answered with a Will Corben Rogers rushing touchdown. However, Rogers was stopped on the two-point conversion.
“It was one heck of a ballgame,” Hebron Christian coach Tri Nason said. “We had our chances. Offensively, we had a really great night. On defense, we struggled to come up with enough stops. In eight-man football, you are going to give up points. Unfortunately, (Park Place) really got into a great rhythm in the second half.”
Rogers had a team-high 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Park Place Christian.
Hebron Christian appeared poised to take control of the game early in the second half after Park Place Christian fumbled on its first possession of the half. However, the Eagles couldn’t do anything with the extra possession.
“Credit to them for making some really good halftime adjustments,” Nason said. “They did a better job of taking care of the football in the second half and in the overtimes. This team had been an 11-man program. To compete like this shows how far we have come this year.”
Hebron finished with 309 yards of offense. Taylor Coggins had 172 all-purpose yards, including 105 yards on kick returns, and a touchdown. Harley Thompson paced the squad with 12 tackles. Rogers also had two interceptions.
Kemper Academy has dropped four straight – to North Sunflower Academy (34-16), Calhoun Academy (36-14), Central Academy (28-26), and Delta Academy (30-20).
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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