Still reeling from a last-second loss to South Panola High School in their season opener two weeks ago, the West Point High football team came out sluggish Friday night against Columbus.
Six minutes before halftime, the Green Wave trailed 12-0 and needed something positive to happen.
The Falcons had just connected on a 42-yard touchdown pass to go up by two scores, and that’s when it happened for the Green Wave. Junior Aeries Williams took the ensuing kickoff straight up the gut for a 86-yard touchdown to rejuvenate West Point.
The Green Wave went on to score 20 more unanswered points for a 26-19 victory, to even their record at 1-1.
The victory might not have happened had it not been for the spark provided by Williams on the kickoff return.
“Coach called me over on the sideline and told me that if I come into the hole and I break it that we will have it,” Williams said. “I got to the hole and I just took it.”
The return wasn’t how the West Point coaches had drawn it up.
“It’s funny how the ball bounces,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “We didn’t catch it like we are supposed to and I go from fuming in one split second to saying ‘go, go, go’ the next. Football is a game of emotions, and you can quickly forget that they didn’t catch it like they are supposed to. The ball bounced right to him, and he was able to get it and go.”
That wasn’t the only time Williams reached the end zone Friday night. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder rushed for touchdowns of 2, 19, and 4 yards to finish with 156 yards on 33 carries.
“I just thank God for giving me the opportunity to play,” Williams said. “I have to thank my O line, too, because without them I wouldn’t have made it. I think everybody stepped up and we just got it done.”
Chambless was happy to see his first-year starter in the backfield have success.
“Aeries is there every day ready to work,” Chambless said. “He works extremely hard and has a good head on his shoulders. He makes good grades and is a model football player. He’s what you want and leads by example. He doesn’t say a whole lot, but when he does need to speak up he will.”
Williams wasn’t the only West Point back to eclipse the 100-yard plateau. Quarterback Tez Lane rushed 18 times for 128 yards, combining with Williams for 284 rushing yards.
“We love each other,” Williams said. “When we put our heads together we can do anything.”
The Green Wave didn’t complete a pass, gaining all of their yards on rushing.
The performance was in stark contrast to Columbus (1-1), which had totaled only 8 rushing yards and relied on the arm of Trace Lee. The junior quarterback, and younger brother of former Mississippi State University quarterback Tyson Lee, was 15 of 32 for 240 yards and two touchdowns.
With the first win under their belt and the confidence that goes with it, Chambless feels his Green Wave are poised for a special season.
“We’ve got a lot of potential,” Chambless said. “We’ve got a lot of great kids with great chemistry. You don’t have to beg them to work. I expect big things for us.”
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