ABERDEEN — More times than not, a height advantage for one team over its opponent in basketball generally translates into a win for the taller team.
A height advantage for the New Hope High School football team played a significant role here Friday, as the Trojans rolled to a 41-24 victory against Aberdeen.
New Hope (2-0) used 18 pass completions for 416 yards — eight of which were caught by Jeremy Tate (6-foot-5), Terryonte Thomas (6-4), and tight end T.J. Stephens (6-3) who were covered, for the most part, by cornerbacks and safeties who stood no taller than 5-9.
Protected by an offensive line that averaged well more than 260 pounds per man and that featured 6-5, 285-pound Darrius Hendrix and 6-1, 320-pound Jaylon Johnson, starting quarterback Thomas Stevens’ 16 completions for 376 yards averaged 23.5 yards per reception. Thirteen of them covered 11 yards or more, and 10 went for 24 to 49 yards.
“Thomas (Stevens) played well,” New Hope third-year head coach Kris Pickle said. “I think our receivers only dropped one ball and we had one receiver slip making his cut, so overall they played well also.”
Eight receivers caught passes from Stevens, seven of whom accounted for 412 yards.
Not to be overlooked, New Hope’s starting defense held Aberdeen to 95 yards in the first half — 73 passing and 22 rushing on 15 carries — as the Trojans rolled to a 41-8 advantage seconds into the fourth quarter after leading 28-8 at halftime. The Bulldogs scored two more touchdowns and finished with 317 yards, most of which came in the fourth period after Pickle had pulled his starters.
“As a unit, I thought our starting defense played well overall,” said Pickle, who was warmly greeted after the game by several former Aberdeen players he coached in his three-year stint as a Bulldog assistant from 2007-09 before he departed for Northeast Jones.
Pickle’s Aberdeen homecoming got off to a rousing start when the Trojans elected to receive the opening kickoff and promptly dented the scoreboard 59 seconds later on a 5-yard run by tailback Tyran Reed. Reed’s scoring jaunt untouched up the middle was set up by three Stevens’ pass completions to Aaron Brooks (33 yards), Stephens (31), and Tate (12) good for 76 yards. Byron Petty’s kick gave the Trojans a 7-0 lead.
A 35-yard toss to Tate on New Hope’s second possession gave the Trojans a first down at the Bulldogs’ 44-yard line, but three-straight incompletions brought on the punting team.
Pickles’ crew got a break on its third possession, though, when Aberdeen fumbled Stevens’ punt and 5-4, 140-pound Tyler Harris recovered at the Bulldogs’ 43. A 5-yard penalty against Aberdeen was followed by a 38-yard touchdown reception by Tate. Petty’s kick made it 14-0 with 5 minutes, 13 seconds to play in the opening stanza.
Stevens showed his defensive abilities seconds later after kicking off when he saved a touchdown by tackling Dajoun Rogers after a 55-yard return. A 12-yard pickup by Rogers, followed by a half-the-distance unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after a sack, helped set Aberdeen up with a first at the 6. Sophomore quarterback Fred Fields capped the 37-yard drive on a 3-yard keeper with a minute left in the first quarter. Fields connected with Isiah McMillian for the two-point conversion to make it 14-8.
Unfazed, New Hope answered with a seven-play, 71-yard drive that ended on a 49-yard scoring toss from Stevens to Andre Erby on a middle screen. Petty’s third point after gave his mates a 21-8 lead a minute and a half into the second quarter.
The Bulldogs missed a scoring opportunity on their next possession when they drove from their 16 to the New Hope 48, but New Hope’s Jordan Randle intercepted Fields at the 15 and returned it to the Trojans’ 21.
Both teams then traded three-and-outs, but then Stevens guided his squad to its fourth touchdown and a 28-8 lead by completing four consecutive passes to Tate (12 yards), Erby (24 yards), Thomas (36 yards), and Brooks (8 yards) before Reed rushed the final 11 yards and Petty added the kick 51 seconds before halftime.
New Hope expanded its lead to 34-8 midway through the third quarter following a six-play, 92-yard march, 79 yards of which came on throws by Stevens’ tosses to Tyler Harris (39) and Tate (11) and capped off by a 29-yard touchdown reception by Erby.
On their next possession, the Trojans went from the air attack to their ground game and rushed eight straight times. Tony Deloach’s 4-yard burst, followed by Petty’s extra point, accounting for New Hope’s final points 26 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Aberdeen scored on its final two possessions, first on a 12-yard run by Rogers and on a 9-yard keeper by Fields with 21 seconds left in the game, both coming against New Hope’s reserves.
Despite the impressive offensive showing by New Hope, Pickle said there were many areas for his team to improve upon.
“A win is a win, and I’ll take it any way we can get it,” he said after the game. “I’m proud and I’m happy we won, but if we’re going to take it to the next level, there are some things we are going to have to get cleaned up.
One of those areas he stressed was the Trojans’ practice habits.
“Our game preparation this past week was not what we needed,” Pickle said. “As a result, we were sloppy at times and made too many silly mistakes, and that’s the main area we need to improve on.”
That “next level” Pickle was referring to was Friday’s upcoming clash with Lowndes County rival Columbus, a one-point loser (24-23) to two-time reigning Class 4A champion Noxubee County.
Offensively, Fields showed a strong arm at times and his receivers didn’t help his final stats by dropping or having one of his throws go through their hands no less than eight times.
Rogers was the offensive star for Aberdeen, as he rushed for 160 yards — 140 in the second half — had a 55-yard kickoff return, and led the Bulldogs’ receivers with four catches for 28 yards.
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