By Brandon Shields
Special to the Dispatch
CLINTON — West Point coach Chris Chambless had a quick funny message to Laurel coach Todd Breland during the MHSAA football state championship press conference on Monday.
“If you don’t throw the ball, we won’t run it,” he said with a laugh. “How’s that sound?”
Jokes aside that most likely won’t be the case on Saturday when Laurel will bring its high potent passing attack against a run heavy West Point team that always plays outstanding defense in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A state championship game at Mississippi State’s Davis Wade Stadium with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
Laurel (13-1) is in the 5A state title game for the second time in three years and are seeking its first state title since 2014 and fourth in school history.
West Point (13-1) is in the title game for the first time since winning the 5A state title in 2010 and is seeking its eighth state title.
“It has been awhile since 2010, we’ve been close a couple times, but the kids have worked to get back here,” Chambless said. “You know in the offseason when you know you got to drill it to them that we’ve been close but we got to get over the hump. Games are won and lossed in the offseason and kids got the job done to do what it takes to get back here.”
West Point is bringing the normal West Point style of football — a heavy running game.
The Green Wave are averaging 238.5 yards per game rushing and are led by a heavy dose of backs.
Junior Mississippi State commit Marcus Murphy leads the attack with 1,615 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns. Andre Lane has rushed for 721 yards with nine touchdowns.
Chris Calvert returned in the second round playoff game against after suffering a concussion early in the season and has rushed for 304 yards with five touchdowns.
“Our game plan is to grind it out and keep their offense off the field,” Chambless said. “We run the football it is no secret. Going to try to extend drives and move the chains and keep their offense off the field.”
The Green Wave defense is only allowing 11.8 points per game, but will have a big task of trying to stop a potent Laurel offense that score points in a hurry.
The Golden Tornadoes are balanced offensively averaging 253.6 yards passing and 167.1 yards rushing per game.
Dual-threat quarterback Tyquan Ulmer has tossed for 3,162 yards with 41 touchdowns and has rushed for 986 yards with five touchdowns.
“We inserted Tyquan at quarterback against Hattiesburg in Week 2 and he hasn’t looked back and he’s carried the load, done a tremendous job and is the leader on offense,” Breland said. “Biggest thing for us on offense is in the second half of the season the running game has picked up with Michael Terrell. He’s made us more balanced for sure.”
Sophomore running back Michael Terrell has rushed for 841 yards with 14 touchdowns.
Dontario Drummond and Je’vah Jones are Ulmer’s top targets at wide receiver. Drummond had 1,568 yards receiving with 17 touchdowns, while Jones has 891 yards receiving with 15 touchdowns.
“Those guys can go up and get it. I made a list yesterday of their big plays and it was like close to 90 plays,” Chambless said. “It’s just amazing what their receivers can do. They can jump and catch and they do it with a lot of swaggered and I like that. Our guys is going to take a lot of pride in trying to stop.”
The theme of this game is the potent Laurel offense against a stout West Point defense and Breland knows the Green Wave defense will be best they’ve seen all season.
“I haven’t seen anything on West Point all year until this weekend and no one has prepared us for West Point,” Breland said. “They play West Point style of football they are big, fast and physical. That’s the reason they are playing in this game and it is certainly going to be a big challenge for us.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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