STARKVILLE –Dominate.
The West Point High School football team’s defense did just that Saturday, limiting Laurel to 98 yards in a 29-8 victory in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A State championship game at a rain-soaked Davis Wade Stadium on the campus of Mississippi State University.
“The mind-set was to dominate,” West Point junior linebacker Terrence Cherry said. “We wanted every yard to be a hard yard. We knew they liked to throw the football, so our challenge was to avoid the big play. Really, it wasn’t all about big plays. We wanted to be more physical and dominate.”
West Point (14-1) won its first state championship since 2010. The Green Wave did it in similar fashion to coach Chris Chambless’ other two titles — by running the football, controlling the clock, and being more physical in the trenches.
MSU commit Marcus Murphy scored three touchdowns, but he had lots of help.
Junior defensive back Trey Brownlee had three tackles, a fumble recovery, and two pass breakups.
Through exhaustion and rain, Brownlee couldn’t help but smile as he helped clutch the championship trophy.
“West Point football is back,” Brownlee said. “All of the hard work paid off tonight. We started with a dream in August. Tonight, that dream became reality. I am really proud of this team. It’s good to know we helped restore the tradition and the pride.”
Laurel (13-2) entered the game averaging 40.1 points and 420.7 yards per game. The Golden Tornadoes finished as the Green Wave’s fourth postseason opponent held to one touchdown or less.
Rain slightly altered both team’s plans. However, West Point’s ground-and-pound strategy took total control late and helped stretch a 10-8 halftime lead.
West Point finished with 71 plays, compared to 36 for Laurel. The Green Wave led in time of possession (33 minutes, 50 seconds to 14:10).
“It’s good feeling being out there with our offense,” Cherry said. “We know going in they are going to make plays. They will keep us rested on the sidelines and ready to go. We just try to go all out, as hard as we can for as long as we can. There is always going to be someone stepping up and making a play.”
Few plays were bigger than Brownlee’s fumble recovery.
Trailing 10-0, Laurel seized the momentum in the second quarter with a touchdown on a 67-yard drive and a safety thanks to a blocked punt recovered in the end zone.
In the third quarter, Laurel was poised to take the lead after a pass completion to the West Point 43-yard line. Ryan Melton made the strip and Brownlee had the fumble recovery.
West Point then drove 63 yards on 13 plays, consuming 5:29 for the first of Murphy’s three scores. The Green Wave later drove 80 yards on 14 plays and 41 yards on eight plays for their other scores.
“Every play is big when you are playing for a state championship,” said Melton, a sophomore defensive back. “We knew they liked to score fast, so our job was to make them work for everything they got. The first half gave us a lot of confidence we were going to have a big night.”
Laurel had 11 possessions. The Golden Tornadoes were held to 18 or fewer yards on 10 of them. Seven possessions lasted three plays or less.
“I think the coaches will grade us pretty high this game,” Cherry said. “A couple of early hits set the tone. We played with emotion, but we also played under control. We have been pointing to this game for a long time.”
Cherry and senior linebacker Keonta Hampton had five tackles. Sophomore linebacker Brent Cunningham had four. Cherry had four tackles for loss, including three sacks. Senior Everitt Cunningham had two tackles for loss and a sack. Junior Archie Jones had a tackle for loss.
The Green Wave also had eight pass breakups, including three by junior Jason Brownlee.
“It feels great to end my high school career like this,” Hampton said. “It feels great to be going out on top. West Point football is back at No. 1. It’s exciting. To hold that gold ball makes all the hard work and sacrifices worthwhile. We will always be remembered for this night.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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