WEST POINT — Don”t think the West Point High School football team has had its share of adversity this season?
Coach Chris Chambless will politely remind you how much the Green Wave (12-1) had to replace from last year”s Class 5A state title squad.
Despite the losses, West Point still has earned the right to play host to Ridgeland (13-0) at 7 tonight in the Mississippi High School Activities Association 5A North State title game. As similar as West Point”s run this season has been to last season, it has overcome more turnover and a challenging schedule to move one step from returning to Jackson, the site of the state title games.
Chambless and his staff had to find four new offensive linemen to join Lederrius Taylor, the only returning starter.
Linebacker Matthew Lewis and defensive backs Gary Hughes and Jeremy Cannon graduated, too.
The two biggest losses came in current Mississippi State freshmen Michael Carr and Curtis Virges. Carr was quarterback Justin Cox”s top receiving threat at wideout, and Virges, a defensive lineman, led the team with 14 sacks.
Replacing that many starters and All-State players makes it hard for any team to return to the state title game, much less the playoffs.
“It”s been rough,” Chambless said. “It”s been a lot of hard work, as it always is. Any team that”s gotten to this point has worked extremely hard. I”ve got to give credit to the kids because this is a different team that”s doing the same things.”
West Point started the season 2-0 following a 14-0 road win against Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.). The team reached a collective high from the much-publicized win, which was televised nationally as part of the Gridiron Challenge Florida vs. USA series.
The Green Wave returned home riding a 16-game winning streak and had a bye week to prepare for rejuvenated rival Starkville High. Thanks to personal foul penalties and pass interference calls, the Green Wave blew a 20-0 halftime lead in a 21-20 loss.
West Point hasn”t blown a lead since, reeling off 10 consecutive wins and beating region rival Oxford twice, including a 27-12 victory last week on the road to advance to North State.
Chambless credits his seniors for addressing the lack of leadership in their loss to the Jackets.
“A loss like that will make you want to get better,” Cox said. “We all know what to expect because we”ve been there. Any challenges we face, we”re ready for it.”
The Green Wave”s early season hurdle was to get new linemen Romia Wilson, Jon Jones, Alex Hall, and Willie Swift used to playing a full game.
The Green Wave had Cox and senior running backs Lakenderic Thomas and Jacoby Lee set as playmakers, but couldn”t afford for their line to slow its dominating rushing attack.
“I knew it was going to take a little bit longer, but the offensive line has stepped up a lot,” Cox said. “As the quarterback and running backs, we”ve had to make more plays, like early on whenever there was a missed block. But it”s gotten better each week.”
West Point will face its toughest opponent this season in undefeated Ridgeland, which overcame a 24-14 halftime deficit against New Hope to post a 34-27 win last week.
The Titans have had a pair of close calls in the playoffs, including a 31-19 win against Lake Cormorant in the opening round.
Despite avoiding two straight early playoff exits, Chambless said the Titans are the most fundamentally sound team he has seen this season.
Ridgeland running back Jordan Bush leads the team with 1,433 yards. Complementing Bush is wideout Hunter Lohman, who has 39 catches for 694 yards. Lohman had eight catches for 160 yards and a touchdown against the Trojans.
“They spread you out and get their athletes in space,” Chambless said. “They”re very fast, very sound in the fundamentals of the game. These are totally different schemes from anybody we”ve faced, too. This is a game where you rely on your seniors and the lessons you”ve learned this season.”
If West Point beats Ridgeland it”ll move on to Jackson to face the winner of the South State final between Brookhaven and West Jones.
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