JACKSON — Losing a 20-point halftime lead can destroy a season.
Justin Cox helped make sure that didn”t happen to the West Point High School football team.
Flying high with a 20-0 lead against rival Starkville High, the Green Wave hurt themselves with mistakes and eventually suffered a 21-20 home loss.
The defeat came after a bye week and left West Point searching for solutions.
Cox, a senior quarterback, sought the advice of former teammate Michael Carr, who is a member of the Mississippi State football team.
A year ago, the two hooked up on a 64-yard touchdown pass that sparked West Point to a 35-14 victory against Wayne County in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A title game.
Cox wanted to know what he needed to do to get the Green Wave back on track.
Players can listen to the talk off the field and question a game plan or the preparation.
“He told me to stay humble in everything and everything would be all right,” Cox said. “He told me we would get back here.”
Cox said the conversation motivated him a lot to return on the field and get back to playing West Point football.
That motivation apparently is still driving Cox because he has been an integral part to a return trip to Jackson. West Point will try to wrap up a second consecutive state title and seventh overall at 7 p.m. Saturday when it takes on Brookhaven in the Class 5A championship at Mississippi Memorial Stadium in Jackson.
“I have just worked harder,” Cox said. “When you work harder you get better, and I just got better.”
Cox is part of a bruising ground attack that has gained 3,977 yards this season. The 185-pounder, who is expected to join Carr at Mississippi State next season, has rushed for 1,136 yards and had thrown for 1,112 yards. The numbers are comparable to his statistics from 2009, when he rushed for 632 yards and threw for 1,247 yards.
“I just had to step up and be a leader for the team,” Cox said. “If the quarterback goes down what else have you got? I am starting to be a leader, and that”s how we got back here.”
Cox singled out the play of senior wide receiver Jamarius Tallie, senior running back Lakenderic Thomas, and sophomore running back Tez Pulliam for emerging this season to help carry the load.
West Point coach Chris Chambless said Cox has a host of skilled players surrounding him that has taken the pressure off of him to do everything.
As a result, Cox is able to run behind a stout offensive line and to use his speed to dart past defenses left battered by the running of Thomas, Pulliam, and the rest of the Green Wave.
“We look for guys we think fit in at quarterback,” Chambless said. “We like putting our best athlete at quarterback. He has done a good job filling that role.”
Chambless praised the play of junior wide receiver William Harrell for helping balance the offense.
Senior Tommy Keys, who plays tight end and running back on offense, has been another valuable weapon. Keys also is part of the Green Wave”s dominating defense. He said Cox has matured into a leader who has surprised some people with his ability to throw the football.
“He has improved at everything,” Keys said. “He is almost the perfect fit for our offense. He is a speed guy mixed in with the power.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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