STARKVILLE — The Starkville High School football team picked up where it left off Friday night against another Class 5A, Region 2 school from Jackson.
In front of a large Homecoming crowd, Starkville rolled to a 38-7 victory against the Provine High Rams.
It wasn’t all roses, however.
Starkville (4-2, 2-0 region) got off to a shaky start with back-to-back false start penalties to open the game and three in the series, along with two fumbled snaps. However, junior quarterback Gabe Myles broke runs of 21 and 9 yards for two key first downs to keep the drive alive. On second and goal from the 6-yard line, junior Stanley Higgins carried two defenders into the end zone 6 minutes, 10 seconds into the contest to cap an 80-yard drive.
Starkville spotted Provine (3-3, 1-1) 5 yards on its first play from scrimmage, then pushed it backwards before partially blocking a punt at Provine’s 20. Sophomore Taylor Johnston caught the ball on the run, advancing it within 6 yards of the goal line. On second down, Myles was in shotgun formation but leaning forward waiting on the snap, swinging wide left and into the end zone untouched.
With 2:59 remaining in the first quarter, Starkville went up 14-0 and the rout was on.
Provine made little progress in the next series, but tried to catch Starkville off guard on fourth down with 4 yards to go on its 30 with a quick fake punt. It might have worked, if not for senior defensive end Dennis Ware, who stopped the punter 1 yard short.
Starkville took over at the Provine 33, but turned the ball over on downs at the 24.
The Rams made some headway, finally notching their only first down of the half two minutes into the second quarter, but were forced to punt the ball. Starkville crossed the 50 and threatened a third score, but a high snap over the quarterback’s head put the Rams at the Yellow Jackets’ 21.
This time, Provine caught Starkville off guard with a reverse that nearly scored, but the Yellow Jackets defense punched the ball loose and recovered it on their 5. Myles quickly dug the Yellow Jackets out of the hole with passes of 16 and 33 yards to junior Devin Mitchell.
That set up the most exciting play of the night, a quick lateral to sophomore Princeton Jones. Jones spotted Mitchell, the only SHS player downfield, 5 yards behind the defense. The crowd held their breath as the ball floated down the field, hoping it would drop before two defenders could catch the receiver. Mitchell caught the ball on the 2 and coasted into the end zone for a 39-yard score with 1:54 left in the half. Starkville tacked on a two-point conversion for a 22-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets weren’t done.
Moments later, Provine coughed up the ball and put Starkville right back in the red zone. Myles hit Mitchell again on a swing pass at the 17, and the running back sliced between two defenders for the score with 1:30 to go in the half.
Even with a commanding lead, Starkville’s defense continued punishing Provine, forcing another fumble at the 34. With two seconds left in the half, sophomore kicker Charlie Henderson chipped in another three pointer to take a 32-0 lead to the half.
Starkville added one more score in the third quarter, a 15-yard strike to junior Jimmy Saulsberry, and Provine finally scored on a 19-play drive with eight minutes remaining for the final tally.
Starkville coach Jamie Mitchell praised his defense, but raised questions about the offense in spite of the lopsided score.
“The defense was lights out,” Mitchell said. “But the offense didn’t get into a great rhythm and that’s a concern. But we overcame it, especially that first possession, with two back to back procedure calls.”
Mitchell said unlike last week, he got to keep his starters on the field.
“That was very, very important,” he said. “We need those guys to play snaps. I thought it was very important to get those guys back in the swing of things.”
A little rust was to be expected, and Gabe Myles said the Jackets just had to settle down and play their game.
“I was more focused (in the second quarter),” he said. “I knew we had to go and shut the game out, and get the win. You’ve got to know how to kill a team, make a play and step up.”
Playing in a new class and region, Devin Mitchell said the team never knows what to expect.
“Some of these teams we’ve never heard of,” he said. “We’ve never seen them play. We’ve just got practice every week just like we’re playing South Panola or West Point. We’re going to come out, fight hard, keep putting God first and let him lead us to the championship.”
Starkville travels to Ridgeland next week, in another conference matchup against a Jackson-area school. Kickoff is set for 7pm.
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