STARKVILLE — The Starkville High School football team recovered four Canton fumbles, and running back Preston Baker scored two touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 45-8 win Friday night.
The blowout win keeps the Jackets (6-2, 4-0) undefeated in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A, Region 2 standings and clinches a playoff berth.
Starkville has held its past four opponents to an average of 12.8 points per game, which leads the division.
“It feels pretty good (to win in that style),” senior lineman Corey Cannon said.
Starkville’s defense recorded the first two scores of the game. Eric Rogers had a sack that resulted in a safety and Latajah Bush recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
Starkville’s defense held Canton to five first downs and kept the Tigers (3-5, 0-4) out of the end zone until the final minute.
“You play how you practice,” Cannon said. “We’ve had three good weeks and it’s showed on the field.”
Despite cruising to an easy win and maintaining the division lead, the Yellow Jackets ran into turnover problems for the second straight week.
Quarterback Gabe Myles fumbled a pair of center exchanges at the goal line, nixing a pair of drives that covered 60 yards.
The defense bailed the offense out, scoring on the next play of each turnover, but the same miscues forced Starkville to play from behind in its win at Ridgeland last week.
“We threw the pick-six last week to start the game,” SHS coach Jamie Mitchell said. “And this crap tonight … I don’t know. It’s frustrating. It’s starting to get a little bit mental with us now, almost like we’re waiting on something bad to happen. It’s very frustrating.”
Mitchell said it has been difficult to correct the mental lapses while the Yellow Jackets are winning — and winning big.
“That’s junior high stuff (fumbling the snap),” Mitchell said. “It’s not acceptable. You’re just not going to beat good teams doing that. I don’t know. We’re working our rear ends off trying to figure out what it is.”
Myles was 8 of 16 for 149 yards. He had a 28-yard scoring pass to Jimmy Saulsberry late in the second quarter.
Baker followed with a 2-yard run with 26 seconds remaining in the half to put Starkville up 31-0 at halftime.
Myles tweaked his left ankle and didn’t play the second half. Myles iced the foot and Mitchell said he’d be fine for next week’s game.
The lead and Myles’ ankle opened the door for backup quarterback Mike Newman, who made the most of his cameo with a pair of touchdowns. Newman ditty bopped on a 26-yard touchdown run, shaking a pair of defenders at the sideline before hooking up with Kentrell Spencer for a 26-yard scoring pass.
“He’s a solid, solid backup,” Mitchell said. “I know (Newman) is tickled to death with that.”
Mitchell lamented the sparse crowd that showed to the Yellow Jackets, who are on the cusp of winning a division title.
“Our football team is 6-2 and 4-0 in the division and there was hardly anybody here,” Mitchell said. “This team deserves this town to be here for them. I know there was a lot going on in Starkville tonight, but this team deserves them behind them.”
Starkville will travel next week to Yazoo City.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.