STARKVILLE — Basketball coaches frequently talk about contrasting styles and the need to impose their style on an opponent.
The same theme can apply in a lesser degree to football, and it will be a major factor at 7 tonight when No. 1 Starkville (13-0) plays host to No. 2 South Panola (13-0) in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A North State championship game at Yellow Jacket Stadium. The winner will face Oak Grove or Brandon next Friday for the Class 6A state championship at Davis Wade Stadium on the Mississippi State campus in Starkville.
Both teams boast two of the state’s best defenses. On offense, the game will match South Panola’s rushing attack against Starkville’s high-flying passing attack led by senior quarterback Brady Davis.
“You have two of the best defenses in the state going head-to-head. That will be exciting,” Starkville coach Jamie Mitchell said. “The key will be offensive execution. The key is not turning the ball over and making sure you do the things that you do best on offense.”
Starkville is allowing 10.5 points per game, while South Panola is allowing 12.5 ppg. Both teams opened the playoffs with shutouts. In the second round, each team had a shutout in the second half to rally to a victory. South Panola erased a 7-6 deficit in a 9-7 win against Clinton. Starkville rallied from a 10-3 deficit to defeat Southaven 34-10.
“In the playoffs, you have to be really great to win a championship,” Starkville senior linebacker Alonzo Flowers said. “After the last couple of games (of the regular season), we had to re-commit ourselves to being great on defense. We lost a little confidence there, but we have picked it back up. We know the challenge that is coming from South Panola, and we look forward to it.”
On offense, Starkville has dominated with 64 points in playoff wins against Tupelo and Southaven. That performance came after 650 yards of total offense were recorded in a 56-46 regular-season win against Clinton.
“We feel like we are ready for all challengers,” Davis said. “We had a couple of games where we started slow, but we always stayed true to our identity. If we don’t score on a possession, we try to come out the next time we get the ball and make up for it.”
Davis has thrown for 3,127 yards and 39 touchdowns. South Panola junior quarterback Tyler Pogue has thrown for 1,769 yards and 19 touchdowns. Pogue only had two completions against Clinton.
Starkville has worked to achieve more balance. The Yellow Jackets have fought uphill to achieve this goal thanks in part to injuries to key performers in the backfield.
“You really have to have balance to win in the playoffs,” Mitchell said. “You have to have balance on offense, great defense, and great special teams play. Even though we have had to overcome some adversity, we feel like we have really done a great job in each of those three areas.”
Starkville senior Matt Fuller has excelled late in the season. Fuller has rushed for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the past three games, he has rushed for 406 yards and four touchdowns.
“You have to really be proud of Matt and his season,” Davis said. “He is not outspoken. He has a hard worker who leads by example. When the offensive line plays well, and that is almost every night, you know Matt is going to step up to the plate and deliver.”
South Panola senior Darrell Henderson has rushed for 1,964 yards and 11 touchdowns. Junior Oluwain Hoskins has rushed for 1,092 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a team, South Panola has slightly less than 1,600 rushing yards more than Starkville.
“South Panola likes to run the ball,” Flowers said. “That is not our secret. Our D-line will be up to the challenge. We will be playing at home in front of our crowd playing for state, so everybody will be excited. We know their plan and we know ours. We just have to come out and dominate early and take control.”
Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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