STARKVILLE — Ricky Woods always has five goals in the preseason.
The Starkville High School first-year head coach replaced Jamie Mitchell in the summer and presented his objectives — have a winning season, make the playoffs, win the district, win the North Half State championship, and win the state championship — to the team. The former South Panola High coach won four-straight state championships with the Tigers from 2003-06, so he knows what it takes to be one of the final two teams standing.
But the third goal is always one to be celebrated.
“It’s special to win the district. It’s not really easy to do,” Woods said.
On Friday, Starkville realized Woods’ third goal with a 45-7 victory against Clinton at Yellow Jacket Stadium that clinched the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Region 2 title.
Starkville (10-1, 7-1), the No. 1 seed, will play host to No. 4 seed Olive Branch (6-5, 4-3) on Friday night.
It’s the second region championship in a row for Starkville, which went undefeated in region play last season and was unbeaten when it lost to South Panola in the Class 6A North Half championship game.
Since moving up to Class 6A in 2013, the Yellow Jackets have won two district titles and lost only one region game. In 2013, Starkville lost to Warren Central and finished in a three-way tie at the top and was the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.
Since district play began in 1981, the Jackets are 150-45-1. Since starting football in 1924, Starkville is 580-88-21.
Last season, quarterback Brady Davis and wide receiver Raphael Leonard led the team. This year, it’s all about quarterback Montario Montgomery and wide receiver A.J. Brown.
“We lost a good quarterback last year, but we bounced back from that,” junior linebacker Willie Gay said. “We work hard every day, every week, and we just continue to get better every week.”
Montgomery was 10 of 21 for 275 yards and three touchdowns, but he threw three interceptions in the first half. He rushed for 11 yards on two carries, including a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Brown had two catches for 162 yards. He caught a 72-yard touchdown to put the Yellow Jackets on the board in the first quarter. He then hauled in a 90-yard touchdown in the second quarter in which he leapt over a defender and ran nearly 70 yards to the end zone.
Brown also had an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown. He finished with 297 all-purpose yards.
Montgomery found Tavian Clark for a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Wesley Albritton made a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter.
It wasn’t all about the offense, though. Natrone Brooks returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Jackets only allowed 166 yards (130 rushing, 36 passing). Aretavious Hendrix also had an interception, while Jacob Williams and Jaquez Wilson recovered fumbles. The Yellow Jackets forced four turnovers.
“We’re playing excellent, better than anybody probably ever thought,” Gay said. “We’re stepping up when we’re supposed to, late in games, and putting them away early. We know we can compete with anybody.”
Clinton (7-4, 5-2), which was without injured starting quarterback Cam Akers, scored on Darius Mayberry’s 82-yard run. Clinton will be the region’s No. 3 seed and will play Friday at Columbus, the No. 2 seed from Region 2. The winner of that game will face Starkville or Olive Branch.
The district title is something to be celebrated, but, as Woods said, that isn’t the end game.
Brown, who was almost as lethal as Leonard last season, doesn’t really care about the district title.
“It’s all fun and dandy, but we’re trying to get the other gold ball,” Brown said. “Last year, we came up a game short to get there, and that’s our goal to get there and make something happen.”
The loss to South Panola has been one of the biggest motivators for Starkville. Following the 36-26 setback in Starkville, coach Jamie Mitchell left in the spring for a job as a head football coach in Arkansas.
Now Woods has Starkville on track for another deep run in the playoffs. After a season-opening loss to Noxubee County in double overtime, Starkville has won 10-straight games.
“I think we’re better than we’ve ever been,” Woods said. “I think we’re peaking at the right time.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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