With no field house to call home, West Point football players are having to do without the traditional countdown clock hanging on a side wall.
However, if a clock existed, it might have been set to this game even before the season started.
At 7 tonight, that time finally will arrive and give West Point a chance to end three years of misery to rival Oxford when the teams meet in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A, Region 1 opener at Hamblin Stadium in West Point.
“This game is personal, and we have waited a long time for this opportunity,” West Point senior wide receiver Demarrio Edwards said. “We haven’t had a lot of good luck against Oxford. We know they are the team we have to beat if we want to win championships. That is what makes this really an important game. Everybody is hyped and ready to go.”
Oxford has won back-to-back Class 5A North State championships. To reach those goals, the Chargers defeated the Green Wave in the regular season and playoffs each season.
Overall, Oxford has a five-game winning streak in the series, which also includes a regular-season win in 2013.
“This game really means a lot to us because it is the first region game,” West Point junior running back Marcus Murphy said. “We go ahead and assume we will see them twice each season, so really we just want to go out and play our best and start region play on a strong note.
“The biggest thing is not beating Oxford, but it is being 1-0 in region play. Still, we know what kind of rivalry this is and how important it is to be able to beat one of the elite teams like that.”
Oxford has won 25 games the last two seasons. However, the 2014 season ended with a state championship game loss to Laurel. The 2015 campaign ended with a loss to Wayne County.
West Point has won 20 games in that same stretch, but it lost to Oxford 42-14 in the second round of the 2014 North State playoffs and 35-7 last season in the North State title match.
“We know we have our hands full with Oxford,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “They have been the premier program in 5A each of the last two seasons. They have set the standard. Until you take that away from them, they are the premier team. You can’t make too much of one game, especially when it is the first region game of the season.
“It’s important to get off to a good start. However, it would be nice for our players to see they can match up with Oxford.”
After a season-opening victory against Louisville, West Point (3-1) was held to three combined touchdowns in a loss to Starkville and victory against Columbus. Last week, West Point racked up 476 yards in a 47-6 victory against Noxubee County.
“Things really clicked,” said West Point senior quarterback Clayton Knight, who threw two touchdowns in the victory. “We have been working hard for a game like that the entire season. I think it lifts everybody’s confidence level. I think everybody knows what we can do now when every player plays to their full potential. We just have to have everybody locked in and focused.”
Under the direction of first-year coach Chris Cutcliffe, Oxford is 2-2. The Chargers have rallied in the fourth quarter for victories at Southaven and Madison Central. Oxford lost to Starkville at home and last week dropped a 23-3 home decision to county rival Lafayette.
Not only did coach Johnny Hill retire a season ago but Oxford also lost seven starters on each side of the ball. That is part of the reason West Point remains the highest-ranked team in Class 5A by The Clarion-Ledger and The Associated Press.
However, rankings mean little. West Point is ready to back things up on the field.
“It’s a big opportunity,” Edwards said. “We want to prove to everybody West Point football is back. We want to show we have the type of team capable of winning a championship. That is why this game is really big to us.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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