STARKVILLE — Chase Nicholson believes the Starkville Academy football team might have made history last week.
The Volunteers didn’t set a school record for points or have a player set a single-game mark for most yards or tackles. That didn’t diminish the significance of a 34-24 victory against East Webster in a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS)-Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) matchup.
Nicholson said part of the reason for the Volunteers’ success last week had to do with the effort of his players. In fact, Nicholson said Starkville Academy’s effort might have been the best he has seen. The performance enabled the Volunteers to meet the No. 2 goal on defensive coordinator Brad Butler’s wish list of 17 he has for every game: attack, pursue, and be relentless.
As far as Nicholson knows, the showing by the defense earned it a check mark next to No. 2 on the dry erase board for the first time.
“I had no idea that that one would be the first one that anybody can ever remember being checked off,” Nicholson said. “That was pretty cool.”
Starkville Academy will try to build on that momentum at 7 tonight when it travels to Senatobia to take on Magnolia Heights. Next week, Starkville Academy will open Class AAA, District 2 play when it plays host to Winston Academy.
Taylor Arnold fueled the attack by rushing for 173 yards and scoring two touchdowns for the Volunteers (3-1).
“We bounced back just like we wanted to,” Nicholson said. “That is what you ask your guys to do. They put (a 35-21 loss to) Indianolia (Academy) behind them and moved forward. That is all you can ask from them. The effort was tremendous.”
Nicholson said a lot of players raised their level of play in an effort in which the team kept fighting back. He said the contributions of so many players epitomized the selfless nature of how the Volunteers have had success this season. Nicholson hopes that mentality continues as the team approaches games that will determine its postseason fate.
Starkville Academy should stay on course if it continues to check goals off the coaches’ wish lists. The Volunteers checked off eight of Butler’s pre-game goals. Nicholson said the coaches and players reviewed film from the game Sunday and discussed what they planned to work on this week. So far, the plan has worked well and has allowed the Volunteers to continue to grow.
Nicholson said Arnold is one whose effort earned him one of the awards the team hands out every week. True to the team’s selfless nature, Nicholson said Arnold praised the effort of the offensive line, which earned the coaches award and Brian McCaskill Player of the Week award, for opening the holes he found to have a big night.
“He was very complimentary of the offensive line because they played their greatest game,” Nicholson said. “Coach (Tony Stanford) really had them ready to go. … Him getting to the next level and what he does when he breaks through, that is a testament to what he is athletically and how hard he runs and how much he wants it because he is a really physical runner who also is really athletic.”
The work by the offensive line was even more impressive considering Zach Barnes (left tackle) moved from defense to offense due to an injury. Joel Riddell (left guard), Will Holley (center), Walker Tranum (right guard), and Trey Tyler (right tackle) rounded out the offensive line.
Nicholson hopes the continued development and sacrifice of individuals for the betterment of the team speaks to what the players can accomplish if they stay on the same path. Through four games, he has no reason to believe it will stop.
“I know we will not go where we want to go with selfish players,” Nicholson said. “We have to have a bond that is bigger (than individual accolades) and a team that is selfless and put the team above themselves. That is what we have in every player.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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