NATCHEZ — CJ Jackson ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries to fuel another road win for Starkville Academy (9-4) in the MAIS Class 5A playoffs.
The Volunteers beat Adams County Christian (9-4) by a score of 20-15 in Natchez and will play rival Heritage Academy in Friday’s title game in Jackson.
Jackson helped the Volunteers erase a 7-0 halftime deficit to ACCS with his efforts. He scored twice and quarterback Randall Futral had a rushing touchdown to power Starkville Academy to a 20-7 lead. The Rebels got a late touchdown, but it wasn’t enough.
The Vols, the No. 10 seed in the Class 5A bracket, have now beaten No. 7 Magnolia Heights, No. 2 Lamar School and No. 6 ACCS in back-to-back-to-back weeks, all on the road. They’ll face the Patriots for the title at 7 p.m. at Jackson Academy.
Biggersville 44, West Lowndes 6
CORINTH — West Lowndes’ turnaround season ended Friday in the first round of the Class 1A playoffs in Corinth with a 44-6 loss to No. 3 Biggersville.
The Panthers gave up two touchdowns to the Lions in each of the first two quarters, including a touchdown on the last play of the first half, but could not manage any points of their own. West Lowndes got a touchdown late in the third quarter but could not convert the point after.
No stats were available from the contest despite attempts to reach coaches.
The Panthers’ season ends with a record of 8-4.
Noxubee County 21, Senatobia 0
SENATOBIA — Noxubee County quarterback Marlon Windham ran for two long touchdowns, and the Tigers (8-5) posted their second straight shutout: a 21-0 road upset of No. 3 Senatobia (9-3) in the second round of the MHSAA Class 3A playoffs.
After defensive lineman Travorus Hatcher filled in on offense for a 4-yard touchdown to open the scoring in the first quarter, Windham had a 45-yard rushing score with a minute to go in the quarter. Demone Cunningham rushed for the two-point conversion to make it 14-0 in the Tigers’ favor.
In the third quarter, Windham ran for a 30-yard touchdown, and Kylan Stewart made the extra point. The Tigers’ defense posted its fourth shutout of the season.
Noxubee County will host Houston (10-3) in the third round Friday. The Tigers beat the Hilltoppers 19-12 on Oct. 4 in Macon.
Marvell Academy (Ark.) 34, Columbus Christian Academy 8
MARVELL, Ark. — Columbus Christian Academy quarterback Dakota Shaw scored a late touchdown, but the Rams lost 34-8 at Marvell Academy in an MAIS Eight-Man Class 2A semifinal on Friday in Marvell, Arkansas.
Shaw had a rushing score of 7 yards with under two minutes to go, but Marvell already had an insurmountable 34-0 lead. The Eagles (11-1) scored 22 points in the first quarter and kept Shaw and the Rams off the board until late.
Shaw, who was 5 for 7 passing, also recovered a fumble late in the third quarter near the goal line to keep the Eagles from another score.
Tyler Looney led the team with 11 tackles, Shaw had eight and Jonathan Peal had seven.
The Rams’ season, their first under head coach Jason Williams, comes to an end at 9-3.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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