The Starkville Academy football team passed all of its tests in the first part of the 2011 regular season.
At 7 p.m. Friday, the stakes will get much higher when unbeaten Starkville Academy begins Class AAA, District 2 play at Hillcrest Christian in Jackson.
“We are real pleased with the start to the season,” Starkville Academy coach Jeff Terrill said. “Now we are ready for the second season. Once district play starts, you have to play even better. The games take on more meaning. We begin district play with back-to-back road games, so we have a challenge right off the bat.”
The Volunteers had little trouble winning their four non-district games. After winning only three games last season, Starkville Academy has eclipsed that mark and has won by an average of just less than 28 points per contest.
“Offensively, we have made some great strides in the last couple of weeks,” Terrill said. “We are beginning to find more consistency. We realize there are some huge challenges in front of us. However, the kids have been working hard, and they have been rewarded with some early success. That can”t do anything but give us more confidence going forward.”
Realignment has given Starkville Academy new opponents. The shift to District 2 matches Starkville Academy with Copiah Academy, Rankin Academy, Hillcrest Christian, Jackson Prep, Parklane Academy, and Presbyterian Christian. In the next seven weeks, Starkville Academy will face each district opponent. It also has a non-league matchup against Winston Academy.
“It is a different set of challenges,” Terrill said. “Still in Class AAA you know a little bit about everybody else, so we will continue to work hard and do some scouting and try to compete.”
Inside the district, Starkville Academy will compete in Division II with Copiah, East Rankin, and Hillcrest. Of these four teams, the top two will advance to the postseason. However, all six district games will count in the standings.
“Hillcrest has some nice speed and some talent at the skill positions,” Terrill said. “Anytime you play on the road it is a challenge. We will have to play mistake-free football and be ready to go.”
In their last outing, Starkville Academy rushed for 396 yards in a 42-14 road win against Leake Academy. Fullback Ryan Mann rumbled for 185 of those yards on 19 rushes, with four touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Pellum also ran for 118 yards on 15 carries.
Hillcrest is 1-3 and 0-1 in district play. It opened district play last weekend with a 42-0 loss at East Rankin. Hillcrest has scored 42 points in four games. Of that total, 35 came in a 35-19 home triumph against Adams County Christian.
East Oktibbeha (3-1, 1-0) at Ethel (2-2, 0-1)
East Oktibbeha began its second season on a positive note last week at home with a 20-9 Class 1A, Region 3 win against Sebastopol.
The Titans will look for a 2-0 start in region play at 7:30 p.m. Friday when they play at Ethel.
“I thought we did a good job of bouncing back,” East Oktibbeha coach Randy Brooks said. “The key to the win Friday night was halftime adjustments. I thought we corrected some made mistakes and executed much better in the second half.
The Titans battled back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to post the win. Kortland Petty provided a spark in the second half, scoring two touchdowns after moving to running back. The first came on a fourth-down punt attempt. Following a bobbled snap, Petty raced 54 yards for the score.
After Sebastopol battled back for a 9-8 lead, quarterback Davalyn Bell hit Terrence Rice on an 80-yard touchdown pass on the game”s next play.
The Titans defense responded with its usual strong performance. In the three victories this season, East Oktibbeha has allowed 15 points. The win against Sebastopol helped ease the pain of a 55-0 drubbing administered by Class 4A foe North Pontotoc the previous week.
“That loss humbled us,” Brooks said. “It taught us how hard we need to continue to work to be a good football team. The disappointing part of that loss was the amount of effort we gave. The effort was much improved in the win over Sebastopol.”
Ethel has alternated wins and losses during its 2-2 start. The Tigers opened region play with a 42-22 loss at West Lowndes last week. The Tigers rushed for 225 yards, while quarterback Bobby Potts threw for another 108.
East Oktibbeha won last season”s meeting 48-12. The Titans can match last season”s win total with a victory Friday.
West Oktibbeha (2-1, 0-0) at Nanih Waiya (1-2, 1-0)
The Timberwolves will open Class 1A, Region 3A play at 7:30 p.m. Friday against longtime power Nanih Waiya.
West Oktibbeha saw its two-game win streak snapped Thursday in a 36-16 home loss to Eupora. In that contest, the Eagles rushed 53 times for 277 yards and were rarely threatened in the game”s final half.
“They were a big, physical team and we struggled,” West Oktibbeha coach Adam Lowrey said. “I want to see how we respond. Hopefully, we will put the loss behind us because the next eight games are region games, and they are all big ones.”
West Oktibbeha scored 44 or more points in its first two victories. Against Eupora, the offense never could get going, as quarterback Von Smith threw for 87 yards and only rushed for 12 more yards.
The Timberwolves also struggled without two-way star Shun Fair, who left the game midway through the second quarter with a high ankle sprain. Fair is expected back in the lineup Friday night.
Still, West Oktibbeha only trailed 14-8 at halftime. The second half was a different story, as the bigger, deeper set Eagles took flight and left the Timberwolves behind.
“Hopefully, we will respond against Nanih Waiya,” Lowrey said. “I think the kids are a little hurt we didn”t play better last week. It looks to me like they are ready to come out, play hard, and get back on track.”
Nanih Waiya opened region play on a positive note with a 39-9 triumph at Pelahatchie. Martin Johnson rushed for four touchdowns. Johnson scored three times in the game”s final half, as the Warriors built on a 13-9 halftime advantage.
Nanih Waiya won last season”s meeting 21-6.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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