MACON — Tyrone Shorter couldn’t help think here we go again.
Last season, three interceptions and numerous missed opportunities played a role in the Noxubee County High School’s 51-19 loss to Starkville in the season opener for both teams. The point total was the most surrendered by the Tigers since 2006.
That game was the farthest thing from Shorter’s mind last week when his team led Starkville 20-7 in the third quarter. But instead of cashing in on their momentum, the Tigers committed two fumbles that enabled the Yellow Jackets to find their rhythm and battle back to send the game to overtime. Noxubee County’s defense made two goal-line stands in the extra periods to help the team survive in a 26-20 double-overtime thriller in Macon.
At 7 p.m. Friday, reigning Class 4A state champion Noxubee County (1-0) will continue its murderer’s row non-conference schedule when it plays host to Class 6A Columbus (1-0).
Shorter knows the Falcons, under second-year head coach Randal Montgomery, have a potent ground attack, led by juniors Kylin Hill and Kendre Conner, so he hopes his players will be able to re-focus and take care of the football a little better.
“We had them exactly where we wanted them,” Shorter said about last week’s game. “We had the ball and were driving. The only thing I tell the running backs is, ‘Don’t turn it over. Even if you don’t get another yard, don’t turn it over. Just secure the ball.’ We were playing good defense and we could have punted the ball away, but we fumbled it and the momentum changed and they were right back in it.”
Shorter hopes the mistakes were are lesson learned in a victory that snapped a two-game losing streak to the Yellow Jackets. He knows Noxubee County won’t be able to overlook an improved Columbus team that is coming off a 49-27 victory against Kemper County last week in its season opener.
Noxubee County has won the past five meetings against Columbus dating back to a 25-24 loss on Aug. 31, 2007. It has won eight of the past 10 meetings through the 2003 season. The teams didn’t play in 2011 and 2012.
“There are plenty of things we can work on from the first game,” Shorter said. ”
Senior defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, The Dispatch’s Prep Player of the Week, had 13 solo tackles (17 overall), five sacks, three pass deflections (at least one went for an interception), a fumble recovery, and a blocked extra point to lead the Tigers. Senior quarterback Timorrius Conner rushed for a 12-yard touchdown and threw three touchdown passes. The Tigers had success throwing the ball despite losing senior Kymbotric Mason early in the game. He is questionable for the Columbus game. Ladaveon Smith paced Noxubee County with six catches, while Deveon Ball had four and Rashad Eades had three, including one for a touchdown.
“We felt coming into the game that we could throw the ball,” Shorter said. “We felt with their defensive front that it was going to be kind of hard to run the ball. You have to give them credit. They are very good up front. We kind of figured we were going to have to spread it out and throw the ball some. Our receivers stepped up.
“I think Rashad Eades is going to be a terrific player before he leaves here. Deveon Ball had a heck of a ballgame. We had other guys stepped up, and I thought Conner stepped in there and delivered some nice passes there at the end. Our receiving corps doesn’t have the big names out there, but these kids can play.”
Columbus trailed Kemper County 13-7 before scoring 35-straight points. Montgomery felt the Falcons did a great job handling adversity, which is something they didn’t do last season.
“That was certainly an area we had to grow in and be better at,” Montgomery said. “Kemper County had driven the ball on our defense twice. After that, our defense settled in and made three straight stops deep in their territory. There was also an interception in there. Those plays really changed the entire game.”
Hill returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, while Conner rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns. The 49-point outburst was Columbus’ highest-scoring game since a 53-34 victory against Tupelo on Sept. 26, 2003.
“We did a lot of things well. However, we don’t want our kids satisfied with 49 points,” Montgomery said. “We had some opportunities we didn’t cash in. There is always room to grow. Kendre (Conner) and Kylin (Hill) really did their jobs. They should give us quite the 1-2 punch throughout the season. We saw a lot of growth in our offensive line during the offseason. That was on display in this game. We only had one turnover and won the turnover battle (2 to 1). We didn’t do that very often last season.”
Columbus won three of its last four games at the end of the 2014 season, which provided optimism for this season. Despite just missing out on a tiebreaker last season, Montgomery likes his team’s chances to reach the postseason. He said the Falcons are excited to be 1-0, but he also said they shouldn’t be satisfied because there is a lot everyone wants to accomplish this season.
“Our schedule is difficult and this is another huge challenge,” Shorter said. “Noxubee County won a state championship last year. That is the level we are striving to reach. You saw what they were able to do with Starkville. However, our kids won’t be intimidated by anybody. We have a lot of confidence now. Confidence is a good thing. If you can have some confidence and then play well also, then you give yourself a chance in any ballgame.”
Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino and Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters contributed to this report.
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