TUPELO — Columbus High School head football coach Randal Montgomery found motivation in an unusual place this week.
“Tupelo put out a hype video during the week,” Columbus junior running back Kylin Hill said. “They talked about how they were going to win this game. In the background, the song ‘We Ready’ played. That really got us fired up.
“Coaches told us to take it as a slight. They made sure we watched it. That got us ready.”
Turns out Tupelo was nowhere close to ready.
For a second straight week, Hill topped the 200-yard mark and Columbus turned in its most complete game of the season, recording a 33-9 victory to spoil Community Tailgate Night at Tupelo Stadium.
With the win, Columbus improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A, Region 1 play. The Falcons are quickly sending notice they are ready to contend for the region title.
“Everybody’s sleeping on us,” Columbus senior linebacker Mario Bradford said. “Everybody thinks they can come out and roll over us because we are Columbus and we have always been down. It doesn’t work that way anymore. It’s a new day. People who keep taking us lightly are going to get abused.”
Columbus has ridden a stellar defense to its early-season success. The Falcons continued that theme Friday night. However, the offense joined the party. A team struggling to finish drives earlier in the year finished them with authority.
“It is all about finishing because we were not where we needed to be in that category,” Columbus junior quarterback C.J. Gholar said. “We finished tonight. I am really proud of all of my guys. The defense has been there for us all year. Tonight, the offense clicked, finished and did its job, too. We are on the verge of being special.”
Hill ran 26 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Gholar added 111 rushing yards on 15 tries with his team’s other three scores. Despite playing for a second straight week without junior back Kendre Conner, the Falcons were one bad snap on a third down play away from breaking 400 rushing yards (finishing with 381 instead).
In two region games, Hill has rushed 60 times for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
“He has gone next level there is no doubt about it,” Montgomery said. “We have been waiting patiently for that. We all know Kylin can take over a game. They didn’t want to tackle him after they tried a few times tonight. Really proud of the offense and the way they played. We knew being without Kendre, the whole rushing load was going to fall on Kylin. He has really responded.”
Columbus had scoring drives of 65, 75, 75, 88 and 91 yards.
“That is rather amazing,” Montgomery said. “I didn’t know the numbers were that good. It is just a testament of the growth and development of this team. We have made a lot of strides and have grown up.”
Columbus took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards on 13 plays. Gholar plunged in from a yard out for a 7-0 lead. Another long drive was highlighted by a 17-yard pass play from Gholar to Shemar Mayfield. Gholar capped the drive with a 3-yard run for a 13-3 halftime lead.
It was a role reversal from last week when Columbus rallied from down 21-10 at halftime to beat DeSoto Central 23-21.
“The fast start was huge,” Gholar said. “We were excited about playing. We knew we needed to come out and set the tone, because we were playing away from home. We got the score and the defense got a stop and we were off rolling.”
The second half followed a similar theme. Columbus scored on the second half’s first possession and Hill began to find his zone.
On defense, Christopher Deloach, Kiren Sharp, Damonta Kidd, Bradford and Derrick Beckom led a unit that made the night miserable for Tupelo quarterback Daniel Bristow. The Golden Wave was held to 147 total yards, including 12 passing.
Columbus held Tupelo (3-3, 1-1) to three straight three-and-outs to start the second half. The Golden Wave eventually scored a touchdown after an 8-yard punt set Tupelo up with needing only 17 yards. Still, the Golden Wave needed seven plays to cover those 17 yards.
“The three-and-outs were really great,” Kidd said. “We were flying around and everybody was making plays. It just seemed like everything we were doing was right.”
Columbus will look to extends its fast start with a Homecoming game against Horn Lake Friday night. Montgomery made it clear to his team that Homecoming activities needed to involve other students, teachers and alumni, and not players.
“We have some business to attend to,” Montgomery said. “We can’t have it become a distraction.”
Meanwhile there is no word on whether Horn Lake will make a video this week.
“It was really funny when we watched that in the locker room,” Gholar said. “It is even funnier now.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.