STARKVILLE— The Starkville High School football team has been dubbed the “Cardiac Kids” by head coach Chris Jones, and the Yellow Jackets showed why again Friday night.
Sophomore quarterback Trey Petty found Braylon Burnside for a 30-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left to lift Starkville to a 28-21 win over Clinton. Previously, the Yellow Jackets scored late to defeat Louisville (28-23) and Madison Central (35-28).
The winning drive was set up when the Yellow Jackets broke up a fake punt in the backfield to take over at the Clinton 42 with 2:21 to play. Petty picked up a first down on fourth-and-6 with his legs, then launched the pass to Burnside to give Starkville the lead. Clinton turned over the ball on downs trying to pass downfield, and the Jackets ran out the clock in victory formation to seal yet another comeback win.
Petty threw for more than 200 yards and 4 touchdowns and ran for more than 100 yards, as his performances are starting to stand out, especially as a sophomore leading a Class 6A program to a 6-0 start.
“It’s his will to win in everything he does,” Jones said. “We could go to the gym right now and shoot free throws, and we’d be there all night till he wins. He always wants to win, and that says something about a person, especially a quarterback.
“It all starts there: a will to win and to make everyone else around him better. Sky’s the limit for that kid, but games like this are gonna sharpen his craft. He’s good, but he’s gonna get better, and I think he’ll get to where he needs to eventually.”
Petty seems to understand what he is accomplishing.
“I feel like it’s big because you don’t see too many sophomores leading a team, and it’s big for me,” Petty said after the game.
He played well throughout but was crucial in kickstarting the second half comeback and following through on adjustments made after the break.
“The message at halftime was to be more aggressive, be smarter and make better decisions, and take more shots when we got those one-on-one chances like we did at the end.”
After a scoreless first quarter that included Starkville blocking a field goal try, Clinton got on the board first on a 58-yard pass from Jordyn Battee to Juan Taylor. But the Yellow Jackets responded, with Javious Gray catching a pass from Petty, spun out of a tackle near the sideline and walked uncontested into the end zone. The PAT leveled the score at 7-7.
But the Arrows took a 14-7 lead into halftime after a 42-yard screen pass set up a short touchdown run.
The teams exchanged touchdowns during the third quarter, with the Jackets scoring theirs when Petty found Jaylon York for a 14-yard score and the Arrows getting theirs on an 11-yard run.
Starkville’s defense then prevented Clinton from taking advantage of a fumble, forcing a punt with 10:06 remaining. Petty then led the Jackets into the end zone in 2 minutes, hitting Jordan Mitchell with a 4-yard TD pass and running in the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21 and set up the game-winning drive.
The Jackets have had several close calls this season, and their coach spoke postgame about the benefit of playing tough opponents before entering district play.
“I believe in playing tough nondistrict opponents, and I don’t believe in taking weeks off,” Jones said. “Every week is a week we’ve gotten better, and we’re just trying to be consistent. We’re a young team so it’s all about them understanding what it takes to win, and for me it’s about being consistent in everything we do.”
Starkville has another tough game Friday against a Tupelo team that is coming off of its first loss, 22-6 against Oxford.
Starkville 28, Clinton 21
Clinton (2-3) 0 14 7 0 — 21
Starkville (6-0) 0 7 7 14 — 28
Second quarter
C — Juan Taylor 58 pass from Jordyn Battee (kick good), 10:20
S — Javious Gray 14 pass from Trey Petty (kick good), 8:36
S — Calvin 1 run (kick good), 6:06
Third quarter
S — Jaylon York 14 pass from Petty (kick failed), 6:23
C — Taylor 11 run (kick good), :40
Fourth quarter
S — Jordan Mitchell 4 pass from Petty (Petty run)
S — Braylon Burnside 30 pass from Petty (kick good), :59
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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 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Starkville receiver Braylon Burnside throws a stiff arm at Clinton linebacker Quinton Whitehead on Friday night in Starkville. Burnside caught the game-winning pass from Trey Petty in the final minute. Austin Frayser/Special to The Dispatch
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