Before West Point embarked on its current run to try and claim its 14th state championship in program history, it had to win its 13th title – and that dream was nearly quashed last season against Holmes County Central in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
With a roster full of high-flying athletes, the Jaguars pulled out to a four-point lead and captured an interception with less than two minutes to play. Things were looking bleak for the Green Wave, who needed to force a stop on defense and get the ball back for a shot a winning. But, one might have already guessed how that sequence played out. With the game up for grabs late, West Point’s defense forced a 3-and-out and its offense handed the ball off to Quintin Thompson with 33 seconds left to win, 31-28.
“In my opinion, that’s really where we won the state championship,” head coach Brett Morgan said. … “We scored and went up and beat them 31-28 and that propelled us and (we) went on to win a state championship, but they had us 21-7 at half.”
The Green Wave gutted through two more narrow wins for the second of its back-to-back state championships and carried that momentum into this season where they have rampaged over everyone and stand undefeated at 12-0 and as the No. 1-ranked team in the state on the door step once again of playing for a state title. But guarding the hallowed entrance is one again the talented and hungry Jaguars of Holmes County Central, who have also been on a tear this season.
Fireworks are sure to be in store when both teams square off Friday in West Point, one seeking to get over the hump in its first-ever North Half championship and the other one looking to continue its domination in its 11th straight semifinal matchup.
“I don’t want to take that for granted,” Morgan said. “It is very special to be one of the last 4-or-5A teams playing.”
Led by wide receiver Gavin Howard, tight end Julius Mathis, quarterback Davarious Johnson and running back Rashad Campbell, the Jaguars (10-3) have set a new program record for points scored in a season with 508. That’s an average of 39 points per game, most of which have come through the air. Johnson leads the team with 30 touchdown throws, 11 of which have been to Howard, and their aerial might was on full display when the team knocked off New Hope 36-28 on the road to begin their playoff push. Holmes followed up with another 36-14 thrashing of Cleveland Central the following week to earn a bid to play for entrance into Mississippi State’s Davis Wade Stadium on Dec. 4.
The Jags will be a great challenge for West Point’s vaunted defense, which is coming off a 37-0 shutout of Pontotoc last week – its third shutout in a season where it has also held eight of its foes to less than two scores.
“They’ve got speed, playmakers all over the field on offense,” Morgan said. “ So, just good, solid Green Wave defense (is key). You’ve got to be sound in your alignment and technique and make sure you are disciplined with your eyes and you have to run to the ball and tackle. It’s all about alignment, assignment and tackling – keeping it simple.
“They are going to make their plays, you just have to get back and go to the next play. Once they hit a homerun shot or a big play, you have to get your cleats back in the ground and defend the next play. You can’t let them keep stacking good plays because they are going to get theirs just from a skill standpoint; they are just so talented. Offensively, we have to help our defense out and play good complimentary football. Special teams has got to be critical. Their return game is just insane how good it is. I mean they are so explosive. … Just go down the list, they’ve just got electric players that they get the ball to, and (head) coach (Marcus) Rogers does a great job of scheming you up and getting it to them in space. So, we’ve got our hands full.”
The Green Wave have weapons of their own in Kingston Branham, Thompson and Michael Williams, who have all been able to set up camp inside the end zone all season. Defensively, led by defensive lineman and Mr. 5A Football selection Jordon Rush, West Point has kept its foes to just an average of just eight points. It will be quite the challenge, but Morgan said his squad is excited to take on the Jaguars again.
“We are aware of how good they are and the danger they pose, but at the end of the day we just try to keep it about us making sure we’re prepared and at our standard. Hopefully that consistent prep and focusing on ourselves trying to get a little bit better each week, hopefully that pays off for us. .. It’s just ‘finish.’ It’s just survive and advance. (It was) 31-28 last year, nobody knows that. All they know is state champs, and that’s our end goal, but we’ve got to win this week or we don’t get an opportunity so we are fighting for our life every day as a team.
“If we lose Friday this team’s life is over. It’s done. So, we’re trying to maximize the life of this team, and if we maximize it and we get a clap this week and one more clap next week, if we don’t win this week we’re done. So, it’s not hard from a motivational standpoint, they are a phenomenal team, but our end goal is to be state champs and it’s the next step in the process if we are going to get where we want to be.”
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