Playing their most physical game of the year and playing turnover-free football was a winning formula Friday night for the Oak Hill Academy football team, which clinched its first district title since 1990 with a 20-14 win over Marshall Academy in West Point.
Cameron Dill threw for a score and ran for another as the Raiders’ versatility confounded and frustrated the Patriots. And when Marshall’s defense focused on stopping Dill from running, John Ross Craven gained 24 yards on back-to-back carries to give the Raiders a two-score lead with 5 minutes left.
After Hayes Henry returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown that pulled the Patriots within six points, the Raiders were able to run out the final 4 minutes, 41 seconds of the game.
The 20 points marked the most Marshall Academy has allowed this season, and the 14 points ties for the fewest the Patriots have scored in a game.
With both teams at 3-1 in MAIS Class 4A, District 1, Oak Hill claimed the title based on the head-to-head tiebreaker and will get a first-round bye in the playoffs, which begin Oct. 29.
Oak Hill Academy 20, Marshall Academy 14
Marshall Academy (7-2, 3-1 4A-1) 0 0 6 8 — 14
Oak Hill Academy (5-5, 3-1 4A-1) 6 0 0 14 — 20
First quarter
OHA — Nathan Harrington 18 pass from Cameron Dill (kick failed), 7:57
Third quarter
MA — Hayes Henry 14 pass from Landon Houston (kick failed), 9:14
Fourth quarter
OHA — Cameron Dill 21 run (Jack Easterling kick), 11:45
OHA — John Ross Craven 7 run (Easterling kick), 5:02
MA — Henry 86 kickoff return (Houston run), 4:41
Oxford 42, Starkville 35: Jordan Mitchell’s second touchdown run of the night, a 7-yarder with 2:52 left, pulled the Yellow Jackets into a tie, but Oxford’s Roman Gregory scored for the fourth time with a 2-yard run just 71 seconds later to lift the Chargers.
The loss ended a 45-game home winning streak for the Yellow Jackets, who fell into a first-place tie with the Chargers in Class 6A, Region 2.
Trey Petty threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score for Starkville, which will be home to Germantown on Friday night.
Oxford 42, Starkville 35
Oxford (6-3, 4-1 6A-2) 8 20 7 7 — 42
Starkville (8-1, 4-1 6A-2) 14 0 7 14 — 35
First quarter
O — Roman Gregory 2 run (Dane Harmon pass from Michael Harvey), 8:05
S — Jordan Mitchell 1 run (Josh Eaves kick), 3:03
S — Trey Petty 6 run (Eaves kick), :49
Second quarter
O — Roman Gregory 7 run (William Wilkinson kick), 9:41
O — Gregory 77 punt return (Wilkinson kick), 4:33
O — Dem Mitchell 30 fumble recovery (kick failed), :34
Third quarter
S — Mitchell 19 pass from Petty (Eaves kick), 4:58
O — Tracy Harris 12 run (Wilkinson kick), 4:00
Fourth quarter
S — Braylon Burnside 46 pass from Petty (Eaves kick), 3:49
S — Mitchell 7 run (Eaves kick), 2:52
O —– Gregory 2 run (Wilkinson kick), 1:41
West Lowndes 42, Ethel 2: Fred Rice threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Panthers crushed the Tigers to wrap up the Class 1A, Region 3 title in Columbus.
Jaquavious Tate rushed for touchdowns of 40 and 20 yards for the Panthers (7-2, 6-0 1A-3), who can do no worse than tie for first place with French Camp Academy, a team they already defeated this season.
Marquez Shelton caught two of Rice’s TD passes for 17 and 38 yards, while Decamby Willis caught the other touchdown pass, a 56-yarder that capped the West Lowndes scoring late in the third quarter.
After a week off, West Lowndes will wrap up the regular season with a home game against Vardaman.
West Lowndes 42, Ethel 2
Ethel (5-4, 3-2 1A-3) 0 0 0 2 — 2
West Lowndes (7-2, 6-0 1A-3) 8 20 14 0 — 42
First quarter
WL — Fred Rice 1 run (Jaquavious Tate run), 7:58
Second quarter
WL — Tate 40 run (run failed)
WL — Tate 20 run (run failed), 2:02
WL — Marquez Shelton 17 pass from Rice (Rice run), 0:05
Third quarter
WL — Decamby Willis 56 pass from Rice (Shelton pass from Rice), 5:00
WL — Shelton 38 pass from Rice (run failed), 0:28
Fourth quarter
E — Safety, Tate tackled in end zone, 3:47
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