STARKVILLE — Montario Montgomery learned a lot about himself in his first career start.

Playing against a reigning state champion on the road can provide a lot of lessons for anyone.

For Montgomery, his debut as starter for the Starkville High School football team against Noxubee County had plenty of ups and down. Montgomery helped the Yellow Jackets rally from a 13-point deficit to tie the game, but he couldn’t lead a scoring drive in either overtime in a 26-20 in the season opener in Macon.

Montgomery had a revelation in the loss.

“I felt like I could take my team to state after the first game,” Montgomery said. “We lost, but that’s when I felt the most comfortable with my offense and my team.”

Montgomery has Starkville in position for something it hasn’t accomplished since 2012. At 7 p.m. Friday, Montgomery will lead Starkville (13-1) against Petal (10-4) in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State championship game at Ole Miss’ Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford.

Montgomery threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another touchdown against Noxubee County. Since then, Montgomery has led Starkville to 13-straight victories and the Class 6A, Region 2 crown. He has relied on a solid offensive line, talented skill players, and a stingy defense.

Quarterback coach David Boykin believed in Montgomery long before Montgomery did.

“I thought in the spring game whenever he got the opportunity to play the position, that he played really well against South Panola,” Boykin said. “That’s where we saw he could do the job.”

Montgomery is 175 of 312 for 2,623 yards and 27 touchdowns (13 interceptions). He has rushed for 252 yards and nine touchdowns.

Montgomery said he always felt like he was capable of being a starting quarterback, but he admits he is surprised he has Starkville in position for a state championship.

“I never thought I could be this good,” Montgomery said. “I just have to give everything to my coaches and my teammates. They believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”

Boykin says he hasn’t been surprised by Montgomery’s progress. He said Montgomery took advantage of an opportunity and worked hard. As a result, he said the game has slowed down for him.

“Just knowing what you’re looking at and understanding what they’re trying to do to you on the back end,” Boykin said. “If you can read coverages, you can play defense. If you can handle the box, you have an opportunity to be good.”

Montgomery believes learning to be patient has been his biggest area of growth. He admits he is a perfectionist and works on his game constantly. That also means he wants to drive his team down the field and score a touchdown every time.

But he has learned that isn’t going to happen every time.

“I’m learning not to force anything, just let the game come to me,” Montgomery said. “It’s all right for me to punt the ball sometimes because I have the best defense in the state.”

Montgomery’s knowledge of the position also has grown. Boykin said there have been times when he has watched film with Montgomery and he has pointed something out to him.

“He sees pretty much the same thing we see,” Boykin said. “We pretty much go over all the progressions beforehand and he’ll know what he’s looking for. If he can read his cue, he does a pretty good job.”

Last season, Montgomery watched Brady Davis, who is a quarterback at Memphis, lead Starkville to the Class 6A North Half State championship game, where it lost to eventual state champion South Panola.

Montgomery has talked to Davis and former Starkville quarterback and current Mississippi State wide receiver Gabe Myles in the last few weeks. Myles told him to play within himself. Davis told him to stay focused and to bring home the state championship.

In 2012, Myles helped lead Starkville past Pascagoula for the Class 5A State championship. On Saturday, the Yellow Jackets will try to win their sixth state championship.

“It’d be huge,” Montgomery said. “It’s a dream come true. It would be huge to our community to our school. It’s just a big thing around here.”

n In related news, advance tickets for the game will be sold for $10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and from 9-11 a.m. Friday at the athletic office. Tickets will be $13 at the game.

Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait

Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.