Two things came together at just the right time to disrupt the New Hope High School football team’s momentum.
Coach Kris Pickle’s challenge will be to help his team regroup from a 32-29 loss to Saltillo in its regular-season final in time to play Callaway at 7 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North State playoffs.
The loss came on the heels of one of New Hope’s biggest victories in a long time, a 20-15 victory against West Point, the program’s first since 1988. The victory clinched the No. 2 seed in Region 1 for the Trojans. Pickle said New Hope (9-2) delivered an uneven effort last week on Senior Night in a game that ultimately had no impact on the playoff race. Clarksdale’s victory in its regular-season finale eliminated Saltillo from the postseason.
Still, Pickle would have liked to have seen better from his team, especially since it has remained focused for virtually all of this season.
“The kids knew that there wasn’t a whole lot to play for (against Saltillo) other than self pride and self respect,” Pickle said. “You add into it the fact Saltillo is a pretty good football team. … We came out a little flat. I think we played hard, but we mentally weren’t there. We made a lot of mental mistakes that cost us, especially in crucial points in the game we made some silly mistakes we never make.”
Pickle said the Trojans moved the ball up and down the field in the first half and amassed more than 300 yards. Unfortunately, he said turnovers and key mistakes — particularly penalties — stalled drives and killed momentum. This week, Pickle hopes the Trojans will be able to respond for their first playoff appearance since 2010.
“I think it was a wake-up call to let us know we are not invincible,” Pickle said. “I think when you have a team that is not accustomed to the success that they have had this year it can affect you mentally.”
Pickle said the players, especially the seniors, have been looking forward to this point in the season for a long time. He said the Trojans haven’t allowed the prize at the end of the year to distract them from executing on either side of the ball. He said he was pleased to see his players fight until the end against Saltillo, even when calls didn’t go his team’s way.
On Monday, Pickle said the wake-up call worked its magic as he saw the players ready to go in what he called a “great” practice on the game field. He said he would be “shocked” if the Trojans didn’t come out and play well in front of their home fans.
“When there is nothing at stake, it is hard not to look past a game and look toward the playoffs,” Pickle said. “Throughout the week, there was not much talk about Saltillo. It is almost like they weren’t concerned about them. I understand that because that is not their primary focus. Yes, they wanted to win the game, but they thought they could just show up and get by and win the game.
“I don’t worry as much about the wins and losses as much as I do about the kids playing hard. We played hard, we just mentally ready for the game. That is part a reflection on us as coaches and the accountability we talk all of the time about with the players. Coaches and all, we just have to make a better commitment not to let our guard down and use that as a learning experience not to let that happen in the playoffs. If you let that happen in the playoffs, you’re out.”
Against Callaway, Pickle expects an athletic team that has plenty of size, especially up front. He said the Trojans have faced plenty of teams that have more size than they do and have overcome the odds. He believes his players will take the opportunity head on Friday night.
“It will be a big challenge,” Pickle said. “Columbus was bigger than us. West Point was bigger than us. That is not an excuse. That is not something we are too worried about.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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