Columbus High School senior quarterback C.J. Gholar made numerous plays Friday night.
He could only watch, though, as Noxubee County made one more play in the end.
In one of the state’s marquee matchups at Falcon Field, No. 5 Columbus and No. 10 Noxubee County battled until the final seconds of a hard-fought 24-23 victory by the visiting Tigers.
“We were there. We gave it all we had,” Gholar said. “I am proud of the way we fought. That game did nothing but make us better mentally and physically. We just need to work on being 100 percent at all we do. If we do that, we can be successful.”
Randal Montgomery has changed the attitude of the Columbus High football program. Montgomery has repeatedly said the team now to expects to win. Even in a heart-breaking defeat, a smile crossed his face when he talked about the packed stadium and the atmosphere generated by such a big game.
“The kids are in there hurting because we lost this game,” Montgomery said. “When a loss hurts you as much as a win excites you, then you have reached a special point in your program. We played a two-time defending state champion. We played a team that has won numerous big games. Our guys are learning what it takes to win this kind of game.”
“There is heartbreak in that locker room, and that’s a good thing. The kids are emotionally invested in what we are doing. I really take pride in that. The other team made one more play than we did tonight. You have to live with that.”
Entering the game, both teams appeared a little more fine-tuned on the defense. The game then followed the script.
Noxubee County had two goal-line stands on defense and two safeties. Columbus had a safety and the game’s only takeaway. The rough edges on offense (28 combined penalties, 30 of 64 rushing plays going for 2 yards or less, and seven dropped passes) could be overlooked by the sheer effort and defensive presence of both teams.
“You saw two heavyweight defenses on that field,” Montgomery said. “You saw two defenses that just made plays. Not only did they make plays, but they made game-changing plays. Each safety proved a huge momentum swing in the game. Our inability to get 1 yard in two different goal-line situations proved large. Our kids played their hearts out, but their kids did, too.
“This is the type of game the people wanted to see. We played a lot better in a lot of areas (after last week’s 26-12 victory against Kemper County). We just didn’t have the end result to validate that improvement.”
Columbus’ Braylen Edinburgh and Chris Blair combined to tackle running back Jakerrius Oliver for a safety. Junior cornerback T.J. Jackson had an interception. Junior defensive tackle Josh Gray had two sacks and four tackles for loss. Senior linebacker Patrick Weatherspoon turned in a masterful performance, as did senior strong safety Tyrell Hudgins. Junior cornerback Devon King also had two pass breakups.
“This team really enjoys playing the game,” Gray said. “We relish a big challenge. That is why it is fun to play in games like this. We aren’t going to back down from anybody. We ran out of time in this game. We really played hard. We just have to keep getting better.”
Columbus will need to continue to play like it did against Noxubee County as its offensive line keeps growing and gaining experience. The Falcons are trying to get a young line to mesh against a difficult non-region schedule.
“The defense did all they could to help us,” Gholar said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them. Overall, this was a good game that will help us get ready for region play.”
Kylin Hill had 15 carries for 92 yards, including his third and fourth touchdowns. The Mississippi State commitment is having to find other ways to get into the scoring column as the offensive line matures. Hill had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 23-yard rushing touchdown for the other score. Through two games, he has rushed for two scores and has two returns for scores.
Gholar was 6 of 15 for 134 yards, including his second touchdown of the season. The Falcons are still plagued by penalties and drops in the passing game.
“It goes back to the investment things,” Montgomery said. “The kids are all in to make this a really special season. They know how far we have come. They also know we can start making a few more plays and really become a contender.”
Follow Dispatch Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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