The last time the West Point and Noxubee County high school football teams opened their seasons against each other, the result was the closest game in the past 17 meetings: a 10-8 Green Wave victory in 2006 that kicked off a 12-2 season.
It wasn’t by choice, but the teams will open the 2021 season Friday night in Macon, each having lost two games because of COVID-19 protocols.
“It’s unfortunate, but our guys have been unbelievable the last two weeks,” Green Wave coach Chris Chambless said Wednesday. “We haven’t missed a beat on the practice field. They’ve brought energy every day, and they were practicing like we’ve got a game Friday night two weeks ago. We’re just blessed to be able to play this Friday night, and we’re acting like it.”
Attitude has not been a problem at all, the coach said, despite the delayed competition.
“Practices have been great,” he said. “The coaches have been energetic; they’re doing a great job.holding our guys together. Our seniors have done a great job being leaders and making sure things are running like they should run.”
Meanwhile, the Tigers will get their opening game at home in Macon.
“It’s very exciting to play our first game,” Tigers coach Teddy Young said Tuesday before practice. “We’re playing against a great opponent so we can see where we’re at right off the bat. The atmosphere is going to be very good, a state championship atmosphere.”
Both programs are familiar with that atmosphere. Since 2005, one or the other has won or played for a state championship 16 times, with the Green Wave winning Class 5A titles in 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the Tigers capturing the 4A crown in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
A year ago, each lost in the state final, with West Point falling to West Jones 33-27 in 5A and Noxubee County dropping a 49-26 decision to Magee in 3A.
Despite the success both teams have had, West Point has dominated the rivalry. The Tigers have not defeated the Green Wave since 2012, and the past five games have been 47-6, 47-14, 41-0, 52-7 and 31-15.
None of those scores means much to Chambless.
“I’ve been here 21, 22 years, and we play every year, so this is a great rival game,” said Chambless, who has been the head coach of the Green Wave for a bit more than half of his tenure there. he said. “They’re just down the road, and our kids know each other. We know we’re going to get their best shot, and they’re going to get a great shot from us.”
“We know what they’re going to do,” said Green, in his sixth year on the Noxubee County sideline and third year as head coach. “It all comes down to execution. O-line and D-line play is the biggest thing, to win the trenches and make plays. That’s what the game comes down to.”
Chambless agrees completely.
“We’re going to run the football and throw it when we have to, try and play good defense, block and tackle,” he said. “Football hasn’t changed. That’s one thing about it, you’re going to block and tackle. It’s evolved a little bit and there’s some things you can do, but it’s all about blocking and tackling.”
That fundamental football truth puts the Tigers at a disadvantage in two places: graduation losses were heavy in the trenches, and a Class 3A school simply has less depth than a Class 5A school.
“We lost a lot of guys on our line, but the younger guys have been working hard, so we’re excited to see what they’re going to do this Friday,” said Green, whose roster has roughly 20 fewer players than Chambless’ “We don’t have the depth they have, but hopefully our guys will be in great shape to play them for four quarters.We know we’re a small school, but our guys still will step up to the challenge. ”
Most seasons, the Tigers and Green Wave have a few games behind them before they face each other, but the opening-game factor could go either way.
“I know it’s not going to be perfect, first game of the year never is,” Chambless said. “Bad things will happen, because that’s what football is. During the course of a game is like living a whole life. You’re going to have good things happen, bad things happen, there’s going to be highs and lows, and how you bounce back from adversity is what’s going to determine the outcome. Our guys are up to the challenge.”
And despite the recent scores in the series, Chambless sees Noxubee County as a challenge.
“They’ve just got a lot of athletes,” he said. “They’ve got athletes everywhere They can sling it around, and they can run it when they need to. It’s going to be the fewest turnovers and who blocks and tackles the best.”
And as for the flow of the game, the coaches are in agreement.
“It’s going to be two physical ball teams getting after it, that’s for sure,” Chambless said.
Said Green: “It’s going to be a dogfight.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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Football players line up to run sprints during practice Tuesday at Noxubee County High School. Tom Rysinski/Dispatch Staff
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