WEST POINT — A black poster featuring three blown-up images of bulky silver rings leans against a wall in West Point head coach Chris Chambless’ office.
The poster commemorates the Green Wave’s 2018 MHSAA Class 5A state title — its third straight. It’s signed by every member of last year’s West Point team, which went 14-1 and beat West Jones in Hattiesburg to win the 10th championship in school history.
This year, the Green Wave are 11-1, winners of 10 straight games, as they begin postseason play Friday at home against Provine. West Point is hot, and with the way it’s been playing, more rings might soon be on their way.
“That’s what every team in the state of Mississippi plays for,” Chambless said. “If they’re not, then they don’t need to be playing.”
No one knows that better than Chambless, who’s already won five state titles at the helm of the Green Wave. If West Point were to win its 11th state championship this season, it would tie South Panola for the most championships in MHSAA history. In Mississippi, only Jackson Prep, which has won the last seven MAIS Class 6A titles and 25 titles overall, has more.
Suffice it to say history is on the line for West Point, and it all starts Friday with as tough a first-round matchup as the Green Wave could have gotten. Provine is 9-3, the second-best record of any road team playing in Friday’s first-round playoff matchups in Classes 1A, 5A and 6A this week.
“They had a couple unfortunate losses in their district that were real close, but that’s the way the ball bounces,” Chambless said.
The Rams started 7-0, including a Week 1 home win over Columbus, before back-to-back losses to Holmes Central and Neshoba Central. Provine also lost its season finale at Ridgeland.
Like West Point, Chambless said, Provine is a downhill running team, led by backs Marktavius Reed and Macaleb Williams. The Rams also boast a pair of Mississippi State commits: defensive back Javorrius Selmon and wide receiver Deion Smith. That’s a lot of talent for a No. 4 seed, but that doesn’t surprise Chambless.
“You take a top four team out of each district, and any of us can beat the other person,” Chambless said. “There’s gonna be some big games this week.”
While a 10-game win streak is enough to give any team momentum, the way the Green Wave closed the regular season offers optimism as the playoffs begin.
West Point shut out district foe Center Hill 35-0 last Friday, holding the Mustangs to just 83 total yards on the road.
“They exceeded all my expectations,” Chambless said. “It was a special night for our defense the other night.”
In Olive Branch, the Green Wave didn’t seem fazed by the cold temperatures that swept the state — though, uncharacteristically, Chambless did.
“I think Friday night was the first time I actually shivered,” he said. “You know it’s cold when I shiver.”
While it should be a little warmer come 7 p.m. Friday at West Point’s Hamblin Stadium, Green Wave senior Brandon Harris still predicted a dominant defensive performance — with a senior linebacker leading the way.
“Tyron Orr’s gonna shut all that down,” Harris said.
Harris himself is still slightly hampered from a leg injury a few weeks ago, but he played against Center Hill, and he’s ready to give it his all Friday. He knows the significance of the “four-peat” the Green Wave are hoping to achieve.
“That would mean everything to our community, our coaches and our players,” Harris said.
Harris knows each playoff game is life or death for West Point, and that starts Friday.
“Win or go home, but I don’t plan on going home anytime soon,” he said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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