JACKSON — West Point’s “drive for five” ran into a brick wall Saturday night in Jackson.
Vying for their fifth straight state title — and a public school-record 12th — the Green Wave met their match in a stingy West Jones defense in Saturday’s MHSAA Class 5A championship game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Mustangs stacked the box against West Point’s vaunted run game, found running lanes on the ground and cushions through the air and beat the Green Wave 33-27 to deny them a chance to extend the historic streak.
“They fought hard and fought through a bunch of adversity this year,” West Point coach Chris Chambless said. “Came up a little short.”
With one final drive for the win, Green Wave failed on a fourth-and-7 play at the Mustangs’ 42 with less than two minutes remaining. A deep pass from Corbin Kelley on West Point’s final snap fell incomplete with 1:01 to go, giving the ball back to West Jones. A facemask penalty on West Point nullified a late fumble, and the Mustangs ran out the clock to a full-throated roar from the north side of the field.
“They’re a really good football team, and we knew that coming in,” Chambless said.
West Jones’ title was its first state championship in school history, and Kentrel Pruitt’s 4-yard touchdown run with 11:20 to go in the fourth quarter proved the deciding score. West Point had multiple possessions in which to tie or take the lead, but the Green Wave failed to pull ahead.
West Point already made one significant comeback Saturday, rebounding rapidly from a 20-7 deficit at the end of the first half. With the Mustangs trying for another score before halftime, Antonio Facella — wearing No. 25 because he forgot to bring his No. 15 jersey on the trip — returned a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to get West Point back in the game.
Then Shavontre Ryland took the second-half kickoff to the Mustangs’ 1-yard line, and the Green Wave punched the ball in from there to tie the game 20-20.
“Our guys never quit, no matter what,” Chambless said.
But a high-powered offense led by quarterback Alan Follis — named the most valuable player of Saturday’s game — and a hearty defense ensured West Point would make no second dramatic comeback.
Deonta Crosby intercepted a pass on the Green Wave’s first drive after Pruitt’s go-ahead score, and West Point was stopped on fourth down on its second possession.
The Mustangs gave the Green Wave new life with a missed 30-yard field goal with 3:51 to go, and West Point got into West Jones territory but couldn’t finish its drive.
“We just didn’t execute,” Chambless said. “We just didn’t get things done.”
West Point’s season ended with a 10-4 record. The Green Wave opened the season with a loss to then-No. 1 Starkville before winning four straight.
Then they lost twice in a row to Lake Cormorant and Grenada, putting themselves behind the 8-ball in Region 1-5A play. West Point — which had lost just three games total over the past four years — found itself 4-3.
The Green Wave talked it over in the locker rooms. They improved practice habits and resolved to work harder on Mondays. It paid off: West Point beat Columbus, New Hope and Center Hill to reach the playoffs, where they beat Holmes County Central, Grenada and Ridgeland to reach the title game.
“It meant a lot,” senior defensive end Jaquarius Thomas said. “It was really special. We had a lot of doubt on us. A lot of people said we weren’t supposed to make it. … We made it, but we just didn’t finish the mission.”
The Green Wave will send off a talented senior class including Thomas, Jaylin Rush and JaKobe Pate, but they’ll return Young and plenty more talent next season. Chambless said he hopes that can make the difference and that things break West Point’s way the next time around.
“I wish the ball would have bounced differently at times, but it didn’t,” Chambless said. “We’re men. We’ve got to be men about it and understand the good times we had and get ready to go on another run.”
The Green Wave will get back in the weight room Monday, ready to do that with the memories of their past — wins and losses alike — entrenched in their minds.
“I’ll remember this year, even when we didn’t win it,” Chambless said. “I’ll remember this year and all the rest of them.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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