STARKVILLE — Needing a touchdown, the Oxford High School football team was preparing to run its first offensive play of double overtime.
Starkville coach Chris Jones took the last seconds before the snap and motioned to senior cornerback Natrone Brooks, who left his position on the near side and approached Jones.
Jones’ message was simple.
“I told him to protect our house,” Jones said.
Brooks listened to his coach, breaking up a pass to preserve Starkville’s 28-21 double overtime victory in the Little Egg Bowl.
Jones knew Brooks was the perfect one to receive that message.
“He understands how important it is,” Jones said. “It’s something about football where the big-time players always step up, and I just had a feeling he was going to make a play. Something told me to talk to Natrone and make sure he understood the attitude, and he was like, ‘Coach, I got you.’ ”
Said Brooks, “I read the play. We practiced it. (The Oxford wide receiver) lined up on the inside and ran a corner. I kind of baited him up and made him throw the ball.”
Brooks’ fifth pass breakup clinched the defensive struggle for the Yellow Jackets (2-0). The teams went to overtime tied at 14, and Oxford only got to that point after scoring two touchdowns in the final 13 minutes.
Uncharacteristic offensive struggles — four lost fumbles and six penalties for 49 yards and a 2-for-12 third-down conversion rate — forced Starkville’s defense into several make-or-break situations, and it almost always responded. Jones could tell the unit was ready before it took the field.
“It was calm. They were ready for the moment,” he said. “That’s what good teams do, they find a way. I thought offensively we left so many points on the board, but we finally did what we were supposed to do.”
The defense stood tall to hold Oxford scoreless after all four of Starkville’s lost fumbles. Myles Stone also had an interception late in the second quarter to set up a Malik Brown to Rufus Harvey Hail Mary pass that gave Starkville a 14-0 halftime lead.
“We gave up some big plays and some small plays, but we had a short memory,” Brooks said.
All things considered, Jones can accept winning games this way for the time being. He believes his team’s potential for dominance is still there.
“It’s not going to be pretty all the time. We’ll get better. We have a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “We don’t want to peak too soon. We have so much to get better at, and I keep emphasizing that because we’re leaving so many points on the field. I’m excited to see how good we can be once we really get started.”
Starkville’s defense played without standout defensive lineman Jalil Clemons for a prolonged stretch as he dealt with turf toe. Clemons still had seven tackles, four for a loss, and a sack with two quarterback hurries, but he received plenty of help. Senior end Josh Lawrence led all defensive linemen with eight tackles, four for a loss. Atavius Jones added two tackles for a loss on four total stops, a number fellow lineman Jaylan Ware matched.
“It’s one of those by-committee deals. That’s our edge,” Jones said. “We’ll get better because these guys are getting good, solid reps. I think it’s going to help us in the long run.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
You can help your community
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 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
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 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
