By Adam Minichino
Coaches typically say defenses are ahead of offenses in August.
That way of thinking proved to be true for at least for half of the day’s festivities.
Having a senior quarterback named Gabe Myles helped the Starkville High School football team’s offense look like it was October instead of the second week of October.
Myles orchestrated a nine-play scoring drive on Starkville’s first possession and then led a 10-play touchdown jaunt in the second quarter in a 14-0 victory against New Hope in the fourth and final game of the New Hope High School Jamboree.
Columbus and Noxubee County high schools played to a 0-0 tie in the third game of the day.
“I think we did a good job when we executed,” Myles said. “Like the coaches always say, you have to keep the ball off the ground and keep it in our hands. You take away the fumbles and we’re moving the ball and scoring on every drive.”
Myles appeared to lose the ball on the exchange from center on the team’s second series, but the Yellow Jacket defense negated the turnover by stopping the Trojans. A second turnover came following a Myles pass to Kentrell Spencer. The completion gained first-down yardage, but would have been wiped out because the was a block in the back penalty on the play. Starkville’s defense again answered the call, holding New Hope thanks to a sack by Derion Ford.
Jacoby Smith and Devonte Davis also had interceptions for Starkville, the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A runner-up in 2011. Thanks to the leadership and experience of Myles, who has given a verbal commitment to play football at Mississippi State University, and a solid class of seniors, Starkville enters the season as one of the favorites to come out of the north. West Point, which beat Philadelphia earlier in the jamboree, and New Hope have plans to make a run at the Yellow Jackets, but Myles showed quite confident and poised to be able to keep the Yellow Jackets on a path to Jackson.
In fact, one of Starkville High’s assistant coaches referred to that journey, telling the team in the postgame huddle that the team had the potential to go 15-0 given it has a stout defense and an offense with a capable leader and plenty of weapons.
“I feel more comfortable because now I know the offense better,” Myles said. “It is like my offense now, and I feel like I am at home.
“This whole offense is full of playmakers. You put the ball in their hands and they can make plays.”
Myles looked at ease Saturday, guiding the Yellow Jackets to touchdowns. On the first series, he completed 4 of 4 passes to three receivers — Spencer, Stanley Higgins, and Preston Baker — to set up his 5-yard scoring run. Charlie Henderson added the extra point.
Myles mixed passes from the pocket and on the move. He also showed a knack for avoiding pressure and for scrambling for positive yards. His first incompletion came on pass play in which he escaped pressure by stepping up and then overthrew his intended receiver behind the secondary.
On the second scoring drive, he rolled right and connected with Jaquez Horsley on a 13-yard pass play. Later in the drive, he found Spencer on a well-timed slant in between two defenders. Three plays later, Baker, who had to leave the game after being hit hard following an incompletion, took an option pitch from Myles and scored on a 3-yard burst.
Starkville High coach Jamie Mitchell agreed things looked pretty good for Aug. 11.
“I thought we did some great things,” Mitchell said. “Of course, turnovers and penalties will get you beat. I was a little surprised to see that because we haven’t put the ball on the ground in practice. They have handled it real well. Take the two turnovers away and it probably would have been a little better than what I could have hoped for.”
Mitchell attributed Starkville execution on offense to Myles. He agreed Myles look poised and picked his spots to throw and to run very well. He said Myles and his arsenal of weapons also can play with confidence because they know a stingy, hungry defense has their backs.
“Those guys are pretty salty,” Mitchell said. “Those guys can play. There is a ton of senior experience over here and some really good players. We’re going to rely on them big-time.”
New Hope coach Michael Bradley credited Myles and Starkville’s defense for their play. Through the first quarter and a half, New Hope’s longest gain was an 8-yard pass from quarterback Brady Davis to running back Q Newby. Davis hit wide receiver Jameel Johnson for a 21-yard pickup on game’s final drive. Johnson then ripped off 10 yards before Davis’ interception ended the game.
“We have a long way to go,” Bradley said. “I wanted to play a quality opponent, and Starkville is definitely that. They are the defending North Half champs. They pretty much had their way with us.”
In the first game, Noxubee County drove inside the Columbus 30-yard line four times, including twice inside the 10, but came up empty. The Falcons denied the Tigers on a fourth-and-1 by bringing down Darrell Robinson inside the 1.
“Defensively, I think we’re OK,” Noxubee County coach Tyrone Shorter said. “We did make some mistakes, but we didn’t play a few guys on defense. We didn’t want to get anyone hurt in this game. We’re just glad we came out of this game without any injuries.
“Offensively, we didn’t want to show Starkville a whole lot, but I thought our offensive line did a good job at times in pass protection. I think we have a lot of work to do with our receivers. We have some young receivers, and we have a lot of work to do with them. I am not pleased with the receiving group right now.”
Columbus had only four plays for positive yards. The Falcons looked to establish a physical running game with Corey Brown and Jock Clark. Unfortunately, the Falcons couldn’t control the lines to move the pile.
“Defensively, we played about like I thought we could,” Columbus coach Tony Stanford said. “Defensive end play has to get a little better. We let them get outside contain on us. I thought we played a lot of kids, which is going to help us in the future.
“Offensively, I thought our offensive line has to get better and we have to improve with our receivers. I thought Trace (Lee) did a good job running the offense. The backs have to protect the football. We have a long ways to go.”
The third-annual event originally was scheduled to be played at Mississippi State University, but work on MSU’s fields forced the game to be moved. The plan was to play the four games at East Mississippi Community College, but it was moved to New Hope High.
“I was real happy with all of the teams that came,” Bradley said. “It was another successful year. We were really fortunate to have such quality football teams here to participate.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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