STARKVILLE — Jamie Mitchell couldn’t have been more pleased this week to see Gabe Myles, Jawon Johnson, Stanley Higgins, and Jacoby Smith selected to play in the Mississippi-Alabama Senior All-Star game or the Bernard Blackwell Classic next month.
It will be Mitchell’s honor to be on the field in the Mississippi-Alabama game with Myles and Johnson. He will be the offensive coordinator for Team Mississippi.
“This group has been with me through my whole time in Starkville, and I owe so much to this senior class for leading the way,” Mitchell said. “The excitement is so high to be able to share that game with Gabe and Jawon.”
That senior class has led Starkville to an 11-game winning streak in Class 5A, Region 2. Starkville (5-3, 4-0 region) will look to extend that streak at 7 tonight when it plays host to Yazoo City (4-4, 2-2).
“When you look up and down our roster, we’ve had seniors like (linebacker) David Fair and (tailback) Preston Baker give everything they have to be on the field, and I couldn’t thank them enough for their effort,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell joked this week that just because Myles, a senior who has given a verbal commitment to Mississippi State University, is listed as a defensive back doesn’t mean he won’t call his number on offense when the All-Star game kicks off Dec. 15.
“We will have a package for Gabe that involves him getting behind center,” Mitchell said.
Higgins and Smith will play in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic on Dec. 22 at Gulfport High’s Milner Stadium.
“Both of those kids have the talent and drive to play at the next level, so I’m so happy they get to showcase themselves in a game like that and see where it takes them in the future,” Mitchell said.
Starkville will continue to prepare for another title run tonight against a Yazoo City team that features 5-foot-10 wide receiver Chris Smith. He leads Yazoo City in catches (26), yards (362) and touchdowns (three). Smith had a 70-yard touchdown run last week in a loss to Provine.
“I’ve said before and again that even with our success in this league we’ve always had the opposition bringing one or two talented players that can hurt us,” Mitchell said. “We can’t afford to let their athletes allow them to get up 14-0 or 21-0.”
With Ridgeland’s upset of Callaway last week, Starkville stands alone atop Region 2. The Yellow Jackets can earn the top seed in their for a second straight season with two more victories.
“We know how much it is important to have that first-round playoff game at home, so it’s on our minds every day we go out to that practice field,” Mitchell said. “I’ve got a much more healthy and confident football team than we had a month ago, and that’s something I can’t help but feel better about.”
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