STARKVILLE — Chris Jones couldn’t make sense of it.
The Starkville High School football coach had never seen anything like it. Sure, he had seen turnovers in games, but seven, including two muffed punts?
That wasn’t all. Southaven and Starkville threw in a few turnovers on downs, two field goals in seven red-zone trips, and 26 combined first downs.
“I’m trying to figure it out myself. What just happened?” Jones said.
On a night Starkville mustered little on offense, its defense held Southaven to 99 yards on 55 plays (1.8 yards per play) in a 6-0 victory Friday night in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 6A playoffs. Starkville (11-2) will play host to Horn Lake at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round.
“Survive and advance. I’m going to keep preaching it,” Jones said.
Southaven took possession with 35 or fewer yards separating it from the end zone three times. None of those possessions got within the 10-yard line.
A three-and-out followed by a short punt in the second quarter gave Southaven its first chance. It gained 4 yards in four plays. On the second possession, Southaven looked to capitalize on a fumble. A first down moved it closer to a touchdown, but a sack forced a 40-yard field goal attempt that drifted wide right. A muffed punt led to a third attempt, but another sack forced a turnover on downs.
“We just turn up,” defensive lineman Jalil Clemons said.
Starkville defensive coordinator Kevie Thompson attributed the success of his group to the situational work it does in practice.
“We’re going to fight. It’s what we do,” Thompson said. “The kids take after my personality: high-energy. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, our job is to get it done.”
Thompson’s game plan was simple: base defense. He believed Starkville could contain Southaven’s passing game, so he didn’t want to get too fancy with a scheme. Thompson’s defense was up to the task, as it held Southaven to 30 yards on 7-of-22 passing.
The defense was just as dominant when it wasn’t in pressure situations. Southaven punted three times from inside its red zone. When Starkville granted Southaven the mercy to punt from its 28, Jaylan Ware broke through to block it.
“This time of year, defense wins championships,” Thompson said. “I trust the head coach and I know he’s going to get that thing going.”
Starkville gained 328 yards. Garin Boniol’s 38-yard field goal and Peyton Rodgers’ 40-yarder accounted for the only points.
Since a 56-0 victory against Murrah on Oct. 27, Starkville has scored only 27 points in three games.
“We have to get better,” Jones said. “I’m not satisfied at all, but I’ll take the win.”
Two weeks after suffering its first shutout of the season in a loss to Warren Central, Starkville was 2-for-3 on field goals. It also had two red-zone trips end with a turnover on downs.
“We have to take care of the football,” Jones said. “We have to get better up front (and with) our attention to detail and the little things. I’ll make sure I simplify it a little more, I guess. Whatever we have to do. It doesn’t have to be pretty. I’ll take it.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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