Lemerrius Fair has been looking forward to Friday night for a long time.
The West Lowndes High School senior running back/quarterback is going to celebrate his team’s game against Smithville by breaking out a little more pink to add to his uniform.
Last season, Fair usually could be found with splashes of pink on his arms, legs, and feet when he took the football field. Mixed with the school’s colors of navy and gold, the color pink added an extra dash of flavor in what turned out to be a nine-win season and a return to the playoffs for the Panthers, who finished 9-5.
One of those losses was a 20-6 setback at Smithville. The loss cost West Lowndes a chance to win the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A, Region 1 title. West Lowndes (4-2, 2-0 region) will get an opportunity to avenge that loss at 7 p.m. when it plays host to Smithville (5-1, 3-0).
“Getting past Falkner (a 34-0 victory on Sept. 23) was a big help,” Fair said. “We got one out the way already. Smithville was the only one that gave us a run for our money last year, so we have been preparing for this one all year.”
West Lowndes is coming off a 30-26 loss to Heritage Academy last week. The Patriots scored the final two touchdowns to hand the Panthers their second loss of the season to a Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) member school. West Lowndes lost to Starkville Academy 41-14 on Aug. 26.
Despite the loss and the number of missed tackles by his team, West Lowndes coach Anthony King likes where his team is as it finalizes preparations for one of its biggest region games.
“This is where we wanted to be,” King said. “We wanted to go into the Smithville game undefeated and play for first place in the district.”
Last season, King said West Lowndes didn’t respond after the game started nearly two hours late due to lightning. As a result, Smithville used scores on its first two possessions to take a 20-6 victory. Despite the weather, King said his players gained confidence from the fact they competed against one of the top teams in the region and the classification. The loss was the only one the Panthers suffered in the region.
West Lowndes used that confidence to get back to the playoffs and advance to the second round, where it lost to eventual state champion Hollandale Simmons.
This season, there is only a 10-percent chance of rain for Columbus, according to www.weather.com, and temperatures are expected to drop into the 70s. That bodes well for the Panthers, who will try to capitalize on their versatility and depth at the skill positions.
Last week, Casey Smith started at quarterback against Heritage Academy, but he played only the first half due to an injury. Fair relieved Smith. Kemario Evans and Quinshawn Lucious also can play quarterback. Combine that with the fact Fair, and Kentrell Guyton can make plays at running back and Evans and Marcus Farmer can change the momentum with their speed at receiver and King likes his team’s chances.
“We played them hard last year,” King said. ‘They are a bigger stronger team, but we are going to try to keep them out in open space and make them cover our best athletes.”
King said the Panthers tried to follow the same strategy last week against the Patriots. He said West Lowndes didn’t tackle well enough to support a solid offensive effort in the first half.
Smith, who is playing football for the first time since eighth grade, said multiple options give West Lowndes an edge because defenses can’t key in on one player and stop the offense. Smith, who also is the point guard on the school’s boys basketball team, said he missed playing football, so he decided to return to the sport and try to use some of the leadership skills he has polished on the basketball court.
Smith also had gained 10 pounds and has gotten stronger thanks to the work he and his teammates have done in the school’s new weight room.
Smith said he has heard plenty from his teammates and friends about the Smithville game last season. He said “tempo, tenacity, and strength” will be keys if the Panthers want to change the result.
“We want to stay mentally strong, keep pushing physically, and keep our heads up,” said Smith, who is recovered from the injury and will play Friday night. “We have to play as a team and have heart. Even though they might be bigger, the bigger heart may win the game.”
Fair, who also plays wideout and tight end, is looking forward to showcasing the Panthers’ versatility. Zack Williams is part of that talented group at running back. Williams, who also plays middle linebacker, said the Panthers will make the most of their depth and use last season’s loss to Smithville as motivation.
“We are looking for competition so we can build up for the playoffs and the championship,” Williams said. “We have been waiting for Smithville for a while. It is about that time Friday night. I didn’t play last year, but from what I saw the team put effort into it and tried to win. This year, I am playing and it is going to be something different.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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