CCHS sees dream season end in 5A North Half Title game
While the night was cold with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s, the action on the football field was hot and heavy on Friday (Nov. 29) at Parks Field at Mickey Sellers Stadium.
The 12-0 Cleveland Central High School Wolves hosted the biggest game in program history as the defending 5A State Champion West Point High School Green Wave came to Cleveland to battle in the Mississippi High School Activities Association 5A North Half Championship game. The game marked the first time the Wolves had ever been to the 5A North Half Championship game. The Green Wave entered the game with a 9-3 record, but they had won their last seven in a row. The crowd on the home side filled all of the bleachers as they cheered for the Wolves, The crowd on the visiting side packed those stands and cheered for the Green Wave.
The game was as advertised as both teams slugged it out in a hard hitting, low scoring affair. When the contest came to a close, the result wasn’t what the Wolves wanted as they lost to the Green Wave 14-7. West Point (10-3) will play Gautier for the 5A State Championship on Friday (Dec. 6) at M.M. Robert Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg at 7:30 p.m. The Wolves concluded their season at 12-1.
CCHS Head Football Coach Kendrick Woodard said the loss doesn’t take away from the team’s accomplishments during the season.
“I was proud of my guys and the way they competed,” said Woodard. “We had a heck of a year. It wasn’t the result that we wanted, but I’m still proud of those guys at the end of the day.”
West Point Head Football Coach Brett Morgan said his team did what it needed to do against a tough CCHS squad.
“They’ve got a really good defense and a really good offense,” said Morgan. “Our defense played phenomenal football. That’s our identity and that’s what we hang our hat on. We played really good defense, and our offense did just enough. We were really good in special teams. We had a clean game on that end. We found a way to survive and advance. I can’t say enough about our defense, about our offense’s toughness and the cleanest of our special teams. I can’t say enough about our coaching staff, our fans and our community. We have found a way. Survive and advance.”
The Wolves got the ball first to start the game in the first quarter. CCHS was forced to punt on its opening drive. West Point’s ball carrier fumbled the football on the punt return, and CCHS recovered it. The Green Wave’s defense stopped the Wolves for the second time as they forced a turnover on downs. The score would end up being 0-0 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Green Wave got a huge play from their defense. West Point’s Jermaine Elliot intercepted a pass to give the Green Wave possession of the ball. West Point’s offense ended up going on a good drive. With 2:26 left in the first half, Quintin Thompson marched into the end zone on an 11-yard run. Place kicker Jack Carter Taylor delivered the point after kick, and the Green Wave led 7-0.
The Wolves fought back as they went on a quick drive that was capped off by a four-yard touchdown run from senior Kaleb Perry. Senior Jack Wright kicked the point after attempt, and CCHS tied the game at 7-7 with 1:16 left in the first half. The score would remain 7-7 going into the locker room at halftime.
After CCHS stopped West Point on its first drive of the second half in the third quarter, the punt from the Green Wave ended up pinning CCHS at its own six-yard line. West Point stopped Cleveland Central’s offense and forced the team to punt. The punt from the Wolves was short, and West Point’s Quintarrius Dawson received the ball and returned it to Cleveland Central’s four-yard line. The Wolves’ defense played tough, but the Green Wave found a way to get back on the scoreboard. Senior Shamane Clark ended up running near the Wolves’ sideline and threw to Colt Whitacre near the Green Wave sideline. Whitacre made the catch and ended up running into the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown reception with 4:57 left in the third quarter. The kick from Taylor was good, and the Green Wave led 14-7.
“They (CCHS) actually covered the play,” said Morgan. “Their defensive ends did a great job. They covered, their player just kind of jumped early and the good Lord smiled on us. Our quarterback made one heck of a play. Colt Whitacre went up and got it. I’m so proud of him.”
Woodard said West Point did a good job of making the play on that possession.
“We were in great position, but there was a mishap and their player was able to make the catch,” said Woodard. “It’s all about making big time plays in big time moments. We just have to make the play. They were able to make a great play on third and goal from the eight-yard line. I was proud of my guys for the way they competed.”
West Point’s defense played tough and was able to keep CCHS off the scoreboard for he rest of the game. West Point’s offense did a solid job of running the football and controlling the clock.
West Point lost one fumble on the return team but didn’t make any turnovers on offense. CCHS had two turnovers on offense.
Woodard said West Point made CCHS pay for its errors while CCHS came up short when West Point made miscues.
“We had some opportunities early on to take advantage of some of their mistakes, but we failed to do that,” said Woodard. “They capitalized off our mistakes. We’ve been fortunate a few times to be able to win some games where we turned the ball over. Against quality opponents like West Point, it’s hard to beat them when you lose the turnover margin.”
CCHS had to be without some key players during the second half. Sophomore wide receiver Javarious Griffin was injured during the first quarter, and junior running back Anthony Stephens was injured during the second quarter.
“They were big blows,” said Woodard about the injuries. “We were already limited at depth with our wide receiver group and losing Griffin limited us on things we could do offensively as far as our passing game. Not having Anthony Stephens, a 1,000-yard rusher, at all in the second half along with losing Griffin hindered our offense a lot. Overall, the guys we did have played hard, and I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
West Point had 186 yards of offense with 172 coming on the ground. West Point ran the ball 43 times and only threw four passes with two completions.
Clark ran for 71 yards on 20 carries and went 1-of-1 passing for eight yards with a touchdown pass, and Thompson rushed for 59 yards with a touchdown on 13 carries to lead the Green Wave’s offense. Micheal Williams ran for 26 yards on seven carries, and Whitacre completed 1-of-2 passes for six yards, rushed for eight yards on a carry and had an eight-yard reception for a touchdown to aid West Point.
CCHS had 156 total yards of offense with 102 of those yards coming from the passing game. CCHS threw the ball 32 times and ran the ball just 13 times.
Senior quarterback Javaris Beamon completed 18-of-32 passes for 102 yards with an interception; junior J’Karvey McGee caught 10 passes for 65 yards, and Perry rushed for 57 yards on seven carries with a touchdown to lead the Wolves’ offense. Stephens rushed for 11 yards on four carries and caught a pass for 11 yards, and senior Trevion Stokes caught three passes for 10 yards to aid CCHS.
On defense for West Point, Elliot had an interception, and Damarvion Haughton had a fumble recovery to give the Green Wave their big plays on the night.
On defense for CCHS, senior Lacoyrius Branch had 10 tackles (six assists, four solos) to lead the Wolves, followed by junior Jason Spencer with seven tackles (three solos, four assists) and a fumble recovery, senior Kendall Cleveland with nine tackles (five solos, four assists), sophomore Jayden Thorne with four tackles (one solo, three assists) and senior Ray Hayes with three tackles (two solos, one assist) and a sack.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Williams. “It was really a strong showing from the Delta. I’m proud of all of the teams. It was exciting to be a part of that. It just goes to show you some of the best tennis in the country is right here from the Delta.”
Cleveland’s Lane Purvis, Allyson Lofton, Mary Elizabeth Jeffreys, Beth Joel, Lisa Cooley, Susan Morgan and Christy Prine were members of the Darden team from the Delta that won the 40 and Over 7.5 Combo Doubles Women’s Tennis Tournament with a 4-1 record.
“We have a really, really strong team,” said Cooley. “This is the second time we’ve won the championship. We won it two years ago to. Last year, we didn’t compete. We have a very, very strong team. It’s so much fun. It’s a good group of ladies, and we really enjoy each other.”
Cleveland’s Jeffrey Farris was a member of Jackson’s Strain team that went 3-0 and won the 18 and Over 8.5 Combo Doubles Men’s Tennis Tournament.
The Joel team, the Knight team and the Darden Team will head to the USTA Southern Sectionals at Mobile, Ala. starting Dec. 6.