You couldn’t have scripted the 2023 season any better for the Kirk Academy Raiders varsity football team.
Coming off a 1-9 campaign in 2022, school officials went out and hired Kirk alumnus Colin Boone to run the program. The first-year coach was able guide his team to a perfect 12-0 season and a berth in Friday’s Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class AAA state championship game against Greenville St. Joseph (7-5).
Boone knows the daunting challenge that his team faces against the Fighting Irish.
“No doubt, they are the best team we have played all season long,” he said. “They are a big, strong and physical football team on both sides. They have played for a state championship five of the last seven years. Our team is excited about the opportunity to play for a state championship. They are like a mini-college team. We are going to have to play our very best to stay on the field with them.”
Being out sized upfront on both sides of the football, Boone knows technique will be vital.
“We want to formation them a little bit and see how they react,” he said. “They present a problem trying to run the football and we know that we are going to have to run the ball to have an opportunity. We are going to have to be very creative in getting that done.”
Senior Carter Hathcock leads the offense at quarterback combining for more than 2,000 yards of total offense. Junior running back Noah Jackson has a combined 21 touchdowns as a runner, receiver and defensive back. Senior Logan Pratt is the top receiver for the team. Junior Blake Mattox has been the leader of the defensive unit from his end position.
The Irish won state championships in 2017, 2018, 2019 and in 2022. St. Joseph won a 26-14 decision over Tri-County to win the Class AAAA title last season. It’s a school that has produced a bevy of talented athletes that are currently playing college football. One of the most notable is running back Dillon Johnson, who originally went to Mississippi State before transferring to the University of Washington. Another running back, Trey Benson is a start running back at Florida State.
“We have been blessed over the years to have some outstanding players,” St. Joseph head coach John Baker said. “When you have players like those two, it is easy to call plays. This year, it has been the polar opposite of that. We are having to coach a lot this year after graduating 13 seniors with seven in college football and one in college track at Mississippi State. Anytime you lose a group like that, it is hard to reload. You need an off-season weight program in place, which has helped us tremendously.”
Offensively, Greenville St. Joseph is led by junior running back Quay Nash, who has rushed 120 times for 622 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore Victor Baker, the coach’s son, is the quarterback and has completed 120-of-185 for 1,596 yards and 15 touchdowns.
“For the first time in forever, we don’t have a 1,000-yard rusher,” Baker said. “We have been running back by committee with six different players carrying the football. They are all different type runners – we have scat backs and power runners, but nobody has jumped in front of anyone. We do have a good offensive line and they have done well opening holes for the guys to run.”
The Irish started the season with a tough-luck 7-6 loss to crosstown rival Washington School. They had wins over Clinton Christian (16-0), Riverside (32-0) and Christian Home Educators Fellowship (32-0) out of Louisiana. Losses followed to Greenville Christian (20-18) in overtime, Madison St. Joseph (35-12) and Magnolia Heights (42-12). They have won four out of the last five games with the lone loss being a 28-6 setback to Class AAAAA finalist Adams County Christian School.
Defensively, the Irish are led by Baylor commit senior Alex Foster (6-foot-6, 278) at defensive end. He has 61 tackles and 12 sacks this season. Classmate linebacker Chris Mayfield (5-foot-10, 215) has 78 tackles and four sacks. Senior linebacker, fullback, kicker, tight end and punter Greg Fore has also had a solid season for the Irish.
Baker knows his team will have a challenge with Kirk’s multiple offensive attack.
“Every time I watch Kirk, they get better,” Baker concluded. “They have a lot of different weapons – you can’t just go in trying to stop one person. Going in, we want to be able to limit the big plays and make them drive the field.”
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Jackson Academy.
