The total package.
That’s the way that Grenada High School second-year head football coach Michael Fair describes the defending Class 7A State Champion Oak Grove Warriors. It’s the challenge that awaits the Chargers this Friday night in Hattiesburg.
“What jumps out on film is they have the combination of size and speed,” Fair said. “They have an offensive line that is big and explosive. It’s a team that has several Division 1 players on this football team returning from last year. Their speed on the perimeter is outstanding. They can match up on the perimeter in ways that a lot of people can’t do.”
Oak Grove is coached by veteran Drew Causey, who is 90-29 in nine seasons at the school. The Warriors have won a Class 6A title in 2020 and a Class 7A title under Causey. It’s a program that is among the elite in Mississippi.
“The great thing for them is they can graduate a really good senior class and send 22 players out there a year later just as good,” Fair said. “They got a great thing going on and have built a tremendous tradition there.”
Offensively, the Warriors are led by junior running back Kylin Champagne (5-foot-11, 200-pounds). Last season, he ran for 976 yards on 177 carries and scored 14 touchdowns. Receiver Anson Lewis Jr. (6-foot, 195 pounds) is a 4-Star recruit that transferred from Columbia High School.
“They have a number of talented players who are being recruited heavily this year,” Fair said. “When you talk to people who normally play them, they will tell you they have a chance to be as explosive as they were last year.”
Defensively, the Warriors are led by senior tackle Andrew Maddox (6-foot-4, 295 pounds), who has committed to Ole Miss. His brother, Anthony Maddox, the quarterback last season at Oak Grove, is currently a freshman at Ole Miss.
“They won’t have many deficiencies on either side of the football,” Fair said. “It will be a challenge for our football team.”
Maintaining the line of scrimmage will be one of the goals for the Chargers, according to Fair.
“On offense, we are going to limit their penetration and limit movement when we are on defense,” Fair concluded. “We need to make some plays and be balanced offensively, not being all pass plays or all run plays. It will be important to get positive yards on first and second down, making it manageable on third down. On defense, we need to limit their big plays. They have won a lot of games over the last couple of years with big plays. We need to be the best version of us we can be.”
Grenada is coming off a 28-6 two-quarter jamboree scrimmage win over Clarksdale, while Oak Grove outscored Gulfport 28-21 on the road last week.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Oak Grove.
