Turnovers and penalties are the unknowns in any football game. They can also oftentimes be the difference in the final score.
Miscues turned out to be the difference last Friday night as the Grenada Chargers turned four Warren Central turnovers into 17 points and committed just three penalties to win a 23-10 decision to capture the Class 6A North State Title in Vicksburg. With the win, GHS improves to 13-1 and punched its ticket to its second straight Class 6A title game. Warren Central ends their season at 9-4.
“We have been in a bunch of big games with these guys and this game was no exception,” Fair said Sunday afternoon. “I thought the key to the game was whoever could stick to their gameplan and follow through with it the longest would be the team that won. We were able to stick to our plan both offensively and defensively, and were able to finish the game out.”
At times, Grenada struggled to move the football, but in the end, senior running back Macaleb Taylor ran for 236 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns as the offensive workhorse for the Chargers.
“We knew going in that they had good players and first downs were going to be hard to come by,” Fair said. “Punting the football is not a bad thing especially with a defense like we have. Turning the football over is a bad thing — so we wanted to protect the football, get first downs and manufacture some points. That’s how we are built. Field position and ball security are the keys.”
After holding Warren Central on its initial possession, the Chargers used a 10-play, 70-yard drive for the first points of the night. Taylor scored on an 18-yard run and junior Brayden Neathery kicked the extra point with 5:45 left in the first quarter to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead.
The Vikings answered Grenada’s drive with one of their own, using 9 plays to drive 67 yards for the tying touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Nash Morgan connected with senior Jaylon Winters on a 20-yard scoring pass with 20 seconds left in the first quarter and junior Jonah Artman kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7-7.
After the Chargers were unable to move the football, they punted to Warren Central, which fumbled on the second play of the drive at the Vikings 44-yard line. Grenada took over and moved to as deep as the 8-yard line where the drive stalled. Neathery kicked a 25-yard field goal with 4:53 left in the half to put the Chargers up 10-7.
Charger defenders Demetrius Ross (20) and Jereon Reed (17) put pressure on Warren Central sophomore quarterback Nash Morgan during last Friday night’s North State Championship game in Vicksburg.
However, Warren Central answered the field goal with one of its own late in the half. Artman’s 35-yard field goal tied the game at 10-10 with 2:05 left in the half. The Chargers got as deep as the Vikings 24-yard line when the half ended.
The momentum turned in the Chargers favor following the second Vikings turnover at the GHS 29-yard line late in the third quarter. On that drive, each team was whistled with a personal foul with Warren Central’s senior defensive back De’Kasei Crump being ejected on the play.
Six plays later, Taylor broke through three tackles and scampering for a 28-yard touchdown run with 10:16 left in the game. Senior Michael Cavanaugh’s PAT was good for a 17-10 lead.
Two plays following the touchdown, the Vikings turned the ball over again as senior linebacker Jahmani Washington recovered the fumble at the Warren Central 29-yard line. Grenada needed six plays aided by two crucial offsides calls against the Vikings’ defense — one coming on fourth down. Junior quarterback Brayden Trusty scored on a 5-yard run with 5:22 left in the game. The extra point was blocked for the 23-10 final.
Grenada finished the night with 271 total yards compared to 215 yards for Warren Central. Individually, Trusty was 10-of-22 passing for 55 yards. Junior Zayion Cotton had 4 catches for 21 yards, while senior Chance Jenkins had 3 snags for 23 yards.
Defensively, senior Sema’j Avery led the way with 12 tackles, while Washington had 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Classmate Jarques Perry had 8 tackles, two tackles for losses, one sack and two forced fumbles.
The Chargers now face South 6A winner Hattiesburg, which won a 39-35 decision over Picayune on the road last Friday. They bring a 13-0 record into the game and are coached by former Charleston High School Head Coach Tony Vance. The Tigers sport some of the top athletes in the state and will be a challenge for GHS.
“Hattiesburg is an outstanding football team with athletes on both sides of the football,” Fair concluded. “They have a 5-Star wide receiver, the Mr. Football winner in Class 6A. We are looking forward to preparing to play them.”
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Saturday at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
