MERIDIAN —
If you are going to end a decade of frustration against a cross-county rival, then shattering a streak is the way to do it.
Amid a playoff-like atmosphere, the Southeast Lauderdale Tigers mauled the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans on Friday night at Northeast by the tune of 33-14. As fans and players alike romped on the field, Southeast coach Boo Smith, horse from urging his team on during the game, said his team just wanted this one more than the Trojans.
"Our motivation was the last 10 years of losing to this team," said Smith, as his players whooped it up in the background. "We ran hard and the receivers really went after the balls thrown to them."
Again, Ladarious Clark for the Tigers led the way, rushing 19 times for 98 yards and four touchdowns. Each time the Tigers got close they put the ball in the hands of their money man as they ended a 10-year losing skid and closed the series to 25-20 in favor of Northeast.
"We told the guys we'd win this one in the trenches and that is what we did," Smith said.
Northeast head coach Steve Nelson was certainly disappointed in his teams performance in front of the home crowd. He said the defense just didn't tackle well enough to stop the Tiger attack.
"We just didn't do a good job of stopping their running backs," said Nelson. "We could get them in long yardage situations but we let them off the hook. We, as coaches, have to get the kids better prepared."
Southeast opened up the game in excellent fashion as they started from midfield. Clark capped the 10-play drive from 2 yards out after two big passing plays from the arm of senior quarterback Shelby Moseley. Moseley, who finished the night 6 of 14 for 161 yards, connected with C. J. Scott for 25 yards and then 19 yards to the shifty Demarcus Pringle to move the Tigers deep into Trojan territory. Chase Pearson added the PAT and with 8:04 left in the first quarter, Southeast was up 7-0.
Northeast came right back but the Southeast defense, stopped the drive at their own 10-yard line. The Tigers would go on the prowl again mounting a nine-play, 90-yard drive. Clark and Pringle would provide the running game as they shared getting huge chunks of yardage — Clark breaking for a 25-yard scamper while Pringle added another 22 yards during the drive. Clark brokewould break through the middle from 1 yard out for the second Tiger score. Pearson tacked on the PAT for a 14-0 Southeast lead.
"We just couldn't get the defense off the field," Nelson said.
But the Trojans would respond.
A six-play, 55-yard drive was just what Northeast needed to get into the end zone and give their defense time to catch their breath. Junior quarterback Alex Nicholson, who finished the night 17 of 30 for 187 yards, found Ben Brooks for 12 yards. With the Jesse Lang PAT, the Trojans pulled to within a touchdown with 10:02 left in the half. Brooks finished the game with 106 yards receiving and a rushing touchdown.
Southeast answered with a 10-play, 67-yard drive highlighted by Clark taking in a swing pass from Moseley on the left side. Clark started up the sideline and then cut back across the field against the grain of the defense. He was finally run down at the Trojan 10. Three plays later Clark slashed in from the 3. Pearson's PAT gave Southeast a commanding 21-7 lead going into halftime.
Northeast, after giving the ball up on downs at the Southeast 39 on its first possession of the second half, let a golden opportunity slip away from them midway through the third quarter.
Driving from their own 20 down to the Southeast 14, Nicholson, who threw four interceptions on the night, suffered his first interception when Tiger cornerback Jagradi Webster stepped in front of Nicholson's intended target, Brooks, at the Tiger 10-yard line. Webster would grab his second theft on Northeast's next possession as the Trojans were driving deep into Southeast territory again.
The Tigers took over at their own 28 and put together an eight-play, 72-yard drive. From the Northeast 47, Moseley found his tall, athletic wide receiver Nathan Freeze who plucked the pass out of the sky for a 38-year gain down to the Trojan 9. On the next play, Clark picked up his fourth touchdown on the night.
Northeast would show signs of not giving up with 4:03 left in the game when Brooks took a reverse pitch 4 yards to paydirt. But it was too little, too late.
Southeast's Pringle would seal the deal on the ensuing drive from 9 yards out. The PAT was no good but the Tigers celebrated the 33-14 win and maybe the start of a new streak — this time in their favor.
Sports
Related Photos
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Southeast Lauderdale's Desmond Johnson cuts back inside against Northeast Lauderdale's Johnny McDonald Friday night. Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
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Southeast Lauderdale's Shelby Moseley escapes being sacked by Northeast Lauderdale's Chad Hall Friday night. Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
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Northeast Lauderdale's Ben Brooks tries to shake off Southeast Lauderdale's Jagradi Webster as he tries to swing it outside Friday night. Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
Discussion
Eleventh Heaven
Tigers end frustration with win against Trojans
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Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers
Eric Neel spent three seasons coach at East Central. The Hornets played in three state championship games.
Neel then coached the past three years at Wayne County, leading the War Eagles to three straight Class 5A fast-pitch state crowns.
And now, he doesn’t see why the same can’t occur at Quitman. After guiding Wayne County to its third straight championship Saturday, Neel resigned his position in Waynesboro on Thursday to replace Kacie Roberson at Quitman. -
Unexpected Honor
Winning a state championship, that Blake McMullen expected.
To be named the Player of the Year in Class 3A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches, that caught the Southeast Lauderdale senior off guard. -
RCA’s Lee and pair of Generals chosen for All-Star tilt
Russell Christian Academy senior Camryn Lee and Newton County Academy duo Clay Upton and Dillon Williams will wrap up their senior seasons today.
The local trio will play in the MAIS All-Star Class A game at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson at 2 p.m. The Class AA-AAA game will follow. -
McFarland named first-team All-American for Jones County
The honors continue to come in for the Jones County Junior College softball program.
Pitcher Ginger Lonergan and centerfielder Relanda McFarland were both named to the NJCAA Division II All-American first-team on Thursday. -
A Family Affair
Five days. Two state titles. One family.
It’d be hard to find a family that had a better week than the one Robbi and Shay Cooper just experienced. -
Roundup — Stephens receives Sekul Award
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The Drought Is Over
All Mason Irby was hoping for was to find a way on base.
The Southeast Lauderdale sophomore did that and so much more. Irby's single with two outs in the seventh inning broke a tie, lifting the Tigers to a 6-3 MHSAA Class 3A state championship win at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday, and handing Southeast (32-7) its first title since 1966. -
Ramey shines again, hurls Tigers to MHSAA Class 3A crown
The bar was set pretty high.
After all, Southeast Lauderdale senior right-hander Colby Ramey needed just 65 pitches to beat Kossuth in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 3A state championship game Thursday.
However, according to fellow senior Blake McMullen, Ramey cleared the hurdle Wednesday when he scattered eight hits on 104 pitches to finish off the Aggies in a 6-3 state championship-clinching win at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday. -
Southeast wins MHSAA Class 3A Championsip
Slideshow from the MHSAA Class 3A state championship game between Southeast Lauderdale and Kossuth.
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Briarwood to host Emerald Coast Golf Tour in June
Professional golf is coming to Meridian.
The Emerald Coast Golf Tour will be holding the Meridian Pro-Am Classic at Briarwood Country Club June 26-29. - More Sports Headlines
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