On a night where the temperature was finally perfect for football and stadium blankets, the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans (6-3, 2-1) took a big step in the Region 5-4A playoff hunt with a convincing 19-3 win against the Northeast Jones Tigers (1-7, 1-2).
Trojan coach Steve Nelson said earlier this week his team couldn't afford to take the Tigers lightly knowing, despite their record, the Tigers still had some bite left in them.
"Our defense grew up tonight," Nelson said after his team all but shut down the Tiger offense. "I'm an old-school kind of coach so I firmly believe you win championships with defense first."
But it doesn't hurt to have Marquez Hopson running your offense either.
Hopson, who along with other Trojan seniosr were honored before the kickoff of the game on Senior Night, amassed 67 yards rushing and two touchdown throws in the second quarter to break open a scoreless game.
"Hopson is a very good player and we knew that going in," Northeast Jones coach Bubba Hathorn said. "He really hurt us."
After both teams spent much of the first quarter trading possessions with nothing to show for their efforts, Hopson and his offensive line began to take over the game.
From his own 29-yard line, Hopson fell in behind the big boys out of the trenches with runs of 25, 15 and 12 yards. But it was his arm that finally got the first points on the board for the Trojans.
Nelson, sensing his offense had finally come untracked, put the ball in Hopson's hands on a fourth-and-goal from the Tiger 5. Hopson rolled to his right and found junior wide receiver Vance Miller alone in the end zone for the touchdown. The PAT failed but Northeast Lauderdale had found the momentum they were looking for.
The Tigers just could not get their power running game untracked as the Trojans seemed to be everywhere, gang-tackling and harassing quarterbacks Alec Barlow and Juwan Lawrence.
"Every time we seemed to get moving we'd have a penalty or just plain bog down," Hathorn said. "Our offense is struggling right now and we've got to get that fixed."
Northeast Lauderdale took over at midfield with about 5:30 left in the half. From there, Hopson hit Maurice Terrell over the middle. Terrell made an acrobatic catch to haul in the 22-yard strike down to the Tiger 28. But with a first down at the NEJ 18 one play later, the Trojans began going backwards. Three consecutive penalties moved them to the Tiger 29 but that didn't seem to worry Hopson.
Dropping back on third down, Hopson found Ben Brooks over the middle at the 10. Brooks then skirted three Tiger defenders to the endzone. The PAT again failed but NEL held a 12-0 advantage.
Northeast Jones was able to put a field goal on the board to cut into the Trojan lead with 6.5 seconds remaining in the half.
At the end of the third quarter the score still stood 12-3. But Brooks, playing cornerback, would put the Trojans in excellent field position after intercepting Barlow at the NEJ 47 and returning it to the 33.
At the 4:02 mark, Hopson would add his first running touchdown to his tally sheet from 4 yards out. This time the PAT was good and the Trojans had all but iced the game away 19-3 on a chilly night at home.
A dejected Hathorn took a minute to think ahead to remainder of the season and his team's chances to make the playoffs.
"We still have life but we have dug ourselves a big hole," he said. "We have some games yet to be played. We are in for the fight of our lives."
Nelson, meanwhile, afforded himself a brief smile knowing his Trojans had just notched a big win.
"This was a huge step forward," Nelson said. "We started out a little tight but these kids fought through it and came out with a win. Now we've got to build on this and carry it into Laurel next week."
Sports
NE Trojans stifle Tigers
Northeast takes 19-3 win from NEJ
- Sports
-
-
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
Adding to his impressive collection of coaching hardware, East Mississippi Community College head football coach Buddy Stephens was presented with the 2011 George Sekul Award during the All-American Football Foundation’s Banquet of Champions held earlier this month at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
-
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.
-
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
-
Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
