The Scott Central Rebels have gotten better each week since the one loss they suffered on the season. Back on October 19, the Rebels suffered a heartbreaking loss to then undefeated Pelahatchie High School. Since that loss, the Rebels have come out each week with an unbreakable determination to leave no doubt who was the better football team in each of their consecutive wins. They are ready to play for the Class 2A North Championship and a place in the state championship this Friday night when they host Calhoun City. The Rebels earned the right to play for the north championship by defeating Eupora 28-14 last Friday night on the road in third round playoff action.
Rebel’s head coach Devine Cooper has said that the 21-19 loss to Pelahatchie really brought his team and coaches back down to Earth and has worked to bring the team together at the most important time of the year. His team has responded by finding another gear since that lone loss, and they have hit their stride playing their best football during the 2A playoffs.
Scott Central used the same winning formula they have used every week when they traveled to Eupora for third round playoff action. The Rebels jumped on the homestanding Eagles right from the start by taking their first two possessions right down the field for scores. After the Rebel offense found the endzone twice the Rebels defense decided to get in on the scoring action. They forced a fumble and then scooped the ball up and returned it 25 yards for a score of their own.
By the time the home crowd had their seats warm on the cold November Friday night the visiting Rebels had raced out to a 21-0 first quarter lead. Scott Central had successfully neutralized Eupora’s home field advantage by big scoring plays on offense and defense. The temparuture in North Mississippi was cold last Friday night, but the Scott Central Rebels were on fire and neither the Eupora Eagles nor the weather was going to cool them off before they left with the win.
After the quick start in the first quarter things settled down and the Rebels struggled to move the ball in the second quarter. The Rebels defense continued to play hard-hitting stingy defense but did allow the homestanding Eagles to reach the endzone before the end of the half and the Rebels took a 21-7 lead into halftime.
To start the second half the Rebels kicked off to the Eagles. After a short drive that made little progress Eupora punted back to the Rebels. The punt off the Eagles kicker’s foot hit the field and kept rolling until it was touched dead at the Scott Central 1 yard-line pinning the Rebels as deep as possible in their own territory. The home crowd finally came back to life and it seemed that fans and the Eupora team thought this was an excellent opportunity to get back in the football game. They could have been right if it were not for senior RB Naventeque Strong who had other plans of how it would go.
Cooper called Strong’s number at QB to handle the football in such a tight spot, and that call proved to be the absolute right call. Strong took the direct snap over the right side of his line and broke free of all defenders while he turned on the burners down the sideline for a spectacular 99-yard TD. The run left the home side of the stadium stunned again. Strong might have needed oxygen after that run, but even as his legs started to tire sprinting down the sideline he refused to be denied and found paydirt for the play of the night.
After the long TD run the Rebels would work to run out the clock, but the Eupora Eagles never gave up as they added a fourth quarter score to cut into Scott Central’s lead. The Eagles then were pressured by the clock and the Rebels were ready to take advantage of every desperate mistake made by Eupora. In the last quarter the Rebels foiled a fake punt attempt, onside kick and came away with two interceptions by Vontae McDonald and Dillon Shaw to ice the 28-14 victory and move on the 2A North Championship game.
The Rebels now move on and will host Calhoun City this Friday night at Scott Central. The Wildcats come into Friday’s game with a 10-4 record and have only given up 6 total points in their three playoff victories. They have outscored opponents 96-6 during their playoff run, but they have not faced an offense as explosive as Scott Central.
The Rebels have scored 117 points during their playoff run while the defense has held opponents to 20 points allowed. The Rebels have hit their stride and are playing their best football right now and they will need every play to beat the visiting Calhoun City Wildcats Friday night to earn the right to play for the 2A state championship.
The game is scheduled to kickoff at 7:00 p.m. on Scott Central campus.
