Every week has brought a new challenge for Louisville, but the defending Class 4A state champions just continue to roll.
Tyrone Shorter was concerned how his team would handle playing Caledonia for the second time this year as the Cavaliers came to R.E. Hinze Stadium. Almost immediately, any concerns went away for Shorter as the Wildcats would rip off a second-straight shutout in a 39-0 blowout win.
“Our kids came out and they were focused,” Shorter said. “I thought we played good in all three phases again. Any concern that I had ended after the game started.”
LHS got a touchdown midway through first quarter and never looked back in what was another absolutely dominating performance. The offense ran for 251 yards and threw for 182 and the defense didn’t allow a point for the fifth time in 13 ball games.
Xavier Hunt continued his solid junior season at quarterback by throwing for 182 yards with a touchdown and interception on 6-of-13 passing. Jykevious Goss had a huge ball game hauling in two of those passes for 116 yards and a score while Kamron Triplett had two other catches for 52 yards. On the ground, the Wildcats had two 100-yard rushers with Jaylin Jordan producing one of his best games of the year carrying it 13 times for 123 yards and two scores and Jaylunn Hoskins getting 12 carries for 100 yards.
Travon McKinney had 11 tackles while Tayquon McKinney finished with nine tackles, 2.0 TFL and 1.0 sack. Kendon Sanders had nine tackles, 1.0 TFL and a forced fumble and Kenneth Hill finished with five tackles and an interception.
The scoring began with under 5 minutes left in the first quarter as Jordan would carry it four times and take the ball nearly the distance of the field with 97 yards on the one drive to get the 7-0 lead. The Wildcats got another score in the first quarter and took a 15-0 lead into the second before Ceidrick Hunt nailed a 23-yard field goal for the 18-0 lead at the half.
Xzarion Haynes kept it rolling in the second half when he rushed in 4-yard score to make it 26-0 and the rout was on the rest of the way.
Since a narrow 7-6 win over Noxubee County way back in September, the Wildcats have beaten every team they’ve played by at least 24 points. The team that started that all was Houston, a Class 4A, Region 3 foe that hasn’t lost to anyone else on its schedule.
The Hilltoppers are the final team in the North that can challenge LHS as the two will converge in Louisville on Friday night. The talented Houston team is on a six-game winning streak coming into Friday night and will be looking to show that the 50-6 score earlier this year was a fluke.
“It’s always a challenge when you play a team the second time in one year. This is a different ball game and it’s for a trip to the state championship,” Shorter said. “When we played them the first time, it was one of their worst games. They’re going to come in and play us hard. It was so important for us to win that game earlier in the year so we can play in front of our fans and in our stadium.”
Friday night is the fourth year in a row that the Wildcats will play for a North State championship, and they’ve played in the semifinals now every year under Shorter except for year one. It’s the second-straight year that the Hilltoppers and Wildcats have met with LHS winning 31-21 last season at Houston.
Shorter has grown accustomed to practicing on Thanksgiving week, but the coach never grows tired of it or takes it for granted. This is a feeling that many people don’t get over the years and he’s proud to be a part of it.
“This is why we do it – to play for the game after Thanksgiving. We have a chance to play for a state championship and I’m excited. All of our kids are excited,” Shorter said of North State. “This is the reason why we start in the spring and summer preparing so we can play for a trip to the state championship. We’ve got two weeks left. Continue to stay focused. It’s more mental this time of year because it’s a long season.”
