For nearly half the game Friday, Choctaw County and Winona played on even terms. Then everything changed in five offensive plays and Winona went to a 42-14 victory.,
The Chargers led 14-13 late in the second quarter and were in position to add to the lead when quarterback Tylan Carter ran 69 yards to the Winona three. But three plays left Choctaw County at the three, resulting in a field goal attempt that sailed wide left.
On third and goal from the nine, Winona stopped a pass play three yards short of pay dirt.
Choctaw County coach Jeff Roberts said it might have been a different game if the Chargers had scored a touchdown at that point. He pointed out a missed block on the first play resulted in Dicenzo Miller being stopped for no gain. “If we get that good block, Dicenzo walks into the end zone.”
On Winona’s second play after the missed field goal, quarterback An’Darius Coffey shed one tackle at the line of scrimmage and raced 82 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. Adavion Hargrove ran in the two-point conversion to give the Tigers a 21-14 lead at the break.
The second half was all Winona. After surrendering 208 yards in the first half, the Tiger defense held Choctaw County to 53 yards after intermission. Coffey did the rest.
The Tigers went 42 yards on their first possession of the third quarter, scoring on a four-year run by Coffey.
The real crusher for Choctaw County came on Winona’s next possession. The Tigers started at their own four following a 51-yard punt by Beard. Facing third down at the one, Coffey hit a streaking Hargrove in stride at midfield and he went the rest of the way untouched.
Coffey added a 45-yard TD pass to Dadarion Small in the fourth quarter.
Winona opened the scoring in the first quarter on a five-yard pass from Coffey to Robert McMath after Quentin McCorkley recovered a Carter fumble at the Choctaw County 24. The Chargers tied it a 7-7 when Carter hooked up with Preston Payne on a 56-yard scoring pass.
Winona went back ahead when Dennis Turner returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards. Choctaw County took its only lead 14-13 on a seven-yard TD run by Carter and the successful PAT by Beard.
“We had some miscues we probably should not have had. There are some things we have to do better” Roberts said.
He considered the loss a teaching experience for his team. “I told my coaches the good thing about it is that it’s the second game of the season. Any issues that we have that need to be fixed, we can fix them. We have a long season. The goal is to be 1-0 each week.
“There are a lot of coaches who have won championships in the past who had one of those games when things did not go the way they wanted it to. But they turned it around.”
Coffey was eight of nine passing for 178 yards and ran 15 times for 212 yards. “He’s special. There’s no doubt about it,” Roberts said.
Hargrove had two receptions for 111 yards and carried three times for 49 yards. Carter supplied most of the Choctaw County offense with 14 carries for 121 yards and six completions for 68 yards.
Winona outgained Choctaw County 435-261.
The game drew a large crowd to Dale Davidson Field, with stands on both sides filled and many more fans ringing the field.
Next up for the Chargers is a road game Friday with Calhoun City, a 2A school that is 1-1 following a 55-0 win over Ashland and a 32-7 loss to Houston. Calhoun City is a traditional power that won the 2A state title in 2016 and reached the North State final the past two years.
Roberts coached against Calhoun City as an assistant at Water Valley and knows what to expect. “They’re going to do what they do. They’re going to run the ball. They’re going to play good defense.”
