Choctaw County didn’t have to win its final regular game against Hatley. The Chargers clinched the Region 4-3A championship and a Number 1 seed for the MHSAA playoffs a week earlier with a victory over Noxubee County.
But Choctaw County took care of business with a 31-7 victory to finish 8-3 overall, with seven straight wins, and 4-0 in region play.
“We started a little slow,” said coach Jeff Roberts. “In the third quarter we kind of woke up and started playing like we’re supposed to play.”
Choctaw County led 13-0 at the half on TD runs of eight and nine yards by Dicenzo Miller. Ques McNeal returned the second half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown and then the Chargers moved 96 yards on 21 plays, scoring on a quarterback sneak by Tylan Carter.
Miller completed the Chargers’ scoring with a 75-yard run in the fourth quarter. He finished with 18 carries for 193 yards.
“He had a huge game,” Roberts said.
Carter compete four passes for 47 yards and ran nine times for 35 yards.
McNeal’s kickoff return for a touchdown was the Chargers’ second of the season. Kendall Coleman had one in a victory over Houston,
The defense had a shutout until Hatley scored in the final two minutes against reserves, including players who had been promoted from the junior varsity after their season ended.
“We basically gave up zero points except for young kids who got reps at the end of the game. I really liked the fact that they could get some reps,” Roberts said.
One of the youngsters, freshman Quay Lane, had a fourth quarter interception. “He was excited about that,” Roberts said.
Choctaw County had limited outdoor practice time leading up to the game due to rain. “We didn’t want to take the risk to go outside one week before the playoffs and roll an ankle,” Roberts said.
Now it’s on to the 3A playoffs, beginning with a home game Friday against Ruleville Central. As the champion of 4-3A, Choctaw County drew the fourth place team from 3-3A. Ruleville is 4-6.
“I’ve seen them on film and they played really well against Amanda Elzy,” Roberts said. Ruleville lost to Amanda Elzy, the 3-3A champion, 8-0.
Ruleville is led by senior quarterback Joseph Perez.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. Friday.
If the Chargers win, the next game will be with the winner between defending 3A state champion Water Valley and Kossuth.
Choctaw County is ninth ranked among 3A teams by the website MaxPreps. But the rankings are somewhat suspect considering that two teams that lost to Choctaw County and finished behind the Chargers in the region are ranked higher. Second place Noxubee County is fifth and third place Houston seventh.
