HATTIESBURG – Eleven seconds into the MHSAA Class 1A Football State Championship Game, Lumberton led Nanih Waiya 6-0 when Robert Henry ran 50 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. But the rest of the game belonged to Nanih Waiya as the Warriors won a second straight state championship with a 28-13 victory that was more decisive than the score in the game that was played on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
How decisive was it? Nanih Waiya outgained Lumberton 439-204 and 78 of the Panthers' yards came on a late touchdown drive after Nanih Waiya's fourth TD gave the Warriors a 28-6 lead with 5:20 left in the game. Between Henry's TD run and that final drive, Lumberton was held to 76 yards in three quarters of game time.
The Warriors never punted.
“The sky's the limit for Nanih Waiya football,” coach James Courtney said. “It's a great place with great kids who do it the right way with class and great effort.”
Nanih Waiya had 371 yards on the ground as Donovan Turner, Shia Moore and Austin Sanders took turns gashing the Lumberton defense. Turner had 24 carries for 189 yards, Moore 17 for 125 and Sanders eight for 62. Turner also completed three passes for 68 yards to earn game MVP.
“We just wanted to line up and get the tackle over with a fullback so our big backs can run the football,” Courtney said. “That was our plan the whole game. To keep the ball away from them.”
The Warriors were successful in that endeavor, with 60 offensive plays to 42 for Lumberton and 30:41 in time of possession to 17:19 for Lumberton.
Nanih Waiya answered Lumberton's early touchdown with a 62-yard scoring drive. On fourth-and-six from the 17, Turner floated the ball into the end zone and Tylan Glass out-jumped a defender for the TD. Jake Vick added the extra point – he was four for four on PATs – to give the Warriors a 7-6 lead.
“Our kids never waver when facing adversity,” Courtney said.
The Warrior defense came up with a big stop later in the first quarter when Henry was stopped for no gain on fourth and two at the Nanih Waiya 21.
Nanih Waiya then marched 79 yards on 12 running plays to make it 14-6 at the half, with Moore scoring from six yards out.
The drive of the game started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth quarter, with Nanih Waiya going 94 yards in 17 plays to score on a two-yard run by Sanders, while taking nine minutes and 10 seconds off the clock. The Warriors had more than 100 yards in offense on the drive because of a 15-yard penalty.
Nanih Waiya's final touchdown was set up by a Moore interception at the Lumberton 29. He later scored on a one-yard run.
Turner attributed the Warriors' success on the ground to work in the weight room and wind sprints. “We really don't get tired,” he said.
Moore, a linebacker on defense, has been a standout on both sides of the ball this year. He hopes to play collegiate ball and wants it to be on defense. “I like being physical.”
He was very physical on offense against Lumberton, using his 215-pound frame to run over defenders.
Nanih Waiya began the season with losses to West Lauderdale, a 4A school, and Union, a 2A school, but won its last 14 games. That included two wins over Noxapater, their nearby rival, including 21-20 in the North State final when the Warriors stopped a two-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter.
Courtney said Noxapater is the best coached team the Warriors faced. “They get after it on every snap. It was awesome to be able to get the win. It was a war the whole game until the final second.”
Henry, Mr Football for 1A, accounted for all but nine yards of Lumberton's offense. He ran 22 times for 145 yards and competed seven passes for 50 yards.
Lumberton, winner of Region 4-1A, finishes 12-4. Nanih Waiya won Region 2-1A.
