Crossing state lines didn’t seem to slow Noxapater quarterback K.D. Carter down one bit.
The senior speedster scored four touchdowns and rushed for 105 yards on 15 carries to lead the Tigers of Noxapater to a 26-6 win over Choctaw County (Ala.) in a game played just across the Mississippi/Alabama state line in Butler.
While pleased with the win, there were some things that were a little surprising for Noxapater head coach Casey Orr.
“I didn’t think it was our best performance,” Orr said. “I though our guys fought and found a way to win a football game, but I don’t think we executed the way we need to in order to be successful down the road.
“When you get a win, you are excited about it,” he said. “I was expecting a clean performance and we didn’t get that. But that’s what happens with week one sometimes.”
Orr said that his team’s tackling has to get a lot better. “They broke a lot of tackles,” he said. “That’s something we will be emphasizing (in practice) this week.”
The Tigers pay a visit to Eupora on Friday at 7 p.m. to take on the Class 2A Eagles, who lost to Class 3A power Winona 28-6 in their season opener.
“They have a lot of physicality and speed,” Orr said of Eupora. “They fly to the football. They have gotten a little more spread oriented and throw the ball more than they have in the past.”
While Carter had a big night on offense for Noxapater in the season-opener, he got the job done defensively as well, recording nine tackles and picking off a pass. Sawyer Roberts had six tackles (two for losses) and two fumble recoveries for the winners. While Raheem Hathorn had eight tackles, two for a loss, and Ethan Carer had three tackles for a loss. Chase Ray had seven tackles and a fumble recovery, while Ryan Whitfield had a crucial punt block in the second half, eventually resulting in Noxapater’s final touchdown.
“They had started to get a little bit of momentum and that swung it back our way,” Orr said.
