Noxapater High School head football coach Casey Orr was certainly pleased his Tigers were able to cruise by visiting Myrtle 43-0 in the first round of the MHSAA Class 1A State Football Playoffs on Friday night, but he also quickly acknowledged that his team still has a little work to do if it wants to advance deeper into the playoffs.
“There are some things that we need to clean up,” he said. “We turned the ball over three times. If you keep doing that in the playoffs your season will end in a hurry. We also just have to earn how to finish drives. We had an opportunity to take control of the game when we had a drive to go up two scores but didn’t do it. We have to find a way to punch the ball into the end zone.”
Next up for the Tigers is a trip to face a 10-1 Biggersville team that has yet to lose at home this season.
Last week Lions rolled past West Lowndes 44-6 in their playoff opener. Biggersville’s only loss on the season was 41-26 to Tupelo Christian.
“They are a big physical team,” Orr said. “They are a run first team and they have a big back that has to be stopped. They are 10-1 for a reason.”
Orr said he expects Biggersville to be methodical and try to control the clock and the football. “They are going to grind it out and try to lean on you with a big back,” he said. I Think it is one of the better teams we have played this year and to have to on the road and play them it will be big.”
Goldman Butler, a 5-foot-11, 235-pound junior has rushed for 1,379 yards this year.
Last Friday night in the first round of the playoffs K.D. Carter had another big game for the Tigers, rushing for 228 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and hitting on 4-of-5 passes for 41 yards. One of those passes was a 16-yard touchdown strike to Landon Bailey.
Raheem Hathorn carried the ball 10 times for 93 yards and two touchdown, while Donnie Chunn had five carries for 69 yards and a score. Chase ray also had a rushing touchdown.
The Tigers led 23-0 at the half.
Hathorn led the Noxapater defense with 13 tackles, including three for a loose. As a team the Tigers recorded 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage against Myrtle, holding them to 50 yards of total offense.
Kyler Carter had eight tackles and a fumble recovery for the winners, while Lane Bailey recorded eight stops and Ray seven. K.D. Carter had a fumble recovery, while Chris Roberts intercepted a pass.
