There are a few things at stake for the Warriors of Nanih Waiya High School on Friday night when they travel north to take on a good Smithville football team.
A win over the Seminoles will assure the Warriors of once again being region champions, but the contest also gives the NW football team a chance to be tested, something they haven’t dealt with the last couple of weeks.
“There is no doubt Smithville is a good team,” NW head football coach James Courtney said of the 7-3 Seminoles, who also have something to play for. “They are fighting to get the best possible playoff spot they can get. Any time you play at Smithville you are down 7 at the start. It’s a very tough atmosphere. It will be a good test and a fun test. It has become quite a rivalry between our two schools.”
There wasn’t much of a test for the Warriors last week as they jumped out to a 35-0 first-quarter lead and rolled to a 54-21 home win over winless Vardaman on Thursday night.
Nanih Waiya only ran 32 offensive plays in the game, but certainly took advantage of its opportunities.
The winners, now 8-2 on the season, opened the game with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Tylan Glass and followed that up with first-quarter touchdowns by four other individuals. Devean Turner scored on a 7-yard run, while Bryce Woodruff had a 30-yard fumble return for a score, Donovan Turner scored on a 13-yard run, and Austin Sanders scored from 18 yards out. Jake Vick was good on all five of his first-quarter extra point attempts.
Devean Turner score on a 13-yard run early in the second quarter to make it 41-0. After Vardaman scored on a fumble return and a 28-yard pass play, Donovan Turner ran one in from 57 yards out to make it 48-14 at the half.
Woodruff had a 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Vardaman scored on a 6-yard run in the fourth to wrap up the scoring.
Donovan Turner led the Warriors in rushing with 98 yards on four carries, while Woodruff had 84 yards on five attempts. Devean Turner had five carries for 59 yards, while Austin Sanders had four for 54. Blake Young, J.T. Stokes and Taylor HIgginbotham all had catches for the Warriors.
Stokes led the NW defense with eight stops, while Higginbotham had seven.
Courtney said his team was “as healthy as we are going to be. We have everybody back that we are going to get back.”
He said the way his team plays these last two games — at Smithville Friday and against visiting Okolona next week — was important as the Warriors neared the MHSAA Class 1A State Football Playoffs.
“We need to be ready when playoff times comes and we are treating (these games) like the playoffs,” he said. “It’s an ideal time to have some tough games.”
