Two Class AA playoff teams squared off Friday night and a pair of blocked extra points ended up being the difference.
Central Holmes jumped out to an early 13-0 lead but was unable to hold on as Carroll Academy rallied for a 28-27 victory in the regular season finale for both teams.
Central Holmes finished the regular season with a 6-3 record and will enter the MAIS playoffs as the No. 8 seed and will host Clinton Christian on Friday night. Carroll improved to 7-3 with the win.
In the end, the Trojans struggled with the Carroll rushing attack that had 332 yards rushing.
“We still struggle with some of the more physical running teams,” Crowder said. “That has been our achilles heal in the games we have lost and it was the same deal on Friday night. The three games we have lost have been to similar teams. It was disappointing but Carroll had a lot to do with that. There are some things I would like to have done differently, but I felt like we didn’t execute very well. But our kids played hard and I don’t question their effort. Sometimes you just lose. It was a great high school game.”
Central Holmes seemed to be in control of the game from the outset when Wykece Johnson scored on the opening play on a 63-yard touchdown run. Ethan Ables booted the PAT and Central Holmes led 7-0 early in the first.
The Rebels gave the ball back with a fumble on their opening drive and the Trojans made them pay with a nine-play, 83-yard drive as Nathan Taylor hit Luke Smith for a 30-yard touchdown. The PAT was blocked and Central Holmes led 13-0.
After swapping punts, Carroll finally got its offense in gear as the Rebels put together a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Jeb Beck provided a big boast with a 40-yard run and Morgan Mims finished off the drive with a 3-yard run. Gavin Wiltshire booted the PAT to cut the lead to 13-7.
After a Central Holmes punt, the Rebels added another first-half score as quarterback Morgan Mims called his own number on the quarterback option and raced 71 yards for a touchdown. Wiltshire’s PAT gave the Rebels a 14-13 lead at the half.
The Rebels got the ball to start the second half and went 63 yards in six plays as Mims scored on a quarterback option, racing 41 yards for a touchdown. Wiltshire’s PAT gave the Rebels a 21-13 lead.
Central Holmes broke Carroll’s momentum as the Trojans went 68 yards in five plays as Taylor scored on a 34-yard run. Johnson ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21.
The tide seemed to be going Central Holmes’ direction when Carroll fumbled and Luke Smith recovered for the Trojans and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. Carroll’s Reese Fulton blocked the ensuing PAT and Central Holmes led 27-21.
But that lead was short lived as Carroll took the ensuing possession and drove 72 yards in eight plays as Wiltshire finished off the drive with a 1-yard run. Wiltshire booted the all-important PAT and Carroll led 28-27.
Carroll ate up a majority of the fourth with a 12-play drive, but Central Holmes got the ball and was able to move inside Carroll territory in the last minute. A last-second desperation pass was broken up by Mims in the end zone to end the game and give the Rebels the win.
“We are still trying to build our program the right way,” Crowder said. “It’s been a long time since Central Holmes has went out and been in every game. That reassures me that we are building the program the right way. We didn’t match up real well with Carroll. We have to do a better job setting a hard edge. We talked about it after the game. We have to flush this loss and get over it. We can’t let Carroll beat us twice. Our second season starts on Friday night and that is what we have worked for. The playoffs is what it is all about.”
This week’s game
The Trojans enter the playoffs as the No. 8 seed and will take on No. 9 seed Clinton Christian, who comes in with a record of 7-3 and is coming off back-to-back losses. The Warriors have losses to Centreville (36-16), Tunica (34-22) and Brookhaven (38-8). They have wins over Glenbook (48-14), Greenville
Christian (46-26), Park Place (24-14), Union Christian (22-18), Sylva Bay (22-7), Hillcrest (58-0) and Amite (48-8).
“They are probably the best team we have played,” Crowder said. “I know they lost to Brookhaven, but they must have thrown them for 20 losses but they had a big receiver they couldn’t cover. This team is good and they are really fast. They are kind of like St. Aloysius on steroids. They are very good and we are looking forward to the challenge. I think they will be the best football team that we have played so far.”
The Warriors are led by a potent rushing attack as senior Devin Armstrong has 1,501 yards on 142 carries 10 TDs. Junior Christian Thornton has 701 yards rushing on 87 carries and a team-high 13 TDs.
