In slowing Kosciusko running back Zavier Miller, the Louisville defense accomplished what few other units could this season.
Miller was held to just three yards rushing on three attempts as Louisville defeated Kosciusko 46-23 last Friday.
Miller was not completely ineffective, as he had a team-high 71 yards receiving and one touchdown on three receptions, but his three yards rushing were a season-low.
The Kosciusko (3-6, 2-2 Region 4-4A) ground game produced just 28 yards on 30 carries, and the Whippets ended the contest with 202 yards of total offense.
“They held us to 28 yards rushing, so they did a great job, and we didn’t quite rush the ball like we usually do,” Kosciusko coach Kelly Causey said. “We were probably eight to 10 carries less that what we usually do, but that’s because they were doing such a good job up front, and it felt like the one option we had was to throw the ball a little more. They have Charles Moore there, and he’s just tough to block and can do a lot of different things.”
After scoring just three points through the first 24 minutes, Kosciusko scored six points in the third quarter and 14 points in the fourth quarter to whittle the Louisville (9-1, 3-0 Region 4-4A) lead to 16 points, but the scoring surge came too late.
The Whippets' effort in the second half earned high marks from Causey.
“We’ve preached all along to play to the fourth quarter, and the fourth quarter is one we’re going to win,” Causey said. “So the kids never gave up. I’ve been here two years, and this was the hardest, best effort that a team has given. We had some adversity there with them making a big play, but we never faltered.
We kept just going toe-to-toe with them, and I was extremely proud of them because that’s the No. 1 team in 4A right now and favored to win 4A. And they're No. 5 or 8 in the whole entire state. Even though we lost the game, I think we figured out that we can play with a team like that, and so I think it’s going to help us in the long run.”
Kosciusko clinched the No. 3 seed for the playoffs and will play either Senatobia or Corinth on the road in two weeks in the postseason opener.
Whippets receiver Antonio Harmon tallied 58 yards on two receptions, and fullback Heath McBride posted a team-high 15 yards rushing on a team best eight carries.
Quarterback Ethan Wood threw for 154 yards and two touchdowns with one interception and was 6 of 19 passing.
Louisville kicker Elijah Wilkes kicked a 32-yard field goal early in the first quarter, and running back Kevon Jackson added a 19-yard touchdown run with 3:10 remaining in the first quarter to give the Wildcats a 10-0 lead after Wilkes’ PAT.
Cody Pope put the Whippets on the board after a 30-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
Wildcat Deonte Yarbrough rushed for a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and Jackson ran for a 9-yard touchdown late in the period to give the Wildcats a 24-3 lead. Wilkes converted both extra-point kicks.
Yarbrough hit Alvius Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown with 6:33 remaining in the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 32-3 advantage following the successful two-point conversion.
Ethan Wood connected with Miller for a 7-yard touchdown pass with 3:01 left in the third quarter to make the score 32-9, and the Whippets failed to convert their two-point attempt.
Jackson ran for a 25-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to stretch Louisville’s lead to 30 points.
Harmon returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown with 7:27 left in the fourth quarter, and Wood and Marlon Dotson hooked up for a 15-yard scoring pass and catch with 3:40 left in the game. Pope converted both PATs, and Kosciusko trailed 39-23.
Drea Shumaker rushed for a 58-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and Wilkes followed with the PAT to cap the night’s scoring.
Kosciusko concludes its regular season at home Friday against Winona. The Tigers are 10-0 and 5-0 in Region 5-3A and are coming off of a 41-12 win at Choctaw Central.
“It’s a rivalry game, so it’s very important that we go out there and play and play well,” Causey said. “But I think our kids are going to take what happened with Louisville and go into this game fired up and take the steps to get better for the playoffs.”
