Three fumble recoveries keyed Kosciusko's 6-2 victory over New Hope in a jamboree.
Kosciusko trailed 2-0 in the second quarter of a two-quarter game when freshman Keith Lay recovered a fumbled punt. The Whippets then marched down the field on the running of Javen Mallett and Thomas Olive, scoring on a run by Mallett.
With New Hope's only score coming on a safety, the defense pitched a shutout. New Hope moved inside the Whippet 10 twice, but the drives ended with strip sacks by Mallett and Eli Kemp, recovered by Kosciusko.
“They did a really good job rising to the occasion,” coach Casey Orr said of his defense, led by linemen Reggie Carter, Latavian Stephens and Tavion Clayton, “Reggie Carter had a heck of a game for us.”
The offense struggled for much of the game, which wasn't unexpected with only three returning starters. “They looked like about where we thought they would,” Orr said. “There were a lot of mistakes, a lot of missed assignments. You watch the film and there are a lot of things that can be fixed easily.”
He added, “They played hard and they competed. The biggest compliment I can give them is that they continued to battle.”
The Whippets open the season Friday at Yazoo County. “They're huge. They're big and they're fast,” Orr said after viewing film of Yazoo County's jamboree. “They have guys who can hurt you if you screw up They have guys who can take it the distance”
Yazoo County, a 3A school, finished 5-5 last year. Senior running back Donavin Green returns after leading the team in rushing and touchdowns last year.
It was supposed to be a home game for the Whippets, but was moved to Yazoo County because the new turf at Landrum Field will not be ready. The next two games will also be on the road against Winona September 2 and Lewisburg September 9. The Lewisburg game also was supposed to be at Kosciusko, but moved because the field will not be ready.
Orr is excited about the new field. “It's going to be one of the prettiest setups in the state.”
The first home game on the new field will be September 16 with Choctaw County.
Orr said playing the first three games on the road should not be a problem. “I feel our guys are going to show up and play no matter where we are. To me it's more a deal that I hate it for our seniors. Basically, they are getting half a senior season of home games.”
The artificial all-weather field will be manufactured by SPRINGTURF of Daniel Island, S.C. The Whippets played 7-on-7 this summer on a field at Northwest Rankin made by the same company.
