Turnovers prove costly for Trojans

Noxubee County turned a pair of Northast Lauderdale turnovers into points to pick up a 23-14 win over the homestanding Trojans on Friday night in the Region 4-4A opener for both teams.

“In big games, the team with fewer mistakes and the team that doesn’t get hurt by their mistakes is the team that wins the game,” Northeast coach Steve Nelson said.

“We got an interception in the first quarter and drove down and fumbled at the 9 and they drove back down the field 91 yards. Then in the third they fumbled and we fumbled it right back to them. When we made mistakes, they capitalized and when they made mistakes they bowed up and stopped us. I’m proud of my kids. It just wasn’t meant to be for us tonight.”

Noxubee County scored 17 unanswered points in the second half after falling behind Northeast 14-6.

“They kept playing,” Noxubee coach M.C. Miller said of his team. “They didn’t give up and kept fighting against a good Northeast team.”

For more of this article visit The Meridian Star at http://www.meridianstar.com/sports/local_story_259021313.html

TIGER’S RIDE WAVE UNTIL FINAL MINUTE

BY: The Realist

            Noxubee County entered the season unranked and unknown to many outside the Golden Triangle area. After Friday night’s game against the Greenwaves of West Point ranked 5^th in Mississippi’s Top Ten poll, I’m sure that is all about to change.

    The Tigers open the season taking on the reigning champions, West Point Greenwaves. An highly anticipated battle of two good programs in 4A football, got off to defense struggle as both team joisted for field position in the 1^st Quarter leaving the score 0-0. 

    The Noxubee County defense held strong until the middle of the 2^nd quarter when West Point QB Jamar Shelton rush through the Tiger defense for a 73 yd TD run putting the Greenwave up six point before the following PAT would make it 7-0.

    Noxubee Co. implementing a new offense against the Greenwave had trouble early on moving the football. Near the end the of the 2^nd quarter, senior QB Demarcus Thomas of Noxubee found WR Patrick Patterson streaking up the sideline connecting on what many believed was a Touchdown in the corner of the endzone. The catch was called incomplete due to referee judgment that he would not have come down inbounds.  The Tigers had to settle being down 10-0 at the half.

    After half team, Noxubee Co. defense held West Point to a three an out possession giving way to a more focused offense. The Tigers open the second half with more emphasis on their passing attack. It wasn’t until the 4^th quarter that the offense would gel before scoring their first touchdown of the evening on an 11 yard pass from Thomas to Patterson making the score 10-6. The Tigers connected on the 2pt conversion putting the Tigers down two points.

    With only 1:44 remaining, the Tigers defense held West Point to zero yards on a fourth and inches play near the 39yd line.  The Noxubee offense then took the field moving the ball inside the 10yd line from consecutive passes from Thomas to Patterson, RB Demarcus Harmon, and RB Courtney Shields.

    The Tigers positioned themselves to go for the win on a fourth and goal before a bad snap and run would turn the ball back over to the Greenwave. West Point then took three kneel down ending the heartbreaking game at a score of 10-8.

Next week the Tigers look to get back on track as they travel to Quitman, MS for their second game of the ’06 season.

Colonels may depend more on special team's this season

Raymond Legendre
Staff Writer

THIBODAUX -- With its wealth of playmakers on both offense and defense last season, Nicholls State didn’t need its special teams units, filled with inexperienced players, to make game-changing plays.

This season, special teamers, particularly in the return game, likely need to go from holding serve, to producing an ace or two to take pressure off the Colonels’ offense and defense.

Thomas’ toughest decision this fall was one of special significance, picking which daredevil he thought would not only survive the rigors of being a punt returner, but also thrive as one.

When preseason camp started, Thomas said he had 10 to 12 prospects for the job.

After his staff videotaped the hopefuls returning punts, the third-year coach whittled his list down to three players: Junior college transfers Grant Thorne (5-foot-11, 195) and Lester Brooks (6-1, 205) and Ole Miss transfer Kareem Moore. All three are likely to return punts for the Colonels, who were second to last in the Southland Conference in punt return average in 2005.

The name that sticks out here is Lester Brooks, a ’04 Noxubee Co. graduate. Brooks was a three year letterman for the Tigers. After graduating he went on to play two years at Itawamba Community College before signing on at Nicholls State.

Coaches have had nice things to say about his defensive back duties but they are really hoping he can come around in the return area. "He’s got to have a quick first step and then he’s got to get what he can get out of it," Thomas said of his punt returner.

"He’s got to have a little jitterbug in him to avoid guys coming at him at full speed. And he’s got to be a daredevil."

Jamison good to go

Noxubee County linebacker eager to assist quick turnaround for JSU Subhead

By Todd Kelly
tkelly@clarionledger.com

RAYMOND — Marcus Jamison has spent the past six weeks running sprints and lifting weights at Jackson State, relentlessly preparing himself for his introduction to college football.

On Friday night, Jamison is determined to send one final message to his future coaches: My time is now.

"I'd hate to miss a year of football by redshirting," Jamison said Wednesday as he and his North teammates practiced at Hinds Community College for the 57th annual Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic. "If Coach (Rick) Comegy comes in and says that, I'm going to ask him what I have to do to change his mind. I want to show the (JSU) coaches that I'm ready to play even before two-a-days kick off."

According to Comegy, Jamison - who has met NCAA freshman eligibility requirements - may not have to wait long at all. The Tigers, who graduated two starting linebackers from last year's 2-9 debacle that cost James Bell his job, open the season at home Sept. 2 against Paul Quinn.

"We're looking for good things out of Marcus Jamison," said Comegy, who inherited a tradition-rich program that was just 8-26 over the last three years. "He's got great movement. He'll come right up and lay the hat on you without thinking twice.

"We want to get back to the days when Jackson State had real blue-chippers - and I think we're starting to find a few of those guys."

Jamison's combination of talent and desire is plenty familiar to his coaches at Noxubee County, who sing his praises for his demeanor both on and off the field.

"Marcus has the best work habits I've seen in 33 years of coaching," Noxubee coach M.C. Miller said. "He'd get upset if he couldn't come in the weightroom and lift every day. He made sure the other players were serious about it, too. You never had to worry about him getting in trouble - and he'd stop other kids from getting in trouble."

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