HOLLANDALE — The West Tallahatchie High School Choctaws dropped a 36-0 decision to the Simmons Blue Devils here Friday night.
Simmons improved to 7-1 while West Tally fell to 4-5.
While Choctaws head coach Shane Hargett said his team was missing a few pieces due to “personnel issues,” he took nothing away from Simmons.
“We played a good football team,” he noted. “We just couldn’t stop them at all. We didn’t tackle very well. We game-planned fine and kids were in position, but we just didn’t make the plays we needed to make to get them off the field.”
After the Choctaws fell behind early, they were forced to make some offensive adjustments — changes that Hargett said “got us out of our comfort zone, and we just never could get anything going.”
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The Blue Devils jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter and led 22-0 by the intermission.
Simmons scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter before taking their foot off the gas pedal in the fourth.
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This Friday, West Tally will host the 1-8 McAdams Bulldogs at Choctaw Stadium.
McAdams is fresh from a 44-0 loss to Coffeeville.
“They had to forfeit a couple of games due to lack of participation,” said Hargett. “They’re not a bad football team; they’ve got a pretty tough schedule. Of course, we should beat them, but we can’t overlook anyone.”
The Choctaws need the win to stay within striking distance of Coffeeville, which moved up to take fourth place in Region 2-1A as West Tally stumbled last week. The 3-6 Pirates face the 6-3 South Delta Bulldogs Friday night.
A West Tally win, coupled with a Coffeeville loss, would make the Nov. 4 game between the Choctaws and Pirates, set to be played in Yalobusha County, decisive in determining the winner of the fourth and final playoff spot.
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In addition to having postseason implications, this week’s game will be senior night and also will serve as the annual Raphael S. Davis Memorial Classic, in memory of the Army National Guard specialist, a former Choctaw athlete, who was killed while serving his country in Iraq in 2003.
“We look forward to that every year to honor his memory, his family and all of the sacrifices that men and women [in the armed forces] make. We just try to show appreciation.”
Hargett said the Davis family is scheduled to be honored prior to the 7 p.m. kickoff of Friday night’s game, while senior night festivities will be conducted during halftime.
