AVON — The West Tallahatchie High School Choctaws lost to the Riverside Bulldogs 53-34 during homecoming here Friday night.
“There was a whole lot of offense and no defense on both teams,” said WTHS head coach Lorenzo Pimpton.
Riverside improved to 2-4 while West Tally fell to 3-3.
The defensive-minded Pimpton said part of his team’s failure in the game was “poor tackling,” noting, “We were hitting people but not wrapping up.”
He also said his team gave up too many big plays and incurred too many penalties.
“I think we underestimated Riverside, too,” Pimpton noted. “Our guys kind of went in looking at the records — we had won three in a row and they had won their first game just the week before. But like I tell them, on any given Friday, anybody can beat anybody else.”
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Riverside opened scoring late in the first quarter on a rushing touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, but the Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead.
The Choctaws answered moments later when Charles Spurlock returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown — the first of two special teams scores for West Tally. The rushing conversion attempt was no good, but the game was knotted at 6 all.
The Bulldogs scored quickly after getting the ball back when a back broke a 58-yard rushing touchdown. The conversion again was unsuccessful. Riverside led 12-6.
West Tally hit paydirt midway through the second period when Dontrel Byrd passed to Ja’quarius McGee for an 8-yard touchdown. This time, Malique McGee ran for the two-point conversion, giving the Choctaws a 14-12 lead. It would be the only one of the night.
Less than 2 minutes later, Riverside scored again on a 3-yard run and kicked the PAT to go back on top, 19-14.
The Bulldogs padded their lead with another rushing touchdown and kicked the PAT to take their first double-digit advantage, 26-14.
Ja’quarius McGee returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown. Byrd connected with Malique McGee for the two-point conversion, pulling to within 26-20.
“Special teams did a marvelous job in the game,” Pimpton said.
The defense faltered again, though, and with 2 seconds left on the first half clock, the Bulldogs scored a touchdown on a 35-yard pass. The conversion fell flat, but the home team held a 32-22 edge at the intermission.
No one managed to score in the third quarter, but Riverside was the first to do so in the fourth period on a running play. The PAT made it 39-22.
With about 9 minutes remaining in the contest, Byrd completed a pass to Tyler Burnett for a 10-yard touchdown. The passing conversion attempt proved unsuccessful.
The Bulldogs would extend their lead again on a rushing touchdown with 7 minutes in the game. The PAT was no good, but Riverside built what would be an insurmountable lead, 45-28.
The Choctaws tried to claw their way back — Malique McGee scored on a 3-yard run with less than 6 minutes to go — but a missed conversion left them trailing 45-34.
With under a minute left, Riverside added an insurance touchdown pass and rushed for the two-point conversion to wrap up the 53-34 win.
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Statistically, Byrd completed 14 of 24 passes for 139 yards. Malique McGee had one pass for 2 yards.
Ja’quarius McGee was the team’s leading receiver, snagging five balls for 59 yards. Malique McGee caught three passes for 33 yards, Khylia Thomas had two for 18 yards and Spurlock two for 15, according to stats supplied by Pimpton.
Ja’quarius McGee also led the team in rushing with 10 carries for 64 yards. Atraviuantay Clark had five runs for 33 yards and Jalen Madden had five totes for 15 yards.
Defensively, Madden led the Choctaws with six individual tackles and seven assists, for 13 total. Dontavius Garner was next in the pecking order with five solo stops and seven assists. Malique McGee added five solos and five assists.
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Next up, the Choctaws take a road trip to Itta Bena to face fellow Region 3-1A foe, the 2-3 Leflore County Tigers, who last week beat McAdams 40-14.
“Leflore County is a good team,” said Pimpton. “That record doesn’t mean anything. They’ve played some top-notch teams.”
The Choctaws are 2-0 in region play.
“We’re in a good position,” the coach noted. “You want to try and win all of the games, but these region games are what put you in the playoffs.”
Leflore County, Pimpton said, will celebrate homecoming Friday night — the second of five straight homecoming games in which the Choctaws are participating, he noted.
