WEBB — The Class 1A West Tallahatchie High School Choctaws defeated the Class 2A Riverside Bulldogs 28-20 Friday night (Aug. 25) in the annual Raphael S. Davis Memorial Classic.
The event is held in memory of the Army National Guard specialist, a former Choctaw athlete, who was killed while serving his country in Iraq in 2003.
Spc. Raphael S. Davis
“We’re happy to get the win, and happy for the family of Raphael Davis,” said West Tally head coach Shane Hargett. “This classic honored him, and it’s always good to get a win on that occasion.”
The Choctaws got on the scoreboard in the first quarter when Jamerious Johnson ran for a 12-yard touchdown off the right side. Quarterback Tristian Hill ran a draw for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 West Tally lead.
Riverside responded and scored, but the Chocs were able to stop the two-point play, holding an 8-6 margin that stood at the end of the first quarter.
In the second period, West Tally’s Issac Day ran off left tackle for about a 7-yard TD, said Hargett. The two-point try did not succeed, but the home team led 14-6.
Riverside, he added, scored again before the half, but the Choctaws again stuffed the two-pointer and took a 14-12 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
In the third quarter, Johnson broke a run of about 87 yards on an option play off the right side, said Hargett. Hill again ran for the two-pointer, extending West Tally’s lead to 22-12.
Riverside answered in kind, scoring and picking up the two-point conversion, to pull to within 22-20.
In the fourth quarter, the Choctaws’ Hill hit Arlanders Stovall for a 15-yard touchdown pass into the left corner of the end zone. The failed two-pointer made it 28-20, West Tally.
With the clock ticking down, Riverside mounted a comeback attempt, but West Tally’s Jermaine Smith intercepted a deep pass at about his own 12-yard line with 4 seconds left on the clock and ran out the remaining seconds of the game.
Team and individual game statistics were unavailable Monday.
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Hargett said his team has been very limited in practices due to the Mississippi High School Activities Association now mandating the use of wetbulb globe temperature readings for determining the safety of outdoor practices.
“We’ve had limited time outside,” said Hargett, who noted that West Tally has even conducted several evening practices under the lights in Choctaw Stadium, when temps were cooler.
He said the limited outdoor practice time really showed in last week’s game.
West Tally coach Shane Hargett
“We had 14 players to cramp up, and we made a lot of mistakes,” the coach said.
“It was a really sloppy game, which is to be expected for the first game, but it was unusually sloppy because of the limited practice we’ve had,” Hargett noted. “We’ve got to get a whole lot better before we play Friday.”
He said he hoped that several days of cooler temperatures to start the week would allow his team to get in some solid outdoor practice time.
“Having to practice at night has been kind of tough on the kids,” explained Hargett. “You always want to replicate game situations in the afternoon when it’s a little bit hotter, so that when they get to the night game, it’s a little more easy sailing.”
This week (Sept. 1), the Choctaws will travel to Greenville to face the O’Bannon Green Waves in that team’s opener.
“They are another 2A team that brings back a lot of starters,” said Hargett. “We’ve seen them on film. They’re pretty good size, a good, physical team.”
The 2022 O’Bannon game was a defensive slugfest, with O’Bannon winning 14-8 in overtime.
The coach said the “hard-fought” Riverside contest was a good tune-up affair.
