WEBB — The West Tallahatchie High School Choctaws improved to 3-0 after slamming the Ruleville Edwards Tigers 44-22 here Friday night.
Edwards fell to 1-2.
For the first time in over two-and-a-half decades, the Choctaws have started consecutive seasons with three straight wins.
Head coach Shane Hargett lauded his team, saying, “We’re proud of the kids for playing four quarters.”
West Tally took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 10 plays, consuming nearly half of the first quarter. Running back Jamerrius Johnson covered the final 7 yards. Quarterback Kordell Robinson ran for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead with 6:11 in the act.
Edwards’ first possession started with a 35-yard kickoff return to the West Tally 43. A deep ball moments later drew a flag for pass interference on West Tally, but at the 18-yard line the Edwards quarterback fumbled the snap and the ball was recovered by the Choctaws’ Kelvin Robinson at the 34-yard line.
On the first play of West Tally’s ensuing drive, the Choctaws fumbled and a defender scooped up the ball and ran to the 19. Edwards scored on a 12-yard run and picked up the two-point play to tie it 8-8 with 4:47 in the first period.
After an exchange of punts, the Choctaws found themselves at the Edwards 36. On the first play, Johnson covered the distance. The conversion failed, but the Chocs led 14-8 at 39 ticks in the first quarter.
The visitors responded with a nine-play, 54-yard drive. On first down from the 3, Edwards scored on a run. The two-point try was stuffed. The game was tied 14-14 with 7:15 in the first half.
After the ensuing kickoff, the Choctaws started at their own 26. On the first snap from there, Johnson found a crease and sped through, taking it to the house for a 74-yard TD. Kordell Robinson ran in the conversion for a 22-14 West Tally lead at 6:59.
The two teams again exchanged punts before Edwards started a seven-play drive at the West Tally 41. The ball would be intercepted at the 5 by Kordell Robinson and returned to the 36.
In eight plays, the Choctaws drove the ball to the Edwards 9, but two runs and two pass plays netted no gain and the ball went over.
From their 9, the Tigers ran their way to the West Tally 48. On fourth-and-6, the Choctaws’ Ledesmond Thomas sacked the QB and West Tally took over at the Edwards 49.
For the third time in the game, the Choctaws scored on the first snap of the ensuing drive when Johnson burst through for a 49-yard touchdown. Kordell Robinson scored the two-pointer and the Chocs took a 30-14 lead with 11:42 in the game.
Edwards answered with a nine-play, 65-yard drive, aided by a pair of 15-yard penalties on West Tally, and scored on a 15-yard pass. After notching the conversion, the Tigers trailed 30-22 with 7 minutes remaining.
The Choctaws mounted an 11-play drive that chewed up over 5 minutes. After securing a first down at the Edwards 17, the Chocs were flagged for three straight penalties and then tackled for a loss. Facing fourth-and-goal at the 29, Kordell Robinson bought enough time to find his brother, Kelvin Robinson, for a nearly miraculous 29-yard touchdown that energized fans in the home stands. The conversion failed, but West Tally went up 36-22.
“That was clutch,” Hargett said of the TD pass, which he noted came off a wheel route.
A desperation Edwards heave was intercepted by Althavion Hoskins at the Tigers’ 45 and returned to the 4-yard line. Kordell Robinson scored on the next play and Johnson capped it with a conversion run and a 44-22 lead with 1:00 on the clock.
Statistically, the Choctaws’ Kordell Robinson completed 2-of-8 passes for 34 yards, both to his brother Kelvin.
To quote the coach, Johnson “had a phenomenal game,” rushing 12 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns. Kelvin Robinson had nine carries for 83 yards and Kordell Robinson four for 31.
Defensively, West Tally’s Cameron Christian had 13 tackles. Corderrius Madden had six stops, four for a loss, and three sacks. Thomas had three tackles and three sacks. Kelvin Robinson, Demarrion Boyd and Ledarius Wright also had three sacks apiece.
All of the stats were not positive, however. The Choctaws were flagged 17 times for 130 yards, including 11 in the first half. Nine of the 17 were pre-snap penalties.
“We had a lot of self-inflicted wounds, and we’ve got to clean those up if we’re going to have a chance this coming Friday,” Hargett said, alluding to West Tally’s game against cross-county rival, the Charleston High School Tigers, in the annual “Battle of the Golden Egg.”
The Choctaws enter 3-0 and Charleston 1-1 after a 30-14 loss at Clarksdale last Friday.
Charleston has won 36 egg games in a row, including a 52-24 decision in 2024.
“They’re a big physical team,” Hargett said of the CHS Tigers. “They played Clarksdale pretty tough for a while, and dominated North Panola [44-7 on Sept. 5].”
He said his team is “going to try to give it all we’ve got.”
“We hope to bring a good crowd and make a good game out of it and just do the best we can,” added Hargett. “If we can eliminate those self-inflicted wounds, we’re going to have a chance to win the ballgame.”
