It was a one-sided contest when two local rivals faced off at Crumpton Field Friday night as Clarksdale High School shut out Coahoma County 42-0.
The Wildcats (3-0) jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead. The first score came on the game’s opening drive when Clarksdale started with a short field at its own 45-yard-line, held the ball for six minutes and junior running back D.K. Bays ran for a 9-yard-touchdown.
Clarksdale senior quarterback Queston Skipper – normally a running back, but filling in for the injured junior Tamera Allen – was eased into the passing game completing all five of his passes for 41 yards and one touchdown pass. With the game well in hand at halftime, Wildcats freshman Kelley Jones went 1 for 2 passing for 5 yards in the second half, while sophomore completed his one pass for a 20-yard touchdown to sophomore Amari Gipson. Junior Josh Hollins had four receptions for 37 yards and one touchdown.
Skipper had five rushed for 100 yards and one touchdown, junior Sammie Ray had eight rushes for 70 yards and one touchdown, Jones had two rushes for eight yards and one touchdown, and Bays had three rushes for 18 yards and one touchdown.
Junior De’meric Strong led Clarksdale with eight tackles and one fumble recovery.
The one issue for Clarksdale was juniors Milton James and Martinez Ellington missed all the extra point attempts.
Clarksdale coach Henry Johnson said he would have a better idea of where his team stands after it hosts Cleveland Central at 7 p.m. Friday.
“We’ll know a little bit more next week, I think, when we play Cleveland,” Johnson said. “I just don’t know where we are because I don’t know how good the teams we beat have been. We’re taking it one game at a time.”
The Red Panthers (1-2) had opportunities to score, but could not put plays together to complete a drive.
Junior quarterback Lamont Lee completed several deep passes for CCHS including one for 27 yards one on the opening drive to senior Tarkevius Logan.
However, sophomore Christian Banks, also a running back was forced to punt.
Trailing 14-0, the Red Panthers had opportunities late in the first quarter and early in the second quarter when it opened with the ball at its own 45. A false start and 10-yard holding penalty on a Lee run to the left put CCHS back in its own territory where it had to punt.
CCHS coach Mario Lane said his team is strong at the skill positions, but not having many players on the roster was a problem Friday night.
“That hurt us,” Lane said. “We came out in the first half and we were very competitive when we were fresh.
“At some point, them flipping from offense to defense back to offense and defense – we’re thin in the trenches and it kind of wore our guys down. It kind of killed us at the end.”
The Red Panthers look to get back on track at 7 p.m. Thursday when they host crosstown rival Coahoma Early College High School.
The Tigers (2-1) are coming off of a 24-16 home win against Holly Springs.
