Coach says Lanier looks like South Panola

Like a great promoter — or a great diplomat — Vicksburg High coach Alonzo Stevens starts rattling off the best attributes of this week’s opponent.

When it’s jokingly suggested he’s confused Jackson Lanier’s woeful football team for its multiple state championship winning basketball squad, Stevens just laughs it off and works it into the spiel.

“They’re a sleeping giant to me. They’ve just got a lot of great athleticism. Some of those basketball players play football, too, and that’s helped them. I just hope they don’t wake up on me,” Stevens said. “You put them on paper or look at a picture and they look better than South Panola.”

Easy there, coach.

Based on results, Lanier’s football program bears absolutely no resemblance to the North Mississippi behemoth that’s won four straight Class 5A championships and 67 straight games. Lanier (1-6, 0-4 Region 3-4A) has gone just 5-31 over the last 3 1/2 seasons and been held to a touchdown or less in five of seven games this year.

In other words, it’s the perfect homecoming opponent for a Gators team that’s won five of its last six and is driving toward a playoff berth and possible region championship. Vicksburg has scored at least 28 points in four of those five wins and, except for a sloppy hiccup that resulted in a 22-15 loss to Yazoo City two weeks ago, has been mentioned as a team to be reckoned with in Class 4A.

“We had gotten to the point where we weren’t focused. Now that they’ve seen what can happen after that game against Yazoo City, we’ve seen a great turnaround,” Stevens said.

Vicksburg’s offense has been potent during its recent surge. Quarterback Stanton Price has thrown for 1,233 yards this season and 3,697 for his career. Price needs just 54 yards to pass former Porters Chapel star Ben Jernigan for second place on Warren County’s career passing yardage list and, with four regular season games plus a possible playoff game or two remaining, could threaten Ernest Moore’s county record by the end of the year.

Moore threw for 4,336 yards for North Vicksburg and Vicksburg High from 1971-73.

“We’ve got some weapons. It all starts with Stanton Price. He’s having a phenomenal year,” Stevens said.

Price has also been supported by a running game that didn’t have a back crack 300 yards last year, but already has two approaching that mark. Jeremy Hamlin has rushed for 397 yards, while Mississippi State commitment Delmon Robinson has 266. As a team, the Gators also have 13 rushing touchdowns after having less than 10 in 2006.

It all adds up to a dangerous team, so long as they don’t overlook anyone, Stevens said. Even someone as down on their luck as Lanier.

“Each week you’re playing for position in the playoffs. If you’re not excited about that, I don’t know what can excite you,” Stevens said. “If we take care of what we need to, we can play for a district championship or homefield advantage”

Coach praises team’s work ethic, dedication

By Jeff Byrd

Coming off their most complete game of the season, the Warren Central Vikings are hoping for a similar effort tonight when Murrah visits for homecoming at Viking Stadium.

Though the Vikings stand 2-5 on the season, they are 1-2 in Region 2-5A and a win over Murrah would even the Vikings region record and keep their playoff hopes alive.

For WC coach Curtis Brewer, he’s just grateful his team is still full of fight after a disappointing season by Viking standards.

“I can’t say enough about this group of young men. It doesn’t matter whether they are 2-5, 2-6 or 2-7, they come to practice, they listen to their coaches, and they work hard every week. They’ve improved with each week and the fact they keep playing hard each week is the biggest compliment I can give them,” Brewer said.

Last week at Madison, the Vikings battled the Jaguars before falling late, 21-14. The game was one of the Vikings’ best offensive games of the year with a good balance between pass and run and only one penalty was called against the unit.

“The offense looked real good and I thought Keaton (Sanders) had a good ballgame. He had a couple of balls dropped, but I also thought Travis (Bell) and Joel (Forbes) played well,” Brewer said.

The Vikings will need another strong effort to deal with an explosive Murrah club (5-2, 1-2).

“The quarterback (Joe Thomas) is outstanding. If he starts scrambling, he’s really something. No. 45 (Eric Struthers), their tailback, does an extremely good job and No. 5 (Dondriques Nelson) at split end can go. They have an explosive team and they showed it against Clinton,” Brewer said.

The Mustangs found themselves down last week to Clinton 26-0. But instead of giving up like past Murrah teams have been known to do, this group rallied, scoring 22 straight points to pull within 26-22.

“Clinton found themselves needing to score in the fourth quarter to just pull the game out,” WC assistant coach Robert Morgan added.

Clinton scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to take the 41-22 win.

“The big thing with Murrah is that they’ve improved their speciality teams. Their kicking game is much better,” Brewer said.

Murrah won its first five games of the season, beating up fellow Jackson Public Schools in Callaway, Forest Hill, Wingfield, Lanier before taking a region win at Greenville-Weston. They lost badly to Madison Central 40-0 but bounced back to give Clinton trouble last week.