Vikings put two on All-Star team

Published 9:00 am Thursday, October 6, 2016

Warren Central became All-Star Central on Wednesday.

Two of the school’s football players, offensive tackle Malcolm Miller and running back/defensive back Demarcus Jones, were selected to play in the 2016 Bernard Blackwell Classic Mississippi All-Star Game. Head coach Josh Morgan also earned an all-star nod, having previously been picked as an assistant coach for the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game.

The Mississippi-Alabama game is Dec. 10 in Montgomery, Ala. The Bernard Blackwell All-Star Game is Dec. 17 in Gulfport.

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“We probably had a lot of guys deserving of it. You have all the classifications in there for consideration, and it’s a very big honor for both of them,” Morgan said.

Miller will carry the banner for Warren Central’s offensive line, which has helped power the team to a 6-0 start heading into Friday’s home game against Region 2-6A rival Madison Central.

The Vikings are averaging 281.2 rushing yards per game as a team, and have 19 rushing touchdowns. Three players have at least 397 yards each.

Although it’s the tackle Miller who will go to the all-star game, Morgan said his selection was recognition for the entire line.

Malcolm Miller

Malcolm Miller

“I think he’ll be the first to tell you that him being picked is for all of them. He’s done a good job for two years for us, and been a great, great player,” Morgan said.

Jones, meanwhile, has been the Vikings’ Swiss army knife. He’s tied for the team lead with three interceptions and was picked for the all-star game as a cornerback, but could just as easily have made it as a running back or special teams player.

Jones has rushed for 523 yards and five touchdowns this season — and is averaging a whopping 15.8 yards per carry — as a running back. He’s the team’s second-leading receiver, with eight catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, he blocked three punts on special teams and also returns kicks.

“Demarcus is one of those special players that can impact a game on both sides of the ball,” Morgan said. “He’s stepped into that role, and he pops off the screen when you watch him.”

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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