MHSAA 2A Playoffs Quarterfinal preview: Newton presents next test for undefeated Scott Central
As the MHSAA Class 2A Playoffs enter their third week, we've got four matchups that could go either way. The North hasn't really had a dominant team and the South features one team with a chance to knock off undefeated Scott Central and two more vying for the same opportunity. Here's a look at all four games set for Friday night and what we might expect to see in each of them.
2A North
Charleston (6-3) at Baldwyn (10-2)
There weren’t a lot of folks out there saying Baldwyn would make it this far in their first year after moving up from Class 1A, but here the Bearcats are.
Braylon Pippin and JoJo Christian lead a Baldwyn offense that has run wild against 2A opponents. The duo combined for 231 yards and three touchdowns in a second-round win over Choctaw County last week. Getting Hastin Nelson back from the foot injury that has sidelined him the past five weeks won’t hurt, either.
On the other side, Charleston got off to a slow start this season — understandable after most of the 2020 season was wiped out due to COVID-19 — but has certainly looked like a championship contender over the Tigers’ current six-game winning streak. Since beating North Side 26-22 on Oct. 8, Charleston has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 212 to 30. If they can run the ball against Rodney Stewart and that Baldwyn defensive line, this one is going to be good.
Leflore County (8-3) at East Webster (9-3)
Leflore County is in uncharted waters after winning a second-round playoff game for the first time in school history in last week’s 12-6 overtime thriller against North Side. They’ll be underdogs going into Friday’s game at East Webster, but someone will have to tell the Tigers that.
Leflore County will need big performances out of Dekari “Turbo” Johnson, who rushed for two touchdowns a week ago, and fellow tailback Dezmond Ray against a stingy East Webster defense that features 2A Mr. Football winner Zy Ford at linebacker.
The Tigers are coming off arguably their best three defensive games of the season, but they’ll be tested against a balanced Wolverine offense led by sophomore quarterback Kaleb Warnock and Ford at tailback.
2A South
Scott Central (12-0) at Newton (7-4)
Scott Central looks like the team to beat in 2A South, but we’re not ready to write off the Tigers in this one just yet.
Newton comes into Friday’s game as a major underdog, but is playing some of its best football over the last month. The Tigers put up a combined 128 points in wins over Port Gibson, Philadelphia and Mize, then curb-stomped Pisgah 48-14 in the first round last week.
They’ll need a similar offensive performance to hang with Scott Central, who have looked unstoppable with quarterback Quez Goss behind center. The Rebel quarterback has thrown for 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior and has yet to find a defender he couldn't truck-stick.
Kemper County (9-3) at Pelahatchie (7-5)
Kemper County pulled off the upset win over Velma Jackson, winning 18-16 last week to advance to this third-round matchup with the Chiefs. Pelahatchie beat Philadelphia 39-35 in an instant-classic that was delayed nearly 16 hours by a power outage.
Quay Ragsdale is the guy to stop for Pelahatchie. The Chiefs’ do-it-all senior broke a 47-yard touchdown run and returned a punt 45 yards for a touchdown to lift the Chiefs to a win last week. Kemper County counters with one of the very best quarterbacks in 2A in Aaron Steele, who has amassed 2,494 yards of offense with 26 total touchdowns.
Both of these teams have won their share of shootouts this year, and there’s no reason to think this one won’t be one.
(Feature photo by Jason Dyess)
