All three teams knocked out of playoffs
Football season is officially over in Copiah County after last Friday’s games. Hazlehurst, Copiah Academy and Wesson all lost first round playoff contests and were eliminated from post-season play.
In Greenville, Copiah got an 88 yard rushing touchdown from sophomore running back Kelton Smith in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead. The Generals from Washington School came back and took a 14- 6 into the locker room at the half, then added an insurance TD late in the game to seal the 21-6 victory. Washington faces Pillow Academy, winners over East Rankin, in the MAIS AAA-D2 championship game at Mississippi College on Thursday night. The Colonels finished 6-6.
Hazlehurst fell at Forest 28-14. The Indians scored first on a 33 yard run by Leviticus Cain in the first quarter. Jamarius James added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
Forest answered with 21 straight points in the third and fourth quarters. Hazlehurst’s Gabriel Gray returned a fourth quarter kickoff 90 yards for the final Indian score of the season, cutting the gap to 21-14. The Bearcats notched an insurance TD late in the fourth to seal the win and advance in the South 3A playoffs. Hazlehurst finished 7-5. Forest advances to face Collins next Friday night at home.
Over in Mize the homestanding Bulldogs took Wesson out of the playoff picture with a 28-14 win. The Cobras broke the scoring ice first on QB Jacob Fischer’s 9 yard scamper early in the opening quarter. PK Austin Graham added the PAT for a 7-0 lead. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, the Mize Bulldogs ran off 21 unanswered points in the second and third periods to lead 21-7 going into the fourth. Wesson cut the lead back to seven on Deondre Pendleton’s 5 yard pass reception from QB Fischer. Graham again added the PAT to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 21-14. Mize sealed game a few plays later, however, on a 66 yard pass play, putting the final points on their victory. The loss dropped the Cobras to 8-3 overall. Mize improved to 8-3 and advances to play East Marion this Friday night in the South 2A playoffs.
