Philadelphia High School improved to 3-0 on the season with a 40-14 win over Neshoba Central Friday night in prep football action.
The game marked the 50th prep football meeting between two local rivals. The win left the Tornadoes with a 26-24 edge in the storied series. Neshoba Central fell to 1-2 on the year.
Philadelphia is ranked No. 2 among Class 3A teams in this week's prep poll. Tornadoes coach Teddy Dyess said he was proud of the way his team played, but added the Tornadoes have another game next week.
"This was an important game," Dyess said. "You have to take them one game at a time and next week we will be playing a very good West Lowndes team. We can't go up their flat or we'll get beat and brought back down to earth."
The effort has been there so far, Dyess added.
"We have gotten a great deal of leadership from our senior class and that has been the difference so far," Dyess said. "Whatever we have asked them to do, they have done it...
"The kids played extremely hard. I was a little disappointed in the cramping in the end but we'll fix that Monday. We are going to get in shape."
The Tornadoes rushed for 191 yards on 36 carries, and completed nine-of-16 passing attempts for 205 yards, leaving them with 396 total yards and 12 first downs. Neshoba Central rushed for 161 yards on 40 carries, and completed seven-of-nine passes for 56 yards, giving the Rockets 217 total yards and 13 first downs.
Philadelphia held Neshoba Central to four downs after the opening kickoff and scored on its first possession. Brandon Willis, who led the Tornadoes rushing with 164 yards on 27 carries, scored on a three-yard run. Latimer Smith kicked the extra point and Philadelphia led 7-0 with 6:51 left in the first quarter.
The Tornadoes started their second possession on their six-yard line and put together another touchdown. This time, quarterback Lee Smith connected with Willis on a 70-yard TD pass play. Latimer Smith kicked the extra point and the Tornadoes led 14-0 with 11:48 left in the second quarter.
Philadelphia was driving for another score late in the second quarter, but Desmond Rush intercepted a pass and returned for an apparent touchdown. A penalty called the score board and the half ended with no more scoring.
"We challenged our kids at the half," Dyess said. "We told them we needed on drive to put them away and we got that drive."
Philadelphia took the second half kickoff and drove it for a score. Lee Smith ran around the left end and through three Neshoba Central defenders on a 17-yard TD run. Latimer Smith kicked the extra point and Philadelphia led 21-0 with 7:15 left in the third quarter.
Neshoba Central fumbled the ball away on first down and the Tornadoes struck again. This time, Lee Smith connected with Georgio Grace on an 18-yard TD pass. The extra point try was no good and the Tornadoes led 27-0 with 5:37 left in the third quarter.
Neshoba Central fumbled again, this time on second down, and the Tornadoes were on their way to another score. This time, Willis fought his way into the end zone from eight yards out. The extra point was no good and the Tornadoes led 34-0 with 2:58 left in the third quarter.
Neshoba Central's O'Neal McCarthy picked up a couple of touchdowns in the fourth quarter on runs of three and 11 yards. Josh Stewart scored one two-point conversion, making the score 34-14 with 2:49 left in the game.
The Rockets tried a short kick and C.J. Johnson picked up the ball and returned it to the Neshoba Central 25-yard line. Fullback Jeremy Morgan scored on a 23-yard run. The extra point was no good, ending the scoring.
"They outplayed offensively and defensively," Neshoba Central coach Chuck Friend said. "Their kicking game was strong. They gave us a lot of problems on defense with their linemen, getting up under our linemen. That's tough on a high school lineman. We tried to get them to get off and get on their linebackers but we never could do it. C.J. Johnson is an outstanding linebacker.
"We just have to get better. I'm disappointed that we aren't better right now. We have one more game, a week off, and then when we start our district schedule, I hope we will be improved. We'll go back to work Monday."
