For the first since 2012, the Sumrall Bobcats are gearing up for a playoff game. Third-seeded Sumrall (6-5) travels to second-seeded West Lauderdale (7-4) Friday for a 7 p.m. contest.
The winner matches up with No. 1 East Central (9-0) and Lanier (4-7) next week.
“Yeah, we had a little dry run and this is our third trip in seven years,” Sumrall coach Shannon White said. “It is (a little different). None of these guys have been in the playoffs, so it feels great.”
The Bobcats’ senior class was in seventh grade the last time they were in the postseason, so it’s a new feeling for everybody on the roster. The players should be excited, which should make for a focused week of practice, Shannon said, but so should everybody else in the playoffs.
For what it’s worth, this is the third straight year the Knights have made the playoffs. Purvis knocked them out in the first round at home last season.
“I think everybody should be excited to make the playoffs,” he said. “I think the people who make the playoffs every year, I don’t think you should ever be spoiled on that. It should be exciting for every school in Mississippi that’s in these playoffs. We’re probably no different than most folks, but yeah, these kids here, yeah, our players are excited about being in the playoffs and being one of the 16 teams in the South playing.”
The first-round opponent, West Lauderdale, began the season 0-3 with losses to Greene County, New Hope and Leake Central. Those three teams were a combined 21-13 this season, but Greene County helped that total with a 10-1 record. The other two had losing records.
Since that rough start, however, the Knights ripped off seven wins in eight games, only falling to top-seeded Mendenhall. The last two games, the Knights’ defense shutout Newton County and only allowed seven points to Northeast Lauderdale.
White said the West Lauderdale defense does a good job of control opponents’ rushing attack and it has a good pass rush.
“We’ve seen some big fronts,” he said. “Greene County last week was big, but this is the biggest front. Their roster is full of big kids, and that’s kind of who they are. They kind of control the game with their front. They have a 6-3, 270-pound (defensive) end and a 6-2, 250-pound end, so they have big guys up front and they do a good job.”
The West Lauderdale offense can put up some points, too. It has scored in the 40s in three of the last four ballgames, and it averaged nearly 40 points in the five region games.
Senior Kurt Rackley has 710 rushing yards and six scores on 143 carries in only eight games, and junior Dewayne Cox leads the team with 778 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 46 receptions.
“They’re just a power team,” White said. “They throw it really well, so they’re balanced. They’re probably the biggest team we’ve faced, size wise, all year. They’re just massive up front, they have a 225-pound back and a 6-3-pound receiver, so they have some big kids, and that’s kind of how they play.
“They use their strength and size to their advantage and they have really found their groove the five or six games. They have their identity and it looks like they’re getting better every week.”
Senior quarterback Turbo McKee has passed for 1,540 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 64 percent passing, and he’s rushed for 443 yards and eight touchdowns on 97 carries.
“He runs the option extremely well and he’s a really great passer,” White said. “He throws the slant route extremely well. He throws the fades and posts, so that’s kind of what he throws. They don’t have 50,000 routes, but the routes he throws, he puts them on the money. He’s really sharp.”
