Sure, it felt good when the Sumrall Bobcats moved to 5-0, then 6-0. Even 3-0 to 4-0 felt great. But now they’re in their region schedule; each game means a lot more than the first six games.
Every win Sumrall picks up not only adds to its already impressive season, but it will help Sumrall make the playoffs for the second straight season.
“You’re playing for a chance to be in the playoffs and then the seeding in the playoffs,” Sumrall coach Shannon White said. “This team here, we’ve told them from Day 1 that we want to get to the playoffs and hopefully we’re healthy when we get there. I think we’re improving every week now, but it’s an SEC West-type of district.”
The Bobcats are on the second week of a crucial three-week span. After a key win over rival Purvis last week, Sumrall hits the road the next two weeks to play Lawrence County and Poplarville. The Cougars have a 5-2 overall record while the Hornets are 5-1, but both teams, including Sumrall, are 1-0 through one game of region play.
“We’re just coming off a huge game against Purvis, you know, an emotional game, so it’s three straight weeks,” White said. “That’s what makes it tough. You don’t have time to enjoy winning. You’ve got the weekend, and for coaches, you have one day. We’ve spent all day (Sunday) working on (Lawrence County). Like we always have, we move on and it’s just a grind.”
Lawrence County is a run-first team, and shows. The Cougars have rushed the ball 316 times compared to just 23 passing attempts. They have an 800-yard rusher and three more players with more than 200 yards on the ground while averaging 319 yards per game and 7 yards per carry.
Sophomore quarterback Haden Mullins has only completed five of those 23 passing attempts, but he’s averaging 26 yards per completion. Junior Kylan Cooper leads the team with 874 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 90 carries, and junior Antwan Pittman is second with 361 yards, two scores and 48 attempts.
“They run it 91 percent of the time, if you want to know specifically, so we have to be careful about the other 9 percent (passing), because they’ll slip guys behind you,” White said. “They’re a power team, they’re a smash-mouth team and they’re a team that has good running backs.”
Defensively, the Cougars have pitched three shutouts, including a dominating 51-0 win over Forrest County AHS last week. They’ve also shut out Franklin County 28-0 and Raleigh 17-0, while also beating North Pike and Bay High.
In Lawrence County’s wins, it is giving up just seven points per game. But in its losses, however, teams are scoring 27 points per game.
“Defensively, they’re no frills,” White said. “They line up basically one way, and so far not many people have blocked them.
“The new coach down there (Jesse Anderson) has done a super job. He’s been there a long time (as an assistant), he knows those kids and I think he knows how to push their buttons. They have really physical and fast kids, and they’re a contender.”
