The curtain has closed on the 2024 season and we had some great performances turned in by teams we’ve covered in our C Spire Games of the Week this year. While there were no state titles to hoisted, each of our team’s showed growth and perseverance throughout the season. Here’s a look back:
Jackson Prep
Jackson Prep had a near perfect season that came up one score short. The Patriots rolled into the MAIS 6A Championship Game with an undefeated 12-0 record having outscored their opponents 546-153, but for the second straight year Hartfield Academy proved to be their kryptonite. The Hawks won a tight battle 19-14 and forced a turnover on Prep’s final drive with under a minute to play. It was Prep’s third straight title game appearance, winning it all in 2022, but falling to Hartfield both in 2023 and 2024.
Quarterback Billy Puckett turned in a scintillating senior yar. Puckett completed 70 percent of his passes for 2,203 yards with 26 touchdowns to just three interceptions. He was also second on the team in rushing with 596 yards and 12 more scores. While he doesn’t hold any Division I offers just yet, Puckett is considered one of the best quarterbacks in the state and should certainly have an opportunity to play at the next level. Senior Major Quin led the team in receiving with 38 catches for 633 yards and five touchdowns. The Patriots will also graduate two more wideouts in Gardner Young and John Ed Maddux who accounted for 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Defensively, Prep graduates 15 more seniors that saw significant playing time this year. Tre Bryant, Will McMaster, Turner Reeves and Russell Robbins led the team in tackles and recorded a total of 35 tackles for loss. The defense was dominant and Head Coach Doug Goodwin will have the tall task of retooling it for next year.
Madison-Ridgeland Academy
Head Coach Herbert Davis led his team to 9-3 overall record and a second place finish in the district which earned them a first round bye in the playoffs. The Patriots fell 17-14 in an unexpected low scoring game against Hartfield in the semifinals. Quarterback Samuel Stockett had an impressive junior season averaging 270 yards a game for a total of 3,239 yards, 33 touchdowns to 15 interceptions. The picks are the one area to improve on next season. Senior running back DJ Watkins led the team in rushing with 381 yards and nine touchdowns and also caught 14 passes for another 262 yards and three scores. A pair of juniors led the offense in receiving and will be back next year. Case Thomas had 60 catches for 936 yards and 10 touchdowns. Will Bizot had 47 grabs for 700 yards and two scores. This squad is going to be very dangerous next season.
The defense was led by Jackson Toler. The senior closed out his high school career leading the team with 117 tackles, seven for loss and five sacks. Junior Parker Durham rolled up an impressive 98 tackles with fellow junior James Downer recording 17 tackles for loss. MRA is poised to be the preseason favorite to win the title next year.
Jackson Academy
First year Head Coach David Duggan had a solid inaugural year leading Jackson Academy. The Raiders finished 9-4, won a first-round playoff game and reached the semifinals before losing to Jackson Prep. Duggan, a former college defensive coordinator, really worked to bring a defensive swagger back to the Brickyard. The JA defense only gave up an average of 15 points per game and will return a good core back next season. Juniors TJ White and Dereon Albert were an absolute wrecking crew on the defensive line. White had 21 tackles for loss and 11 sacks with Dereon adding 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks. The Raiders will miss a pair of seniors who contributed greatly in Jacob Scarborough and Parker Halford. Scarborough led the team in tackles with 105, including seven for loss. Halford rolled up six sacks and 13 total tackles for loss. These two really helped lay the foundation as leaders.
Offensively, JA will miss “Man-Man” as he’s known. Senior Omarean Ellis battled through injuries and posted great numbers in 11 games. Ellis carried the ball an eye popping 211 times for 1,420 yards and 14 touchdowns. Sophomore Kingston Mays provided a great double dose out of the backfield with 724 yards and seven touchdowns. Combined, the two had 2,000 yards and 21 scores. Sophomore Pruett James was handed the reigns at quarterback in the Jackson Prep regular season game. In the final eight games of the season, James finished with 1,552 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Working on those interceptions will be a point of emphasis in the offseason. James will miss his favorite target in senior John Thomas. He led the way with 41 catches for 826 yards and eight touchdowns. Overall, the Raiders were very young and exceeded expectations this season. The future definitely looks bright in the Brickyard under Duggan.
Madison St. Joseph Catholic
Head Coach Jason Moore and his Bruins performed admirably against a district full of big boys in MAIS 6A. While St. Joseph finished 2-8 overall, this was a very young team with great potential. Junior quarterback Drew Wamble was named team MVP as he threw for 1,342 yards, 12 touchdowns and ran for 170 yards and two scores. Wamble’s backfield was very young and will return a year stronger and experience. Sophomore Syrone McBeath and freshman A.J. Harris rushed for more than 500 yards and found the endzone seven times. McBeath also played on defense and finished second on the team in tackles. The Bruins had two juniors rise up as receivers in Eli Dampier and Henry Turner. They combined for nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns. Junior Zycameron Williams led the team in tackles and racked up 10 for loss.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal
The Saints found their way back to the playoffs under first year Head Coach Channing Ward. St. Andrew’s finished third in MHSAA Class 2A Region 6 with a 5-5 overall record. The Saints had to go on the road to Bogue Chitto for the first-round playoff game and fell 34-12.
Coach Ward, a former Ole Miss star that went on to play in the NFL, brought a winning spirit back to St. Andrew’s. He only had a 31-man roster to work with and very young talent but there was a buzz around this team. Sophomore quarterback Will Crowder led the way with 1,269 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. Sophomores dominated the backfield in Evan Arthur White, Pierce Ingram and Dylan Tobias. Junior John William Walker led the receivers with 940 yards and 13 touchdowns. Stone Myrick, one of the few seniors on the squad, added a solid 659 yards and nine touchdowns.
The defense was led by senior Austin Morgan who recorded a whopping 154 tackles with 12 for loss. Be prepared to hear a lot more from the Saints in Coach Ward’s second year.
Madison Central
Madison Central had a very good year at 10-3 overall and came within a game of making the MHSAA 7A State Championship. The Jaguars travelled to Tupelo for the North State Title Game but lost 21-3. Things may have been different had senior running back Glen Singleton been able to play. The super senior couldn’t go because of a knee injury suffered the week before playing Germantown in the second round. Singleton was simply scintillating through 11 games with 197 carries for 1,449 yards and 21 touchdowns. His absence was something the Jags just couldn’t overcome. Senior quarterback Jaiden Johnson really became a leader in his second year at the position as he threw for 1,705 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Jaguars defense had two of the best seniors in the state in defensive lineman Myles Miller and linebacker Avery Jackson. Miller was a force with 111 tackles and 13 sacks. Jackson finished as the team leader with 115 tackles and six for loss.
Head Coach Toby Collums continues to get close as his team played in back to back North State Title games.
Germantown
The Mavericks continue to make strides every year in MHSAA Class 7A. While they were 7-5 overall, The Mavs had quite a ride as they beat Clinton 53-35 to end the regular season to make the playoffs. Germantown followed that up with an upset win on the road in the first round over Oxford 43-34 before falling in the second round to Madison Central.
Juniors led the way on offense this season in quarterback King White and running back Lawson Branson. White is a true dual threat as he threw for 1,646 yards, rushed for 559 yards and accounted for 22 touchdowns. Branson finished just shy of 1,000 rushing yards and scored 11 times.
Coach Russell Mitchell is building a solid brand in northern Madison County.
Ridgeland
Head Coach Todd McDaniel gave defenses fits this year with the Wing-T offense. The Titans finished with a playoff spot following a successful third place finish in MHSAA Class 6A Region 2 and a 6-5 overall record. Ridgeland gave mighty South Panola everything it could handle in the first-round game but fell just short 34-27.
As a team, the Titans rushed for 3,336 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. Opponents had a hard time discerning who had the ball on well executed misdirection formations. Senior running back Cornelius Caraway led the way with 200 carries for 1,250 yards and junior quarterback DK Wallace rolled up 1,035 yards on 115 carries. Wallace also had 1,006 yards passing and 11 touchdowns.
The Titan defense was led by junior Nigel Lockett who posted 125 tackles. Coach McDaniel will miss seniors Elijah Adams and Jacob Jordan as they combined for 189 tackles with 50 tackles for loss.
Ridgeland is not far off from making everyone remember the Titans in 6A.
