Although every game they play now has huge playoff ramifications, for the North Sunflower Academy Rebels this week’s road trip to Belzoni is perhaps the most challenging contest of the season.
At 7 p.m. this Friday, the 4-2, 2-2 NSA Rebels will take on the undefeated 9-0, 5-0 Humphreys Academy Rebels in a District 1E matchup.
Fresh off a 42-6 road victory last Friday over now 1-6 Kemper Academy in Dekalb, the NSA squad will face the Humphreys Academy squad which had a scare put into them last week. The HA Rebels avoided an upset as they escaped with a 30-28 decision over Delta Academy of Marks.
As for NSA’s last Friday’s demolition of Kemper Academy, the Rebels amassed 510 yards of total offense and were led by quarterback Jacolby Brown, who completed six of six passes for 284 yards and five touchdowns.
On the receiving end of four of those passes was Bo Dawson, whose night’s play netted 144 yards and four touchdowns.
Meanwhile, in their recent two point victory over Delta Academy, the Rebels from Belzoni suffered their narrowest margin of victory thus far this season. Historically, the NSA Rebels own a three game win streak over the Belzoni school with last year’s 38-36 victory adding a loss to HA’s final 6-6 record.
However, Humphreys Academy does own a 7-4 series edge over NSA since the 2004 season.
In last Friday’s game versus Kemper Academy, the NSA Rebels spotted the Rams a 6-0 first period lead prior to unleashing four unanswered touchdowns to take a 28-6 lead to the dressing room at halftime.
The game was knotted at six apiece later in that first period when Brown and Dawson connected on their first touchdown of the night with a 38 yard pass.
This duo then opened the second period scoring with another 34-yard pass play as well as closing the first half of the game with a 32-yard touchdown aerial.
Sandwiched between these two touchdown passes was an 88-yarder from Brown to Austen Redwine to give the Rebels their commanding 28-6 halftime lead.
The final scoring of the game occurred in the third frame when Brown hit Dawson with a 40 yard scoring strike and was then followed by Bennett Boykin’s fumble return for a touchdown.
Statistically, the Rebels’ 24 carries netted 226 rushing yards with Bennett Boykins’ 100 yards on eight carries pacing the ground attack.
Defensively, the Rebels limited the Rams to only 73 yards of total offense and 24 of those were earned on the ground. Patrick Boykin paced this resistance with his eight solo, eight assist, and one sack night of play.
Also having an active night was Steven Abney with seven solo tackles, four assists, and one quarterback sack.
Rounding out the leaders were Dawson and Brown, who recorded six solos and two assists apiece.
