After picking up his first-ever football victory last Friday at the helm of the Ruleville Central High School football program, head coach Mario Lane will now see his troops take their home field this Friday night against visiting cross-county rival Gentry High School.
The 7 p.m. kickoff will also pit two coaches new to their schools and Lane is hoping his Tigers will repeat the performance given last week when they defeated Shelby Broadstreet High by a 24-8 margin. All of that game’s scoring occured in the second half of play.
Now 1-1 on the year, the Tigers will take on a Gentry High Rams squad which also owns a 1-1 record after falling last week by a 14-6 score to Port Gibson High School.
“Gentry has a big and physical team plus offensively they run a Wing T which is a style of football hard to defend” said Lane.
“They also try to control the clock and we must have no turnovers if we are to win.”
Last season, Ruleville Central claimed a 12-6 decision over Gentry High to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Rams.
As for last Friday’s victory over Broadstreet High, Lane was pleased. “We wore them down offensively and played well defensively.”
The Tigers’ defensive unit actually held the Jaguars scoreless throughout the game as only a fourth quarter, 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown kept Broadstreet High from suffering a shutout to the Ruleville Central squad.
Meanwhile, the first half of play remained scoreless after the Tigers overcame a pair of lost fumbles inside the Jaguars’ five yard line; once in the first period and again in the third frame.
The Tigers would move on to score all the points needed to win the game later in the third quarter and then added another pair of touchdowns in the final period of the contest.
Statistically, the Tigers picked up 255 yards on the ground with their 38 rushes into the line and it was junior Darious Townsend who led the way as his 14 rushes generated 122 yards and one touchdown.
Through the air, junior quarterback Rodrickus Appleberry completed seven of his 10 passes for 92 yards and also ran for a one touchdown in addition to a pair of two point conversions.
Leading the receiving corps was senior Randarious Maxon, who caught four passes for 73 yards in addition to picking up 76 yards rushing, a touchdown, and a two point conversion with his 14 rushes into the line.
Defensively, the Tigers’ resistance was led by sophomore linebacker Jeremiah Surney’s six solo, three assist night of play.
Also adding four solo tackles and three assists apiece were senior Byrondarius Amison and Samuel Clark while Jaquerious Patt completed his night’s play with three solo tackles and three assists.
