HOLLANDALE — After falling behind Leflore County by three touchdowns in the first quarter Thursday night, the Simmons High School football team made a number of great plays to make things interesting. But, in the end, the hole the Blue Devils dug themselves was just too much as they fell 26-24.
Simmons quarterback Ta’Darrius Williams threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to freshman Kamar Howard for the final points of the game with 5:04 left in the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils final drive in the last minute ended in a turnover.
“We are just learning how to play football right now,” Simmons coach Timothy Johnson said. “Whenever you lose a game like this, you learn. We just got to be strong and get ready fo778r our next game.”
The Blue Devils (4-3, 3-1 in Region 3-1A) had won their last four games before Thursday’s loss. Simmons travels to Shaw next Friday.
Leflore County (4-3, 4-1) coach Eric House said the beating the Blue Devils was a defining moment for his program.
“This is like a dream come true. I have always admired the talent and the tenacity of Simmons,” Coach House said. “I am proud of the way our team competed until the very end.”
Coach House added that he admires the job that Coach Johnson is doing at Simmons. Coach House and Coach Johnson are still close friends after working together on the same coaching staff.
Leflore County is scheduled to host Coffeville next week.
Coach House gave a lot of credit for the win to senior quarterback Maurice Edwards. Edwards led the Tigers to touchdown scores on their first three drives.
Simmons’ Vontrez Rush scored the first points for the Blue Devils when he ran in a 19-yard touchdown with 4:30 seconds left until halftime.
Ta’Darrius Williams’ 40-yard run set up the second Blue Devil touchdown, which Williams ran in from nine yards out to make the score 20-16 in favor of the Tigers with 6:20 left in the third quarter.
