The Trojans' offense picked the right time to start kicking on all cylinders as they prepare to host the first playoff game in Magee in several years. Magee is rolling into the playoffs riding a four game win streak in which the average margin of victory is 26.75 points.
The offense has had a lot of assistance this season from a spectacular defense that is one of the best in the state in not only creating turnovers but creating points off of them. Last Friday, the Trojans showed that all three facets of the game are hot at the same time.
Magee started the game with the ball at their own 48 after fielding an onside kick attempt by McLaurin. After moving backwards on the first play on a holding call, Ross McInnis introduced himself to the Tiger defenders as he gashed the defense for a 50-yard run that saw him leave several defenders dazed. On the next play, Javo Thurman took little time finishing off the drive as he connected with Xavier "X-Man" Franks for a 16-yard screen and run that ended in a touchdown and Sam Rials PAT to make the score 7-0 after barely a minute off the game clock. The Trojan defense took a little time to get their footing as the Tigers' return strike came on the first play of the drive as Kenny Bacon sizzled down the field for a 68-yard score to even the game at 7 apiece. Magee again took up control of the ball near midfield after another onside kick. McInnis started the drive with a short 4-yard run followed by a Thurman run for 2. Thurman connected with X-Man Franks for 7-yards and a fresh set of downs on the McLaurin side of the field. The Tiger pass rush got to Thurman on first down as they sacked the Trojan QB for a 7-yard loss. Facing 2nd and 17, McInnis churned out 5 yards followed by a 3-yard loss on a screen pass to Chandler Pittman to put Magee in a 4th and long situation. The Trojans were in that weird part of the field where you're too far for a field goal, but too short to want to punt, so the coaching staff rolled the dice and dialed up an old staple of the Mike Leach Texas Tech playbook the four verts play "aka the Money Play" as Thurman delivered a bullet into the Tiger secondary that was pulled in and taken to the house for a 43-yard touchdown by X-Man Franks for his second score of the game to push the lead to 14-7. The back-and-forth affair continued as McLaurin as Jayvias Horton took the fullback dive 32-yards down inside the Magee 10. The drive appeared to stall out as the Tigers faced a decisive 4th and 1 from the Trojan 11. Thornton finished off the drive on an 11-yard FB dive followed by a blocked PAT to keep Magee ahead 14-13. From this point, the Trojans would go on to add 41 unanswered points.
The Trojans took over at midfield as Thurman and crew looked to widen the gap. J. Thurman hit Matthew Thurman for 13 to get the chains moving early in the drive. McInnis tacked on three, followed by another M. Thurman reception this time for 10 to get near the McLaurin redzone. McInnis pushed ahead for 8 followed by a CP2 5-yard out route before being upturned just inside the Tiger 10. McInnis went on to finish the drive as he took a few Tigers into the endzone with him for a 7-yard touchdown to make the score 21-13 late in the first. The following McLaurin drive ended with an underthrown pass on 4th down that gave the ball back to the Trojans after the Tigers failed to move the chains. After overshooting his target on first down, J. Thurman scampered for 5 to set up 2nd and 5. McInnis moved the chains for the Trojans with a run for seven followed by another run for 6 to set up 2nd and 4. CP2 showed why he is so highly thought of as a playmaker as the super sophomore took off for a 20-yard gain to put the ball inside the McLaurin redzone. J. Thurman would finish the drive using his feet this time rather than his arm, as the swift of foot QB galloped in for a 15-yard TD run to make the score 28-13 Magee's way with 4:35 remaining until halftime. The stingy Magee defense continued to deny the Tigers' offense as McLaurin was forced to punt after a quick three-and-out. The Tiger punter did not turn in a good effort on the kick as he gave Trojan return man, Josh Sanders, a chance to return the kick. Sanders scooted down the field avoiding McLaurin defenders on route to a 34-yard punt return to set Magee up at the Tiger 30. There was a little "extra curricular activity" following the return by the McLaurin punt team that ended with 15 free yards for the Trojans on the personal foul penalty to put Magee at the Tiger 15. J. Thurman started off the drive by firing a rocket to Sanders for a 7-yards followed by another J. Thurman touchdown run, this time for 8-yards to push the lead to 35-13 for the Trojans which would be the score heading into the half.
Starting the second half, the Magee defense forced yet another three-and-out for the Tigers' offense and put their scalding hot offense back on the field. Unfortunately, J. Thurman misfired on the first play of the drive as he forced a throw into tight coverage for an interception by Terry Maxwell of the Tigers. The Magee defense picked up J. Thurman as they forced another three-and-out to give J. Thurman a reprieve and a second chance and the senior gunslinger would not disappoint. J. Thurman started off the drive airing out the ball deep to CP2 for a 42-yard gain on a long fly pattern. McInnis added a 7-yard run before CP2 carried the ball in for a 5-yard touchdown followed by a bad snap on the PAT to make the lead 41-13 for the Trojans. After failed fake punt by the Tigers on 4th down, the Magee offense took the field with the game firmly in their grasp looking to finish the game in style. On the first play of the drive, J. Thurman stood tall in the face of a fierce pass rush by the Tigers to deliver a 44-yard touchdown pass to X-Man Franks for another long touchdown to make the lead 55-13 Magee's way. The deep ball was the one thing the Trojans' offense was missing. The team boasts a strong running attack, screen game, and solid intermediate passing attack, but this was one of the first times this season Magee finally let J. Thurman cut it loose and man does this kid have some impressive arm talent.
After the game, Coach Teddy Dyess discussed the progression of the team’s passing game over the course of the seasons. "That's kind of what we've been working toward, you've seen the improvement from week to week and Javo made throws, receivers made plays, and the line protected. We did what we needed to do." This new threat makes the Magee offense a force to be reckoned with as the postseason lingers in the not to far future.
In their first scoring drive since making the score 14-13 late in the first quarter, the Tigers managed to tack on a late touchdown to regain some pride after the blowout Senior night loss. The drive started with a 44-yard gain by Nick Owen followed by a 12-yard run by Bacon. The drive ended in a 1-yard TD run by Dailyn Brown to make the score 55-19 which would be the final on the night.
Magee finished the regular season with an impressive 8-3 record and a 4-1 district record which was good enough for the #2 seed and a home playoff date with the Indians of Hazelhurst. Hazelhurst enters the game with a 2-8 record with those two victories being district wins which allowed the Indians to sneak into the playoffs despite having an abysmal win-loss record. Should the Trojans be victorious, a second round matchup will be with the winner of the Winona vs. Tylertown game. If Winona wins, the Trojans will travel in round two. However, if Tylertown pulls off the upset, Magee will host the second round game at Trojan Field. The goal each week for the Trojans is, as Coach Dyess said, "to go 1-0 each day in practice and 1-0 each week in the playoffs." This Trojan team has developed into a strong unit that works as one to achieve the ultimate goal of victory week-by-week. Coach Dyess praised the growth of his team after the game, "This is my 27th year in coaching, 18th year as a head coach, this team may have gotten better from game one to right now than any team I've ever coached." If the Trojans can continue to ride their current hot streak, a trip to the State Championship in Hattiesburg may not be to far fetched of an idea. Remember to come out and support the boys this Friday night at 7 pm against the Hazelhurst Indians in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
