The annual Simpson County Super Bowl kicked off Friday night with plenty of energy and excitement, but by the end of the evening, it was the Mendenhall Tigers who walked away with a commanding 47-14 victory over the Magee Trojans.
Although the scoreboard tilted heavily in favor of Mendenhall, Magee earned the first victory of the night. The Trojans were named winners of the Simpson County Blood Bowl, a friendly competition between the schools to see who can donate the most blood to Mississippi Blood Services. Students and faculty from both sides contributed to the cause, proving that this century-old rivalry extends beyond the football field.
Once the game began, the Tigers wasted no time taking control. Running back Eddie Weathersby opened the scoring with a tough run into the end zone, and Mendenhall kept the momentum by immediately recovering an onside kick. Quarterback Ty Davis soon added to the lead with an 8-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Tigers ahead 14-0 after the first quarter. Davis also connected with receiver Henry Funchess on a highlight-reel drive, including a leaping one-handed catch that drew loud cheers from the Mendenhall faithful.
The Trojan defense found some footing in the second quarter, but their offense struggled mightily against a relentless Mendenhall front. Injuries along Magee’s offensive line left quarterback Travon Magee with little protection and few opportunities to establish rhythm.
The Tigers extended their lead just before halftime when Davis lofted a perfectly placed 23-yard pass to Jaiwon Williams, who hauled it in with a leaping catch in the end zone. Mendenhall carried a 20-0 advantage into the locker room.
After halftime, the Tigers continued to pour it on. Jeremy Butts broke through for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, the first of his two scores on the night. Butts finished with a standout performance—8 carries for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Magee finally broke through at the end of the third quarter when Travon Magee found Treyvion Gregory for a 51-yard touchdown. Gregory turned a short reception into a long sprint down the sideline, cutting into the deficit.
Trailing 34-6 entering the fourth, the Trojans showed some fight. Quarterback Travon Magee led another drive capped off by a determined 5-yard touchdown run from T.Y. Walker, who shook off two tacklers before powering across the goal line. Braeden Gregory caught the two-point conversion to make it 34-14 with 10 minutes to play.
But the Tigers had the final answer. Butts dazzled the crowd once more, slicing through defenders for a 42-yard rushing touchdown. Freshman Lane Purser added the final score in the closing minutes to seal the 47-14 win.
Afterward, Tigers head coach Chuckie Allen praised his team’s improvement.“We still have some things to clean up but we looked a lot better from week 1,” Allen said. “We played hard and executed well and built some momentum for next week.”
Magee head coach Chase Courtney gave credit to the Tigers while keeping his focus forward.“Mendenhall played a great game. We were hit with some injuries so we are still figuring that out. We’re going to keep working and we’ll be better next week,” Courtney said.
With the Super Bowl in the books, Mendenhall (1-1) now turns its attention to a home matchup against South Pike this Friday, while Magee (1-1) will look to regroup on the road against the Mize Bulldogs.
