Tupelo football rides Jaeden Hill to hold off Brandon in MHSAA Class 7A championship game

HATTIESBURG — There was no stopping Jaeden Hill. At least in the first quarter. And then when Tupelo football needed it most.

The junior running back was leaned on heavily by Tupelo (14-0) and delivered for the 28-16 MHSAA Class 7A championship win against Brandon (12-2) on Thursday at Southern Miss’ M. M. Roberts Stadium.

It’s Tupelo football’s first state championship since 1992.

Hill, a Mississippi State commit, tallied 261 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns. He helped Tupelo build an early lead and fend off a second-half surge from Brandon. He rumbled for a 32-yard touchdown run with 55 seconds remaining to clinch the win.

“We knew in the fourth quarter,” Tupelo coach Ty Hardsin said. “We know in the fourth quarter, the game’s close and it’s in our hands, him and the offensive line are going to take over.”

Tupelo found success early with Hill, the Class 7A Mr. Football winner who entered Thursday with over 2,000 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns this season. He knifed for a six-yard touchdown on Tupelo’s first drive and then scored again on the next drive on a 37-yard catch from quarterback Noah Gillon. Hill scored two touchdowns before Brandon had a first down.

But Tupelo’s offense stalled after that, turning it over on downs once, missing a field goal, and punting twice. It led 14-0 at halftime before Brandon managed a field goal for its first points. Then, Brandon’s Cam Short blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. It cut the score to 14-10, flipping momentum back to the Brandon sideline.

Tupelo turned to Hill, feeding him six straight carries to march down the field.

“We (were) confident,” Hill said. “We had trouble in other games. We just knew we had to come back and fight.”

Tupelo faced a fourth-and-1 at the Brandon 15 early in the fourth…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tupelo-football-rides-jaeden-hill-060600542.html

Author : The Clarion Ledger

Publish date : 2024-12-06 06:06:00

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