County Champions

By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com The Meridian Star The Meridian Star Sat Oct 30, 2010, 06:00 AM CDT

MERIDIAN -     The buzz around Chris Mabry Field in Clarkdale Friday night prior to the Bulldogs hosting the Southeast Lauderdale Tigers was that no matter what, Southeast would finish second in Division 5-3A, while Clarkdale, with only one division win, would make it into the playoffs as the fourth seed out of the division. All thanks to the disqualification of Kemper County, which would have been the second seed, but the MHSAA ruled played this season with an ineligible player.

    The buzz was quickly ratcheted down to a murmur in the home bleachers as the Tigers handled the Bulldogs easily with a 35-0 win.

    "We came in and took care of business," said Southeast coach Boo Smith. "We wanted to play well and get a shutout and that is what we did. Now it is on to the playoffs."

    Commenting on the turn of events that occurred late this week with the state's decision to boot Kemper County out of the playoffs, Smith said, "We gotta play by the rules so everyone else should as well. I hate it for the kids who played hard this year, not going to the playoff."

    Smith said it was rumored he was the one who alerted state high school officials of the ineligible player.

    "No, it wasn't me," Smith said.

    Southeast (8-3, 3-2), started out quickly when in just three plays they got their first score on a 19-yard Shelby Moseley run. The PAT was no good but with just a couple minutes gone in the first quarter the Tigers had drawn first blood.

    After Clarkdale quarterback Micah Redmond's pass to Gabe Shelby was picked off by Ryan Conner, the Tigers struck again going 55 yards in nine plays for their next score. Terreon Larkin crossed the goal line from 6 yards out and Ladarious Clark added the two-point conversion run to give Southeast a 14-0 lead.

    A fumble on Clarkdale's next possession led to Southeast's next score as Moseley, who finished the game passing for 112 yards and two TDs, found Nathan Freeze on a slant pattern from 10 yards out. Chase Pearson's PAT was good and Southeast took a 21-0 lead into halftime.

    "There were several things we wanted to accomplish tonight," said Smith. "We wanted to win the county championship, which we did. And I wanted this team to get eight wins in a season, something we hadn't done in three decades."

    Clark took a swing pass from Moseley midway into the third quarter and outraced the Bulldog defenders to complete a 45-yard TD. Pearson's PAT was good.

    DeMarcus Pringle would score on a 30-yard punt return in the fourth quarter to wrap up the win.

    Southeast Lauderdale ended the game with 238 yards of total offense to Clarkdale's 127. Moseley added 66 yards rushing with a TD.