MHSAA 6A Championship Preview: Brandon vs Starkville

This year's 6A Championship match up is between two perennially respected programs that are both battle tested! Although these two teams have faced off only once in their recent history, the one and only game was not in a championship setting. In 2019, The Brandon Bulldogs defeated the Starkville Yellowjackets 27-21 in a season opener to obtain their first win of that year. This time around the implications are much more heavy, as the match up will decide who is crowned the 2022 6A Champions. These two teams were both able to pull out wins in the semi-finals with sure-will and late game heroic efforts from their prime time players. As the last two teams remaining in the the states highest ranking class, Brandon and Starkville are both set to give us a championship contest that we will surely remember. Below I will be previewing both squads, detailing their most prominent athletes and how they've weathered the storm to gain the opportunity to secure a title!   Starkville Yellowjackets (11-3)   The Starkville Yellowjackets were a team starting off the season on a great path. They were 4 games in, sitting at 4-0, and had beaten two of the more dominant teams in the state in West Point and Louisville. As district play began, the Yellowjackets fell on tumultuous times, losing 3 games straight and falling to 4-3 and 0-3 in division play. This is a point in a season that I like to call the crossroads. It's a point were everything just seems to be against you and you cant catch a break. This team was able to create their own breaks by coming together as one and winning out of their remaining district schedule to secure a spot in the playoffs. The constant trait that this team and its players show is persistence. Their stars and big time players show up week in and week out and fight for one another. EJ Thomas, [player_tooltip player_id='273258' first='Trey' last='Petty'], Braylon "Stonka" Burnside... These are names that I'm sure you have heard of if you have been following the Yellowjackets any this year, but they're only the the tip of the iceberg of the studs that they have on that roster. Often times coaches will receive the bulk of the credit for a teams success, especially teams that make a championship run. As a coach, I'm here to tell you that good coaches breed championship players and good players breed championship coaches. Starkville has a great staff and an even better pool of talent. This has been the winning formula for Starkville the past couple of seasons leading up to this moment. Last year these guys lost to the eventual state champions in North-State. After getting over the hump to make it out of North, Starkville has a group of guys that are starving at the opportunity to complete the mission and attain that title! This group of prospects ,lead by Head Coach Chris Jones, oozes talent out onto the playing surface whenever they get the opportunity to strap up.   The Yellowjackets are a team to be feared on the offensive and defensive side of the football collectively. 2024 3-Star Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='273258' first='Trey' last='Petty'] and 2024 4-Star Athlete [player_tooltip player_id='139597' first='Braylon' last='Burnside'] spearhead an offensive attack that has been tough to contain all season long. These two guys will show up and handle business without question, but I want to get into what Starkville has in their supporting cast on offense. 2023 Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='340821' first='Jaylon' last='York'] and Christopher Hayes are guys that have been getting better each week as the season has progressed. [player_tooltip player_id='340821' first='Jaylon' last='York'] is a 2023 athlete that makes his presence felt on both sides of the ball. York is a natural ball-player that can do whatever is needed, and some at the WR and DB positions. Another prospect to keep an eye on offensively is offensive tackle Christopher Hayes. This 6'3 260lb Senior is a technician in the trenches that plays with a lot of grit. Chris has great feet and is strong at the point of attack. Hayes just simply knows how to move people and it shows from watching him do work. Defensively the Yellowjackets aren't inept of any talent in the trenches either. Two names that will be called and have been called for Starkville all year are Seniors EJ Thomas and Ny'jadius Roberts-Holloway. EJ Thomas is a Defensive-End that can do it all, rush the passer, plug holes in the run game, and create turnovers. Ny'jadius plays the linebacker position and is similarly skilled in regards to his position. Both of these guys hold down the trenches on defense for Starkville, but I'm looking forward to seeing what type of game Tony Lucious has. Lucious is a senior as well, and this game will be a great opportunity to show what he has done all year. That is being a constant presence on that D-line that wreaks havoc. Tony has lined up playing inside and outside techniques on the defensive front. His skill-set poses match up problems for most because of how deep his bag is. Look for him to be a sparkplug for that defense in this game.   #12 [player_tooltip player_id='273258' first='Trey' last='Petty']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/trey-petty/"></a> 2024 QB | #5 [player_tooltip player_id='139597' first='Braylon' last='Burnside']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/braylon-burnside/"></a> 2024 WR | #15 [player_tooltip player_id='106317' first='Eric' last='Thomas Jr']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/eric-thomas-jr/"></a> . 2023 DE | #1 [player_tooltip player_id='340821' first='Jaylon' last='York']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jaylon-york/"></a> 2023 ATH | #59 Christopher Hayes 2023 LT | #8 Ny'jadus Roberts-Holloway 2023 LB | #11 Jermar McCarter 2024 LB | #7 Curtis Willis 2023 FS | #4 Tony Lucious 2023 DT   Brandon Bulldogs (12-1)   Last year Brandon made it to the 6A Championship game with aspirations of being crowned Champions, but fell short the Madison Central Jaguars by a single possession. The Bulldogs of Brandon have been vengefully dominate all year long, only losing one game on the year and the lone loss was only by a 5 point margin. This mid-season loss is the only blemish on their record this year, but don't think that the path to the championship was easy for the Dogs by any means. Brandon is a battle tested program that has faced one of the tougher schedule's played by Mississippi teams this season. Starkville strength of schedule scored out a just above 35 points, and Brandon's strength of schedule scored out at 33. Brandon's talent is evenly spread through out their team. I credit the coaching staff on being able to effectively disperse the ball and talent in a way that produced the best overall outcome for their squad, which is making the championship game. These guys have found ways to get it done all year long barring the opponent or circumstance. The Bulldogs are a team that just knows how to win games and get the job done. I imagine that last year's end to the Bulldogs' season was a tough pill to swallow for most of this year's Seniors. I'm certain that Seniors like [player_tooltip player_id='108964' first='Jarvis' last='Durr'], [player_tooltip player_id='108896' first='Luke' last='Rogers'], and [player_tooltip player_id='107036' first='Lester' last='Miller'] all remember that loss and the taste that it left in their mouth's. Especially after losing to a team that they'd previously lost to earlier in the season! The 2022-2023 Brandon Bulldogs have unfinished business, and I'm here for it. Similar to Starkville, Brandon is a good program that couldn't seem to get over the hump and make the big game in recent years. However, this year they are here!   Offensively the Bulldogs have one of the better skilled groups in the state to their disposal, and the performances they've put out this year reflect just that. They are averaging 37 points a game and have outscored opponents 474-248 on the year. Brandon is a ball team that can beat you in a myriad of ways on offense, but football is a simple game. If you keep your opponent from scoring, you can win the game without being able to score at will, and Brandon is no slouch on the defensive end in the talent department. Jaeden Calender and Dysart Bell lead the defensive box in the interior of that stout front for the bulldogs. Jaeden Calender is a prospect that turns a lot of heads and passes they eye test. The 2024 LB has off the charts athleticism and shows of that 4.5 40 speed moving sideline to sideline to stifle defenders. I think Calender will be the catalyst defensively for Brandon, but I'm looking forward to seeing the performance that DeAundre Washington puts on display. The 2023 Defensive Lineman has flown under the radar for the majority of this season as far as recruitment goes. Washington is a kid that has certain skills that you just can't teach, and they come out the most in big games. Look for DeAundre to have a big game, as well as that two headed monster that Brandon has in the backfield on offense. I heard through the grapevine that [player_tooltip player_id='108964' first='Jarvis' last='Durr'] and Nate Blount go by Lightning and Thunder. With that being said, I see scattered showers and thunderstorms to be in the forecast for this game. Establishing the run game and possessing the football early on in this game will be imperative to helping the Bulldogs secure a win. [player_tooltip player_id='108896' first='Luke' last='Rogers'], Mekhi Stingley, and Brandon Elam are the enforcers on the Offensive Line that will surely do their best to open up holes for his two studs in the backfield. Out wide, [player_tooltip player_id='107036' first='Lester' last='Miller'] will be a force to be reckoned with as well. Miller's recruitment has picked up here recently and rightfully so. Miller looks to follow up the 221 yard 2 touchdown performance from South State last Week and end the Bulldogs season on the right note.   #1 [player_tooltip player_id='108964' first='Jarvis' last='Durr'] 2023 RB | #6 Nate Blount<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/braylon-burnside/"></a> 2024 RB | #74 [player_tooltip player_id='108896' first='Luke' last='Rogers'] 2023 OL | #2 [player_tooltip player_id='107036' first='Lester' last='Miller']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jaylon-york/"></a> 2023 ATH | #4 Devin Thigpen 2023 WR | #15 [player_tooltip player_id='273250' first='Landon' last='Varnes'] 2024 QB | #9 Jaeden Calender 2024 LB | #8 Ja'Quaylen Love 2023 QB | #95 DeAundre Washington 2023 DT | #25 Coreyeah Buchanan 2023 TE/LS

This year's 6A Championship match up is between two perennially respected programs that are both battle tested! Although these two teams have faced off only once in their recent history, the one and only game was not in a championship setting. In 2019, The Brandon Bulldogs defeated the Starkville Yellowjackets 27-21 in a season opener to obtain their first win of that year. This time around the implications are much more heavy, as the match up will decide who is crowned the 2022 6A Champions. These two teams were both able to pull out wins in the semi-finals with sure-will and late game heroic efforts from their prime time players. As the last two teams remaining in the the states highest ranking class, Brandon and Starkville are both set to give us a championship contest that we will surely remember. Below I will be previewing both squads, detailing their most prominent athletes and how they've weathered the storm to gain the opportunity to secure a title!