What We Saw: Whale Branch 44, Ridgeland 18
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RIDGELAND | A goal-line stand. A one-play scoring drive. It was all coming together for Rodney Barr’s Ridgeland team. But just as the home fans’ anticipation began, Whale Branch’s Darrell Cummings Darrell Cummings 5'9" | 185 lbs | ATH Whale…
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Continue ReadingRIDGELAND | A goal-line stand. A one-play scoring drive. It was all coming together for Rodney Barr’s Ridgeland team. But just as the home fans’ anticipation began, Whale Branch’s Darrell Cummings Darrell Cummings 5'9" | 185 lbs | ATH Whale Branch | 2024 State SC struck twice – and left the Jaguars in the dust. Thanks to Cummings’ big night on the ground and tireless work on both sides by big man Bradford Thompson, the Warriors overcame a surprising first-half deficit to down Ridgeland 44-18 on Friday and improve to 2-0 on the young season.
It was the first loss of the year for a Jaguars team that has started to find it in year three under Rodney Barr. After a signature victory a week ago in overtime at Battery Creek, the Jags brought that same scrappy intensity back home and made the Warriors work for every first down. That hunger on defense sparked a determined Maurice Brown Maurice Brown 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH Ridgeland | 2024 State SC , who slung a 95-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline to Wenson Smith. Through almost two quarters on Friday night, the Jags were arguably the hungrier- and better – team on the field.
Then Darrell Cummings Darrell Cummings 5'9" | 185 lbs | ATH Whale Branch | 2024 State SC happened. It was the first of two long house calls for Cummings, who totaled 186 yards on just 14 carries while rattling Ridgeland’s defense in the process as the Warriors pulled away with 28 unanswered points. Jerry Hatcher’s group put together a strong outing on the ground, reaching 294 rushing yards on the night behind an excellent performance from offensive linemen Isaiah Evans Isaiah Evans 6'7" | 320 lbs | OL Whale Branch | 2025 State SC and Tyjay Harris. Electric quarterback Keith Chisholm Keith Chisholm 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Whale Branch | 2024 State SC tallied 86 rushing yards of his own and reached the end zone twice, while emerging two-way sophomore Jayvion Harris and powerful veteran Bradford Thompson also found paydirt. Not only did Cummings lead the team on the ground, but he also stepped up with some physical play on defense and 5.5 tackles. Thompson delivered another big game defensively on top of his work in the backfield, making five tackles including two monstrous stops behind the line of scrimmage.
It wasn’t a perfect game for 48 minutes, but Whale Branch’s stars weren’t rattled after coughing up a quick score and the lead. They’ve got some quality veterans on the field who know how to set an example. Chisholm has fit in perfectly as a distributor and playmaker at quarterback, and Cummings is showing why he’s one of the most complete running backs in Region VII-1A while also shining at linebacker. Plus, Hatcher won’t be shy about deploying 235-pound Thompson as a bruiser in the backfield as well. If all the pieces stay healthy, it’s going be a force to match up with come November in Class 1A.
We saw another strong game from Ridgeland’s Maurice Brown Maurice Brown 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH Ridgeland | 2024 State SC , who displayed his shiftiness on the ground and his drive to make the most of every snap. His quick feet and forward momentum were tough to hold down on Friday night, and he showed a little bit of his budding play as a pocket passer with a perfect throw down the sideline to Wenson Smith. Smith’s speed was lethal out on the field, finding the end zone twice in the first half to spark the Jaguars’ comeback. The offense fizzled out in the second half, but Ridgeland’s improvements have been noticeable this time around in 2023. It’s a scrappy group that will give Region VI-2A teams a challenging fight if they’re not careful.
OTHER WHALE BRANCH NOTABLES
Alonzo Allen Alonzo Allen 5'10" | 170 lbs | LB Whale Branch | 2025 State SC -LB You can make a case that Alonzo Allen Alonzo Allen 5'10" | 170 lbs | LB Whale Branch | 2025 State SC might be the biggest defensive X-factor this year for the Warriors. He was flying to the football again on Friday with 5.5 tackles on the night including one for loss. He knows Hatcher’s system well and will be counted on to shut down the run this year.
Dorien Alston- DE Dorien Alston was excellent in stopping the Jaguar ground game as the game went on, recording 3.5 tackles and solidifying himself as an important leader on the defensive line. He’s a disciplined and hard-working player for a strong Warrior front.
OTHER RIDGELAND NOTABLES
Jeremy Givens – DL A big physical presence on the Ridgeland defensive line, Jeremy Givens was noticeable throughout the game to shut down running lanes and keep his team in striking distance early on.
Kam-Ren Wrice – DB Kam-Ren Wrice‘s speed and pursuit was an asset on defense for the Jaguars, making strong one-on-one tackles and forcing a fumble near the end of the first half.