First-year Tylertown coach Jason Johnson knows a thing or two about state championship-caliber teams.
As Tylertown’s offensive coordinator in 2008 and 2009, he helped the Chiefs advance to back-to-back state championships and a title in 2009.
So while his current team is averaging 56.8 points per game and 478.8 yards of offense, don’t anoint the Chiefs as the 4A state champions in waiting just yet.
“We are playing so-so football, and it appears from the outside it’s good football,” Johnson said Friday following a 72-28 trouncing of Vicksburg. “We are beating everybody real bad … but we are nowhere near. … We have not reached our potential. We have not peaked and we are nowhere near peaking.”
Johnson may sound like a nitpicker considering the way Tylertown has dismantled its opponent’s 227-70 in four games. But rather he’s being a cautious coach with a team that could easily be distracted.
And if anything, it’s a blessing Tylertown hasn’t peaked yet. Johnson hopes his squad reaches that point heading into the playoffs when it matters most.
“Just being good does not take you to the state championship game,” he said. “There are a lot more intangibles that are out there and that’s what we are pushing the kids to try and understand.”
Tylertown is ranked by two major prep polls in Mississippi — the Associated Press Mississippi Prep Poll and the Mississippi Public Broadcasting Top 25 — and is considered the frontrunners in Class 4A, along with Lafayette County.
Johnson simply wants to pump the brakes a little. Tylertown has a huge game Sept. 21 against Bassfield, then jumps right into district play at South Pike and against Lawrence County.
Johnson’s offense isn’t a problem but he hopes to reduce the amount of aggressive penalties, like late hits and roughing the passer, while increasing the enthusiasm throughout the game.
Yet he still wants to give credit where credit is due.
“To accomplish what we’ve accomplished and know that we have not reached our peak, you’re still happy you are sitting there 4-0 and averaging (50)-something points a game,” he said.
Special teams lifts Parklane
In Parklane’s first loss of the season Sept. 1 to Centreville, a botched extra point ended up contributing to its 13-12 defeat.
On Friday, it was kicker Zack McDaniel who helped fend off Brookhaven Academy, 20-14.
McDaniel nailed a pair of field goals from 28- and 21-yards out to help break a 14-all halftime score. The senior could have had another field goal just before halftime, but holder Zach Stutzman bobbled the snap and found receiver Dan Gill in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown.
McDaniel is 3 for 3 this season. His other field goal was a 32-yarder in the season opener against Bowling Green.
ASC welcomes back Toler
Amite School Center welcomed back senior running back Bull Toler last Friday in a 52-14 district-opening loss to Glenbrook.
Toler, who missed the first two games of the season with an MCL sprain, rushed for 208 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
Toler picked up right where he left off in 2011, when he was the MAIS Class A single-season rushing leader with 1,444 yards and 20 touchdowns.
ASC returns home this Friday to host Claiborne for a 7 p.m. district game.
Hurst returns to the sideline
Centreville Academy coach Bill Hurst returned to the sideline for the first time this season Friday in a 27-7 win over Wilkinson County Christian Academy.
Hurst, the longtime coach for the Tigers, had heart surgery during the summer and missed Centreville’s first two games as he recovered.
Hurst was back in the coaching booth in Centreville’s 13-12 win over Parklane, but only as an observer. Hurst did talk to his team during halftime and after the game, but interim coach Brian Stutzman remained the coach.
bogue chitto gets defensive
Through three games, Bogue Chitto’s offense has received its fair share of attention and rightfully so.
The Bobcats are averaging 32 points and 288.7 rushing yards per game.
But it has been the defense making headlines with only six points given up so far.
Bogue Chitto notched shutouts in its first two games and allowed its first six points of the year in a 28-6 win Friday over Mount Olive.
Junior Jeremy Blackwell has helped anchor the defense with an impressive 60 tackles in three games, including 21 against Mount Olive. Quarterback Brock Roberts, who also serves as middle linebacker, is a close second with 42 tackles.
Follow Sean Isabella on Twitter @ST_Isabella10.
