re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

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Noxubee County quarterback Armoni Clark put up 348 yards through the air, but West Monroe dodged enough bullets to escape its foe from east Mississippi, 38-26, Friday at Don Shows Field at Rebel Stadium.

Trailing with 10:01 remaining and the Tigers (2-3) starting at their own 19, Clark connected with Rashed Eades for his longest pass play on the night, 65 yards -- coupled with two Rebel penalties on consecutive plays -- and set his team up at the WM 5. Two plays later, L.C. Clemmons shed four tacklers in the backfield and raced 8 yards for a touchdown, pulling Noxubee County within, 31-26, with 9:30 to go.

Noxubee County outgained the Rebs for the game, 444 to 425.

"We gave them a little momentum in second half and they took full advantage of it," West Monroe interim head coach Tony Osborne said after the game Friday. "They're a good football team. Our kids, I don't know if they got tired, I don't know if they got complacent, but we got a little sloppy, especially tackling. We got to clean that up. We'll go back to work Monday.

"I'm extremely proud of the way they fought, especially there at the end. You know, the old saying, 'an ugly win is better than a pretty lose any day.'"

After being forced to take its first two punts of the game on its two previous series, West Monroe (4-0) responded with a 7-play, 52-yard drive capped by 12-yard touchdown run by junior running back Cameron Wright, his second on the night, extending the lead back out beyond a one-possession ballgame, 38-26, with 7:22 left.

Wright finished the game with 18 carries for 125 yards, complementing senior quarterback Slade Bolden's 158 yards on the ground along with a touchdown.

Despite two touchdown passes, both to junior receiver Michael Hamburg, Bolden struggled to get much going throwing, going 5-for-16 for 77 yards and an interception, making the two-headed rushing attack of the Alabama commit and Wright behind the experienced offensive line of Ryan Johnson, Austin Breen, Jacob Ingram, Logan Green and Ethan Boyer vital.

"We've got a senior offensive line, except for Ethan Boyer, and they do a good job. H-backs do a great job. We knew we could make some holes and find some creases," Osborne said. "Gameplan was the run the ball when we needed to and throw it when we needed to."

Carson Jones missed a 37-yard field goal and Bolden threw a pick on the offense's first two possessions before Wright jumpstarted the Rebels, who cashed in the defense getting the offense a short field, with his first touchdown run from 29 yards. 

Starting its next series in plus-territory, Wright and Bolden kept chewing up yards on the ground, trading a 10-yard and 27-yard run, respectively. Four plays later on fourth-and-goal at the 2, Bolden scooted around the edge for his first score on the night, putting WM up, 14-0, 1:09 into the second period.

Primary cause for concern

West Monroe's young secondary had a rough night against Clark and his artillery of wide receivers as the unit gave up the most passing yardage its allowed to this point in the season.

Kyziah Pruitt (6-foot, 165) caught just about everything thrown his way, hauling in 13 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown late in the third quarter that gave the Tigers some momentum heading into the fourth. Rashed Eades (6-foot, 180) lit up the Rebels defensive backfield for big plays, amassing 151 yards receiving on just four catches with a 55-yard score. 

"Absolutely, you've got concerns. But I think they're all correctable," Osborne said of the secondary's struggles. "Whether it's bad angles, whether it's looking back too early for the ball and letting the guy get separation on you. A couple of those were short routes that we just got to come up and make a tackle on and we took bad angles and weren't real aggressive on. We're going to sure clean that up.

"Those yards are coming off 40 to 50 passes and I don't mind giving up that yardage as long as we're winning the football game."

Wright can't be wrong

It seemed like whenever West Monroe needed a big play to shutter any attempts from Noxubee County to retrieve the momentum, the coaches turned to Wright.

The junior's first carry on the night went for a loss of three yards and he bounced back to complete the most efficient night the Rebels' offense have had rushing this year.

"Cam's getting better as the season goes along. I think the offense is starting to trust him more and more," Osborne said. "He's a great kid, he's worked hard to overcome his injures from last year in the weight room. He's a strong kid and a good running back for us."

Wright had four runs 10 yards or longer, the last of those coming with 7:22 remaining for a score to put the game out of reach.

Party fouls

It was a long drive -- the Tigers planned on making it back home after the game -- from Noxubee County, Mississippi to West Monroe, Louisiana and maybe it affected the team's focus. The Tigers shot themselves in the foot all night long, racking up an entire football field in penalty yardage, 102 yards, on a ridiculous 17 infractions.

Midas Touch

It wasn't often, but every time Michael Hamburg touched the ball for West Monroe, it turned to gold. The junior receiver caught just two passes for 43 yards, but both catches went for touchdowns.

His first score was a 39-yard catch on the lone play of the drive for the Rebs in the second quarter. On West Monroe's opening series of the second half, Hamburg hauled in a touchdown strike from Bolden from 4 yards out, extending his team's lead to 31-12.

Turning Point

The Rebs faced two third downs on their eventual game-clinching drive and converted both off Noxubee County penalties. With third-and-2 at the Tigers' 44, an encroachment foul gave West Monroe a fresh set of downs. Four plays later, a defensive holding call on third-and-7 at the 22 moved the Rebels up inside the 15 to the 12-yard line.

Wright scored on the next play and Noxubee County sunk any shot they had for themselves.

What's next

West Monroe (4-0) will be on the road at rival Neville (2-2) next Friday.

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