Columbia escapes late comeback from Senatobia, wins first state championship since 1982
HATTIESBURG — Senatobia had a perfect game plan for the final minutes of regulation against Columbia in the MHSAA 4A championship game at Southern Miss on Saturday.
The Warriors started their final drive near midfield with a 3:49 separating them from the program's first state championship since 2004.
Senatobia had first-and-goal at the 8-yard line with less than two minutes remaining — three plays later the Warriors were lining up for a 20-yard field goal.
However, Ben Thompson's kick curved left ending Senatobia's final chance at a state title with 21 seconds left.
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Columbia (14-1) defeated the Warriors 22-21 and secured the program's first state championship since 1982. The Wildcats held Senatobia (12-3) scoreless in the second half and escaped with the victory despite gaining seven yards on offense in the second half.
"We were just praying that he missed it or we blocked it," Columbia coach Chip Bilderback said. "We liked our chances on the block.
"We were talking on the sidelines, they may or may not try for the field goal. So we were sitting here trying to figure out what they were going to do. We had two plans but to win a state championship you got to be good and got to be lucky."
Senatobia's offense was dominant in the first half. Columbia's Jaheim Oatis, an Alabama defensive line commitment, garnered the most attention but Warriors wide receiver Hunter Mabry controlled the first half.
The senior had three catches for 52 yards and three touchdowns as Senatobia led 21-14 at the half. The Wildcats defense would respond. Mabry was shut out in the second half.
"We were ready for this four quarter war," safety Kentrell Jackson said about the team's halftime message. "We just have to step up and come harder and we did.
"We knew we had to make some changes and we did. We always knew that we're a fourth quarter team."
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Jackson scored Columbia's only second half touchdown. The senior's 81-yard fumble returned for a touchdown gave the Wildcats life. Running back Omar Johnson punched in the two-point conversion to give Columbia the lead.
"We wanted to take the momentum and not give it back," Bilderback said about the two-point conversion. "That's what we wanted to do.
"They jump and give us the ball on the yard and a half. No one's gonna stop Omar Johnson for a yard a a half."
Columbia held Senatobia to 96 yards and the Warriors went 0-7 on third down in the second half. Ultimately, the Wildcats responded from playing "as bad as we played all season" in the first half.
"I'm just proud of their resolve and to find a way to win in the end," Bilderback said.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Columbia wins first MHSAA state championship since 1982
