‘Tale of two halves’ in Indians' loss

It was either team’s game for the taking at halftime Friday night when Byhalia hosted Senatobia.

Unfortunately, for the Indians it was the Warriors who took control in the second half, broke a 7-7 deadlock and left Marshall County with a 35-7 win.

“We looked good for two quarters,” said John Danley, head coach at Byhalia. “I thought we had a chance to win it. But it’s kind of been that same thing all year — the tale of two halves.”

The loss left the Indians at 0-5 overall and 0-3 in Region 2-3A. Senatobia improved to 5-2 and 2-1.

Byhalia opened the game with 58yard drive, the bulk on the ground, to the Warriors’ 12. After losing a yard, Senatobia’s Luke Sinquefield intercepted a pass in the end zone.

The Warriors drove 80 yards in just six plays. Nickisis Sipp got loose for 28 yards. Four plays later, Tyreese Hullette threw over the middle to Jagger Young for a 32-yard touchdown. Koby Rhone kicked the first of his five extra points.

The Byhalia offense, led by the running of Rayderrius Proge, kept eating up yardage. Jacorian Smith also had a big 17-yard carry to keep the drive alive. With 6:16 left in the second quarter, DeQuan Moore threw a bullet to Kajavious Thomas, who caught it and completed the 20-yard scoring play. Alejandro Sandoval added the extra point. The game was tied at 7.

“We were able to run the football and keep moving the chains,” Danley said. “Proge ran great; he ran the football really hard.”

The Indian defense stopped Senatobia on a fourth-and-3 try. Braxton Arnold sacked the quarterback for a 4-yard loss. Then the two teams

swapped interceptions. Jerrick Wooten got the pick for Byhalia.

The Indians couldn’t get anything going to close the first half.

Senatobia took the secondhalf kickoff and drove 62 yards for go-head points. The march ate about five minutes off the clock. Hullette scored on a 1-yard keeper.

The Indians failed to convert on a fourth-and-2, and the ball went back to the visitors.

Jordan Osborn and Hullette had back-to-back runs of 20 yards each, and then Osborn scored on a 17-yard run. Senatobia surged in front 217 with 4:31 to go in the third.

“We weren’t getting to the ball well, and when we did we weren’t finishing tackles,” Danley said.

On its next possession, Byhalia was moving the football and then got hit with a holding flag.

The Indians had to punt. Jabrysten Abram went 60 yards for six more points for Senatobia. “We broke our own momentum and rhythm in the game,” Danley said. “We’d get 3 or 4 yards, and then go backwards on a holding call and face like a second and 22. There aren’t too many plays we can call in that situation. Once again in this game, we just had too many mistakes.”

Byhalia picked up a pair of first downs to start the fourth quarter but got a 15-yard flag and then fumbled the ball away.

Sipp closed the scoring for the Warriors on a 9-yard carry with 8:35 to go in the game.

The Indians will host Marshall County rival Holly

Springs this Friday night in a district match-up. The Hawks are 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the district.

“Holly Springs is much improved this year,” Danley said. “Their quarterback (Dylan King) is the best athlete in our district. We have to prepare well and be able to contain him.”