80 Mississippi High School Football Standouts From Opening Week

Mississippi high school football’s opening week produced monster numbers in just about every way imaginable.

There was Hancock quarterback Justin Wedgeworth throwing for 563 yards. Vardaman running back Jack Moore scored six touchdowns. New Albany’s Kylen Knox, Itawamba AHS’s Xavier Waters, Ripley’s Kyran McDonald and Pass Christian’s Paris Trivillion all topped 200 rushing yards, while Gautier’s Isaiah Dean piled up 24 tackles.

Several players made their mark in multiple phases, including kickoff-return touchdowns, interception returns, forced fumbles and blocked kicks.

Here is a look at 80 standout performances from across Mississippi from Friday night, Aug. 28.

Quarterbacks light up opening week

Justin Wedgeworth, Hancock: Completed 35 of 50 passes for a staggering 563 yards and four touchdowns in Hancock’s 50-44 loss to Stone.

Cinquaveous “Qua” Bell, Booneville: Completed 18 of 25 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns as Booneville defeated North Pontotoc 33-21.

Tramarion Davis, McComb: Completed 12 of 22 passes for 311 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-0 victory over Tylertown.

Jakari Patrick, Forest: Completed 16 of 22 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns as Forest beat Lake 37-18.

Kross Avent, East Webster: Completed 14 of 25 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns.

Austin Banks III, Madison-Ridgeland Academy: Completed 22 of 33 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns as MRA edged Jefferson Davis County 30-27.

Drew Dean, Tupelo: Completed 19 of 26 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns.

Braylin Rogers, Houston: Produced one of the week’s top dual-threat performances, completing 7 of 14 passes for 170 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 14 times for 182 yards and another score.

Carson Lawrence, Calhoun City: Completed 14 of 18 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown while adding 28 rushing yards and another touchdown on eight carries.

Koltan Brown, Hatley: Rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns while adding 33 yards through the air.

Qwuantiver Young, Corinth: Threw for 79 yards and two touchdowns on five pass attempts, rushed eight times for 51 yards and contributed defensively with six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.

Huge rushing performances

Kylen Knox, New Albany: Carried 24 times for 255 yards and four touchdowns as New Albany beat Saltillo 34-7. Knox also caught three passes for another 36 yards.

Jaleel Moore, St. Joseph: Rushed 23 times for 248 yards and two touchdowns as St. Joseph of Greenville defeated St. Joseph Catholic 52-21.

Kason Mathis, Mooreville: Rushed 14 times for 235 yards and two touchdowns against Ripley.

Xavier Waters, Itawamba AHS: Rushed 21 times for 228 yards and four touchdowns.

Kyran McDonald, Ripley: Carried 14 times for 211 yards and four rushing touchdowns in Ripley’s 34-23 win over Mooreville. McDonald also delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the week with a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Paris Trivillion, Pass Christian: Needed only 11 carries to rush for 209 yards and four touchdowns as Pass Christian dominated Long Beach 48-3.

Yoshawn Hudson, Winona: Rushed 15 times for 209 yards and two touchdowns in Winona’s 21-7 victory over Southaven.

Ayden Green, Stone: Carried 11 times for 207 yards and four touchdowns as Stone survived Hancock 50-44.

Jack Moore, Vardaman: Rushed 19 times for 188 yards and six touchdowns, the highest rushing touchdown total among the players on the list. Moore also recorded seven tackles, forced a fumble and blocked a kick.

Glentrell Reese, North Delta: Rushed 19 times for 184 yards and four touchdowns as North Delta defeated West Memphis Christian 36-14.

Latrell Pogue, Gautier: Rushed 16 times for 183 yards and two touchdowns in Gautier’s 63-35 win over George County.

Elijah Jones, West Jones: Carried 20 times for 177 yards and a touchdown against Laurel.

Douglas Wansley, South Pike: Rushed 14 times for 176 yards and a touchdown as South Pike defeated Bay Springs 38-18.

Chris Brown, St. Joseph Catholic: Rushed 16 times for 172 yards and a touchdown against St. Joseph of Greenville.

Brylan Watson, Baldwyn: Rushed 17 times for 167 yards and a touchdown.

Trey Tippett, Louisville: Rushed 15 times for 159 yards and a touchdown in Louisville’s 21-6 victory over West Point.

Amarion Fairley, Stone: Carried 10 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns, giving Stone a second 150-yard rusher alongside Green.

Courtland Pass, Pontotoc: Rushed eight times for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

Nash Morgan, Warren Central: Rushed 15 times for 147 yards and three touchdowns as Warren Central defeated Clinton 35-24.

Braylen Deans, Shannon: Carried 12 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns and caught two passes for 43 yards.

Kewan Pankey, Nanih Waiya: Rushed 18 times for 131 yards and three touchdowns in Nanih Waiya’s 65-45 win over Vardaman.

Jon Luke Hood, Mantachie: Rushed 20 times for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Ethan Adams, Falkner: Carried 16 times for 128 yards and five touchdowns, accounting for five rushing scores for the Eagles.

Jacory Ruffin, Starkville: Rushed 17 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Tallyn Moulds, Kemper Academy: Rushed 14 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns as Kemper Academy defeated Porter’s Chapel Academy 42-34.

Tony Ogden, Booneville: Rushed 11 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns, then added five receptions for 102 yards and another touchdown. Ogden finished with 218 yards from scrimmage and three scores.

Dawsen Sullivan, St. Martin: Turned only five carries into 114 yards and three touchdowns in St. Martin’s 56-14 victory over Vancleave.

A.J. Vasser, Aberdeen: Rushed 16 times for 114 yards and a touchdown and added an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Tylan Keys, Poplarville: Rushed 13 times for 111 yards and four touchdowns as Poplarville beat West Harrison 40-7.

Amijai Frederick, Gulfport: Rushed 11 times for 65 yards and three touchdowns in Gulfport’s 35-0 shutout of Picayune.

Jordan Robinson, Houston: Scored three rushing touchdowns on only five carries, finishing with 42 rushing yards.

Rivers Johnson, Tupelo Christian Prep: Scored three rushing touchdowns on nine carries in TCPS’s 42-0 victory over East Union.

Jakobe Walker, Itawamba AHS: Rushed 13 times for 133 yards and a touchdown, giving Itawamba another major rushing performance alongside Waters.

Receivers put up big numbers

Chandler Watson, West Jones: Caught 10 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown against Laurel.

Jacen Edwards, Itawamba AHS: Caught six passes for 197 yards and a touchdown.

Sanjiya Hickman, Nanih Waiya: Caught six passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns in Nanih Waiya’s high-scoring win over Vardaman.

Kydon Smith, Booneville: Hauled in eight passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

Juelz Watson, Gautier: Caught seven passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns as Gautier scored 63 points against George County.

Majia Talley, Hancock: Caught seven passes for 174 yards and a touchdown against Stone.

Aiden Harvanek, Hancock: Hauled in 10 passes for 166 yards, giving Wedgeworth another huge target in his 563-yard passing performance.

Lex Rhodes, St. Stanislaus: Caught seven passes for 154 yards against Forrest County Agricultural.

Jonis Flynn, Falkner: Caught nine passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and also intercepted a pass defensively.

Miles Stidham, East Webster: Caught five passes for 113 yards.

Ty’Chason Townsend, Houston: Caught five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns and rushed four times for another 38 yards.

Eli Shannon, Tupelo: Caught seven passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

Cayden Jones, Bruce: Finished with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Jaylen Cox, Walnut: Caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown, rushed four times for 19 yards and broke a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Dean headlines tackling standouts

Isaiah Dean, Gautier: Recorded an eye-popping 24 tackles as Gautier defeated George County 63-35.

Noah Spears, Pisgah: Finished with 18 tackles against Pelahatchie.

Tyron McLaurin, Bay Springs: Recorded 17 tackles against South Pike.

Weldon Wilkinson, Oxford: Finished with 16 tackles in Oxford’s 34-24 victory over Collierville and added four tackles for loss.

Noah Camba, Starkville: MaxPreps credited Camba with 16 tackles in Starkville’s 17-15 victory over Oak Grove. He also recorded two tackles for loss.

Lamarkiz McCurry, East Webster: MaxPreps credited McCurry with 15 tackles in East Webster’s 20-14 victory over Choctaw County. He also contributed two receptions for 40 yards and a touchdown and recovered a fumble.

Lacorien Turnipseed, Louisville: Recorded 15 tackles in Louisville’s win over West Point.

Anthony Givens Jr., Natchez: Finished with 15 tackles as Natchez defeated Vicksburg 20-14.

Joshua Wilson, Starkville: Recorded 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception.

Pass rushers wreak havoc

Tavorise Johnson, Noxubee County: Recorded four sacks in Noxubee County’s 21-20 victory over Heidelberg.

Arthur Wilson Jr., Central Hinds Academy: Finished with three sacks as Central Hinds Academy defeated Christian Home Educators Fellowship 35-13.

Madaylan McKenzie, Heidelberg: Recorded three sacks in Heidelberg’s one-point loss to Noxubee County.

Jayden Foster, New Albany: Recorded three sacks in New Albany’s 34-7 win over Saltillo. Foster also totaled four tackles, three tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries.

Ballhawks make their presence felt

Demarion Gilleylen, Aberdeen: Recorded two interceptions in Aberdeen’s 50-32 victory over Okolona. He also had four tackles and returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown.

ZJ Graham, Biloxi: Recorded two interceptions as Biloxi beat Holmes County Central 35-19.

Eric Bane, Clarksdale: Picked off two passes against Cleveland Central.

Chaddrick Skinner, Noxubee County: Recorded two interceptions in Noxubee County’s one-point win over Heidelberg.

Alonzo Strickland, Pass Christian: Had two interceptions as the Pirates held Long Beach to three points.

Lyndon Owens, Seminary: Recorded two interceptions in Seminary’s 37-6 victory over West Lauderdale.

Kenneth Boggs, Stone: Picked off two passes during Stone’s 50-44 shootout victory over Hancock.

Kolby George, Terry: Recorded two interceptions as Terry rolled past Murrah 55-6.

Nate Cornelison, Tupelo Christian Prep: Recorded two interceptions as TCPS shut out East Union and also returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

More opening-week standouts

Several other performances from the MaxPreps statewide list deserve recognition.

Arthur Wilson Jr., Central Hinds Academy helped anchor the defense with his three-sack performance.

Eric Bane, Clarksdale, ZJ Graham, Biloxi, Kenneth Boggs, Stone, Kolby George, Terry, Lyndon Owens, Seminary, Alonzo Strickland, Pass Christian and Chaddrick Skinner, Noxubee County all provided multiple takeaways with two-interception nights.

Across the state, the variety of the performances was nearly as impressive as the numbers themselves.

Wedgeworth’s 563 passing yards led an explosive group of quarterbacks. Knox’s 255 rushing yards, Waters’ 228, McDonald’s 211 and Trivillion’s 209 paced a loaded group of running backs. Jack Moore’s six rushing touchdowns were the most on the list, while Adams scored five and several others scored four times.

The all-around efforts may have been even more impressive. McDonald combined four rushing touchdowns with a 99-yard pick-six. Moore added seven tackles, a forced fumble and blocked kick to his six-touchdown offensive night. Cornelison intercepted two passes and scored on a 90-yard kickoff return. Gilleylen turned one of his two interceptions into a touchdown, while Vasser and Cox also found the end zone in the return game.

Dean’s 24 tackles set the pace defensively, while Johnson’s four sacks and a long list of multi-interception performances demonstrated that opening weekend wasn’t dominated only by offense.

From 563 passing yards to six rushing touchdowns, 24 tackles and 99-yard defensive scores, Mississippi high school football wasted little time producing memorable performances in the opening week of the 2026 season.