the Rockachaws stormed onto the field, with Williams hoisting the state championship trophy surrounded by grown men moved to tears by the team’s accomplishment.
Jim Mashek not only tells the story of the Rocks kicking down the championship door yesterday in Jackson, he traces the roots of Dylan Favre’s football success but not to his famous Uncle Brett. Instead Jim accurately gives the credit to “Big Irv” Irvin Favre, former coach at Hancock County High School and a man who commanded mucho respect in football circles from the Pros on down.
the Rockachaws had to make plays on defense. Lafayette County has some serious quicks. The Commodores have some terrific athletes.
But St. Stanislaus was clearly the better team. If the Rocks had played Lafayette County 10 times, they’d have won nine of ‘em, and this clearly wasn’t going to be the Commodores’ night.
From the moment they fumbled the ball into end zone on their first drive of the night, with SSC’s Blake Morreale making the recovery for the touchback, the Commodores were in serious trouble.
Everyone’s going to talk about Favre’s numbers and the records and everything else, but the Rocks can play a little defense, too.
“I know our offense gets a lot of credit,” Favre said, “but I can honestly say without our defense, we wouldn’t be here.”
The game was just like the other 4 playoff games in many respects. Outsized and outmatched physically the Rocks relied on a smart and gutty D to keep the other team at bay while Dylan and the offense would cash in on the inevitable big plays generated by his arm and his talented group of wide receivers. Beyond long scoring plays, nothing demoralizes a defense more than converting a 3rd and 20 plus yards and true to form the Rocks converted another one of those yesterday. The offense has been truly amazing and special for the high school level.
The Sun Herald also ran a story on today’s front page with a follow-up report from James Jones leading sports along with Mashek’s column. Rick Cleveland at the Clarion Ledger also got into the act with a highly entertaining column written from the perspective of a Dylan Favre newbie. As Nowdy heard me say since early last season Dylan does indeed “have it”. Now he also has a scholarship offer from USM as we let Rick explain:
Sure, you would like for your quarterback to have Peyton Manning’s height, Brett Favre’s arm strength and Michael Vick’s speed.
Dylan Favre, far and away the most productive quarterback in Mississippi high school football history, has none of the above.
But young Favre, who quarterbacked St. Stanislaus to a 35-16 MHSAA Class 4A state championship victory over Lafayette County on Saturday, has one much more important asset than any of the aforementioned.
He has the “it” factor.
He has it.
It can not be defined or quantified. But either you have it or you don’t and he’s got it, the intangible it.
What Dylan Favre didn’t have before Friday afternoon was a Division I college scholarship. Southern Miss, his Uncle Brett’s school, offered Friday. That was his first, presumably because he stands not quite 5 feet, 11 inches tall.
One prediction: It will not be his last.
Finally we have some highlights courtesy of Mississippi Public Broadcasting:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61ps8zPzTmc]
Update:
The Sun Herald continues to cover the Rock’s amazing Chapmsionship run with an editorial and another good column by Jim Mashek.
Congratulations to them. Do you and Nowdy have kids there? Glad the kid got an offer from Southern. Heart and desire does not have a size!
Is my memory correct the one loss was to Jackson Prep?
I’m a football Alum Sup and am proud so many of my former classmates made the trip to Jackson to support the team.
The one loss was to Jackson Prep. the team never made any excuses for that game but over half the team had swine flu that Friday night – it was so bad they were giving IV’s on the sideline. In a way though that game too spoke volumes on that desire – a former classmate now football parent told me his son was running a 102 fever and he could not keep him from making the trip.
sop
That answers some questions. My son graduated from Prep when they did not compete with schools in the MHSAA. Prep can hold its own with 3A schools and some 4A, but not the top echelon 4A schools.
You and I certainly agree attitude can raise the level of performance.
Sup no program benefitted more from the MSHAA going to 6 classifications more than St Stanislaus. The extra division was created by splitting the old 4A in two. The new classifications have made both the new 4A and 5A classifications more balanced and competitive. It also means more travel which is the lone drawback IMO.
sop
Our State Farm agent in town had his son playing in the game. Cannon number 5. The agent painted a 4 by 8 piece of plywood honoring his son in front of his State Farm office. I should have taken a picture. It was finally his turn to put one of those hurricane style signs out and he did a nice job of it. We also had a parade in town for the team and it was real fun. First time we all got together to do something besides Katrina related or oriented things so it went well. Also first time our State Farm agent got out with his buddies as he had been in hiding for the past 4 years pretty much. I think we made the turn past Katrina as a community with the boys. They are doing well so we don’t have anything much to worry about. As a community just like you as a parent we worried our kids would be negatively impacted by everything katrina related. But they are doing good. Dillon is a special kid and an improvement for the Farve family in my book. He managed to focus the town on something postive.
True dat about Kelly. There isn’t much happening at the typical Mississippi Gulf Coast State Farm office these days.
sop