By Robert Wilson
Madison-Ridgeland Academy senior quarterback Samuel Stockett up big numbers against one of the most successful large public school teams in Mississippi when he passed for 437 yards and six touchdowns as MRA surprised defending MHSAA Class 7A state champion Oak Grove 51-13 last season. It was the most points scored against Oak Grove since 2009.
Friday night, Stockett put up even bigger numbers against a successful Tennessee public school program.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Stockett completed 28 of 39 passes for a career-high 539 yards and five TDs in a 62-37 victory over Collierville, Tenn., High – the largest high school in Tennessee with 3,000 students – at Collierville, a suburb of Memphis.
For his outstanding performance, Stockett has been named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
Collierville – with several players with Division I commitments – came into Friday night’s game ranked No. 17 in Tennessee and coming off an 11-2 season, but Stockett and MRA scored the most points against Collierville since 2011.
Stockett completed TD passes to senior wide receiver Case Thomas (40 yards on the first drive of the first quarter), junior wide receiver Holt Adams (78 yards on the second play of the third quarter), sophomore running back Colson O’Cain (5 yards in the third quarter), Case (79 yards in the fourth quarter), and senior running back Michael McCrory (8 yards in the fourth quarter).
MRA led 21-17 at halftime and 35-31 after three quarters and outscored Collierville 27-6 in the fourth quarter.
Stockett’s performance is the second best in school history. Philip Short passed for an MAIS record 593 yards – third best in Mississippi history – and five TDs in a 49-33 victory over Jackson Prep in the 2019 state championship game. Short is now the quarterbacks coach for MRA.
Stockett’s performance passed MRA alumnus John White – Mississippi’s career passing yards leader – for second place at MRA. White passed for 521 yards and five TDs in a 50-20 victory over Prep in the 2021 state championship game. White is currently a sophomore quarterback at Southern Miss.
MRA coach Herbert Davis might be the only coach in Mississippi history to have three players pass for 500 yards.
“Samuel played lights out,” said Davis, who has 249 career wins in 29 seasons along with five state championships, three at MRA and two at Brookhaven Academy and one at Pillow Academy. “It was similar to the Oak Grove game where he had a big night, especially in the first half. He only played one series in the third quarter against Oak Grove.
“Since our first loss (a 28-24 decision to Ravenwood, Tenn., High in the season opener), our seniors have taken ownership and leadership and have come to work every day and been more detailed with things. Collierville was a good team. They had a running back committed to Tulane, a wide receiver committed to Florida State, a tight end committed to Memphis and their quarterback had several Division I offers. And their offensive and defensive lines were huge. But Samuel played great. He understands the game and can put the ball where it needs to be. We had three guys with five catches or more (Thomas led MRA with eight catches for 194 yards).”
With Friday’s performance, Stockett ranks No. 1 in Mississippi and No. 76 in the country according to MaxPreps with 1,147 passing yards this season. He has completed 66 of 96 passes, 68.8 percent, with 10 TDs.
Stockett completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 3,239 yards and 33 TDs and helped MRA to a 9-3 record and the MAIS Class 6A semifinals last season as a junior. He ranked third in Mississippi in passing yards, according to MaxPreps.
Stockett has offers from Hinds Community College, Jones County JC, and Northwest Mississippi CC.
Stockett is the son of Jonathan and Anne Stockett. Jonathan played wide receiver and won two state championships for Jackson Prep and played baseball and won two state titles and graduated in 1991. Jonathan graduated from Ole Miss. Anne went to high school in Jackson, Tenn., and college at Wheaton in Chicago. Stockett’s twin sisters, Sarah Liza and Sally Claire were cheerleaders and national merit finalists at Madison Central and are seniors at Ole Miss. Cousin Ann Cabot Stockett played tennis and is a state team championship at Madison Central and plays tennis at Mississippi College. Cousin Lawson Stockett played football and baseball at Madison Central and played football at Ole Miss.
MRA, 3-1 and ranked No. 4 in Mississippi by MaxPreps, plays at Jackson Prep, 2-2 and ranked No. 16, a non-district MAIS Class 4A game Friday night in Flowood.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a player from a school from Hinds, Madison or Rankin Counties each week during the season. Coaches can nominate a player by texting Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
WEEK ONE: Gage Crapps, East Rankin Academy
WEEK TWO: Knolyn Bryce Archie Bailey, Lanier
WEEK THREE: Caleb Unger, MRA
