By Robert Wilson
Jackson Prep coach Doug Goodwin can thank running backs Wade Smith and Herrin Goodwin and his offensive front of left tackle Jack Woods, left guard Manning Parks, center Bernie Jones, right guard Logan Harris and right tackle Jackson Roberts for getting the season off a promising start.
Smith and Goodwin combined for 355 yards and five TDs, and the offensive line helped produce 450 total yards as Prep jumped out to a 28-point lead in the first half and held off UMS Wright of Mobile 42-35 Friday night in the season opener for both teams before an estimated 2,000 at Patriot Field.
The game was a homecoming for former Northwest Rankin and Mississippi State wide receiver and former Ridgeland, Pelahatchie and Brandon head coach Sam Williams, who started his second season as head coach at UMS Wright.
Prep – ranked No. 2 in MAIS Class 4A and No. 10 in Mississippi by MaxPreps – has 14 returning starters from last year’s 7-5 team.
UMS Wright – ranked No. 4 in Alabama Division AA and No. 53 in Alabama by MaxPreps – has 10 returning starters from last year’s 6-5 team.
It is believed to be the first time Prep has ever played a private school from Alabama.
The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Smith gained a career-high 188 yards on 31 carries and scored on TD runs of 9 yards in the first quarter, 15 yards in the second quarter and 31 yards in the fourth quarter. The 5-9, 170-pound Goodman gained 133 yards on eight carries and had a 23-yard TD run in the second quarter and caught a 34-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter.
Prep produced 329 rushing yards and 121 passing yards, all passing yards by senior quarterback Luke Essary, who completed 7 of 15 passes. Wide receiver Asher Reynolds caught four passes for 74 yards, including a 30-yard TD catch to give Prep a 7-0 lead with 7 minutes, 12 seconds to play in the first quarter.
Prep got off to a great start, jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the second quarter. But UMS Wright closed to gap to 28-14 at halftime and then got within seven when senior quarterback Max Fowler completed a 14-yard pass to senior wide receiver and Troy commitment Ty Mabrey to close the gap to 42-35 with 49 seconds to play in the fourth quarter.
Goodwin, who is in his fifth season in Mississippi, is familiar with UMS Wright. Goodwin won 234 games in his 27-year head coaching career in Alabama and was the first football coach in Alabama to take three different schools to state championship games. He is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Goodwin played UMS Wright three consecutive years (2002-2004) in the playoffs when he was coaching at Demopolis. In 2002, UMS Wright won in the semifinals and won the state championship. In 2003, Demopolis won in the semifinals and won the state championship. In 2004, Demopolis won in the quarterfinals. Goodwin’s sons, were the starting quarterback all three years, Dusty in 2002 and Devin in 2003 and ’04. Dusty is now the head coach at Demopolis, which Prep played in a scrimmage last week.
“We had a big fourth down pass completion on the first TD to Asher,” Goodwin said. “Our protection was good and the route and throw were perfect. From then on, it was the offensive line and the two running backs that took control of the game. Both running backs had a great game. Both are fast and shifty. Herrin was probably a surprise to them, but not to us. We’ve seen in practice what he can do. He’s very elusive. Our defense played great in the first half. When we fumbled late in the first half and they scored on the last play of the half and took the momentum into the third quarter. We committed some penalties in the second half that really allowed them to make it close at the end.”
Smith gained a team-high 1,074 yards and scored 16 TDs last season and is off to another great start this season.
“We worked incredibly hard all offseason perfecting our run blocking,” Smith said. “We knew coming into this game we were going to have to be able to establish the run and that’s what we did. All the credit goes to the offensive line. They blocked well. It’s really satisfying to get off to a great start to the season. Tjhis core group of guys has played together since the fifth grade so we knew exactly what we could do. I’m just really glad that we were able to go out there and make a statement to everyone in the state that doubted us.”
“These guys were thrown to the fire last year and have just learned to play well together,” Prep offensive line coach Keith Giordano said. “We played six guys (the five starters and backup guard Andrew Oswalt) last night and all played well. Their defense throws a lot at you and I thought we picked most of it up really well. Anytime you rush for over 300 yards you feel like you did a lot right but after watching the film we have a lot we have to do better before we play Parklane Friday.”
Williams had a 82-24 coaching record in Mississippi, with a 45-10 record and three state runner-up finishes in four seasons at Brandon. He was one year at Ridgeland, and three at Pelahatchie.
Williams replaced an Alabama legend. Terry Curtis retired after winning 284 games and eight state championships in 26 seasons at UMS Wright. Curtis led UMS Wright to 34 consecutive wins and three straight state titles from 2017-2019, but haven’t won a state championship since then.
Williams – who father Kent played baseball at South Alabama in Mobile – finished 6-5 last year in his first season at UMS Wright and lost in double overtime in the first round of the playoffs, the first time UMS Wright had lost in the first round since 2010.
“You can’t go on the road and spot a really good team 28 points,” said Williams, who brought former Brandon and Mississippi State defensive tackle Nelson Adams along with him to UMS Wright as an assistant from his Brandon staff. “If something could go wrong early for us, it did. We did a good job of keeping the kids focused, making them continue to play, and finding a way to scratch back into the game. Our first game since we played in the playoffs last year, so a lot of rust, but a lot to be proud of with the fight and resolve. We want to win, always, and we fought, but it wasn’t good enough. We will get back to work and clean up our mistakes and grow.”
