By Robert Wilson
After many successful football seasons, Velma Jackson had a down year last season and only won four games, but is looking to bounce back this year under first-year coach Jonathan Brooks.
Velma Jackson’s De’Montre Strange is trying to help make that happen and if the senior quarterback keeps having games like Friday night the Falcons are on their way.
The 5-foot-8, 160-pound Strange ran 10 times for 187 yards and four touchdowns and completed 10 of 12 passes for 185 yards and two TDs to lead MHSAA Class 2A Velma Jackson to a 58-44 victory over MHSAA Class 4A Raymond.
For his outstanding performance, Strange has been named the Taste Restaurant/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
Strange ran for TDs of 15 yards in the first quarter, 2 yards in the second quarter, 53 yards in the third quarter and 20 yards in the fourth quarter and threw TD passes of 34 yards to D’Quavion Black in the first quarter and 36 yards to Cameron Jobe in the second quarter.
Strange has completed 78.7 percent of his passes for 466 yards and seven TDs and has 27 carries for 452 yards, a 16.7-yard average, and nine TDs for Velma Jackson this season.
Coach Bernard Euell won 85 games, had a MHSAA Class 2A state runner-up finish in 2023 (a school record 13 wins) and four state semifinal appearances, three in his last four years, in his 10 seasons at Velma Jackson but had a 4-6 record last season. Euell is in his first year at Ridgeland’s head coach.
“De’Montre had a great game Friday,” said Brooks, who came to Velma Jackson from Franklin County. “He did a good job of letting the game come to him, which is what we preach on a nightly basis. I’m proud of his leadership this season. De’Montre is an extremely hard work and someone we want our players to look up to.”
Strange is the son of Denzell Strange and Mechalia Beamon. Denzell played football at Velma Jackson and Mechalia was a dancer in the band at Velma Jackson. Strange has three brothers and three sisters, Trevanthy Hudson, sophomore at Ridgeland High, Harmony Strange, fifth grader at Highland Elementary, Floyd Blackmon, fifth grader at Goodloe Elementary, Hazel Strange, second grader at Anne Smith Elementary, Denzell Strange, Jr., pre-k at Anne Smith Elementary and Madilynn Blackmon, pre-k at Anne Smith Elementary. Devan Strange, Sr., and Earnestine Strange, Strange’s grandparents, play a vital role in his life.
Strange also plays basketball, baseball and runs track at Velma Jackson. He is Mr Senior at Velma Jackson on homecoming week. Strange is a member of Technology Student Association, National Honor Society and Beta Club and a member of Farmhaven Church of Christ Holiness.
Velma Jackson, 2-2, plays host to Newton, 1-3, in a non-region MHSAA Class 2A game at Velma Jackson in Camden in Northeast Madison County.
Robert Wilson selects a football player of the week each week from teams from Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. To contact Robert, text him at 601.506.2276.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
WEEK ONE: Junior Wilson, Central Hinds Academy
WEEK TWO: Langston Branson, Germantown
WEEK THREE: Rod Murray, Murrah
WEEK FOUR: Luke Essary, Jackson Prep
