By Robert Wilson
Germantown High had possibly its biggest regular season win its 13-year school history Friday with a 34-33 upset of 2022 MHSAA Class 6A state champion Starkville.
And a sophomore running back who was under the weather was the star of the show.
Ny Johnson gained a career-high 250 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass to lead Germantown to its huge Class 7A, Region 2 win.
For his outstanding performance, Johnson has been named the Junction Deli/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Johnson scored on a run of 9 yards in the first quarter, 59 and 80 yards in the second quarter and 70 yards in the third quarter. He also completed a 59-yard jump pass to tight end Darrell Gross late in the first quarter. And he did all that fighting off nausea during the game.
“Ny showed what it means to have the heart of a champion,” Germantown coach Russell Mitchell said. “He didn’t feel well Friday, threw up a good bit throughout during the course of the game, but his will to win was tremendous. After accounting for four touchdowns vs the defending 6A state champions, he demanded to go in the game at linebacker on the final drive where we stopped them to ice the game. That’s not too shabby for sophomore.”
Johnson has gained 449 yards on 52 carries – 8.3 yards per carry – and scored eight TDs this season. He has caught 14 passes for 244 yards and one TD. Johnson has completed 2 of 2 passes for 62 yards and two TDs.
“Throughout the course of the season, Ny has been a true triple-threat,” Mitchell said. “He can run it, catch it, and throw it effectively. Ny loves football, loves his teammates, and loves to compete. When you have players like Ny, it makes you look a lot smarter as the coach. In addition to his running ability, he has been a really effective pass catcher for us this year. In many of our formations, he lines up out wide.”
Johnson is the son of Johnny and LaToria Johnson. Both of his parents attended Canton High and LaToria ran track. Ny’s older sister Alashija Johnson graduated from Tougaloo this May. Johnson has a younger brother Ayden Johnson. Johnson’s cousin is former Auburn and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Darvin Adams, who is now a trainer and works with Johnson.
Ny Johnson moved from Canton to Germantown after his eighth-grade year and played on the Germantown freshman team last season.
Germantown, 4-3 overall and 1-0 in region play, visits Tupelo, 5-2 and 1-0, Friday in a region game.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a football player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
2023 POW winners:
Week One: John White, MRA
Week Two: Jacob Clearman, Tri-County Academy
Week Three: Ryan McCall, Madison Central
Week Four: Brayden Bullock, Central Hinds Academy
Week Five: Nate Blount, Brandon
Week Six: John White, MRA
Week Seven: Tyler Arrington, Wingfield
Week Eight: Damarion Snow, Pelahatchie
