By Robert Wilson
Photos by Jared Thomas
If Leake Academy plays like it did Friday night against Pillow Academy, the Rebels have a good shot of repeating as MAIS Class 5A state football champions.
Senior running back Canon Parks gained 210 yards and scored three touchdowns and passed for another TD scored 42 points in the first half and defeated Pillow 49-14 in the MAIS Class 5A quarterfinals at Leake.
Leake, which produced 379 rushing yards, improved to 10-1 and won its ninth straight game since a 27-13 loss to Class 6A Jackson Academy. The Rebels went 13-0 last season and haven’t lost a 5A game since a 25-0 decision to Heritage in the 2019 5A playoffs. Leake plays Copiah Academy next week in the semifinals at Leake. Pillow finished 6-6.
Parks scored on runs of 37, 10 and 3 yards and completed a 19-yard TD pass to Rhett Atkinson in the first half. Also, Riley Myers had a 41-yard interception return for a TD and Whitt Welch scored on a 25-yard TD as Leake jumped out to a 42-0 halftime lead.
Dylan Jones scored on a 14-yard run for a 49-0 lead before Pillow scored on Dayne Sanford’s 5-yard run and Nelson Hodges’ 3-yard run
