Pearl traditionally has a sound defense, usually one of the top ones in Class 6A, but Ridgeland senior quarterback Zy McDonald put on a show against the Pirates Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
The 5-foot-11, 182-pound McDonald, who was verbally committed to Louisiana Lafayette, completed 16 of 25 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns and ran 12 times for 146 yards and two TDs to lead Class 5A Ridgeland to a 34-14 victory.
For his super performance, McDonald has been named the Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Football Player of the Week.
“Zy is a phenomenal athlete and an even better leader,” first-year Ridgeland coach Sam Williams said. “He is a fearless competitor who always wants the ball in the biggest moments. That showed on Friday night as we put it in his hands multiple times in key situations to seal the win.”
McDonald completed two TD passes to senior wide receiver Richard Mays and one to sophomore wide receiver Ayden Williams. Williams caught eight passes for 181 yards and Mays caught five passes for 150 yards.
McDonald, a second team selection on the Priority One Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard All-Metro Jackson team last season, passed for 3,252 yards and 25 touchdowns and ran for 610 yards and 14 TDs and led Ridgeland to an 8-4 record, its first winning season since 2013. McDonald, who is the nephew of former Morton High, Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints star running back Deuce McAllister, has been starting at quarterback since his freshman year.
