On Sunday, Oak Grove coach Drew Causey began telling his players to prepare for wet field conditions Friday night at Laurel. The last time his Warriors played in such conditions, things didn’t go too well.
“The last time we played on a wet field like this was probably two years ago,” recalled Causey. “And we probably played the worst football I could imagine us playing.”
After steady showers in Laurel throughout Friday afternoon, the field at R.H. Watkins Stadium was just as Causey envisioned. Only, this time around, it didn’t seem to faze his team. Behind four touchdowns from Georgia commit John Rhys Plumlee, Oak Grove improved to 3-0 on the year with a 36-18 win “Between the Bricks”.
Postgame interview with Oak Grove head coach Drew Causey can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRYcQb8KtWU&feature=youtu.be
“He [Plumlee] makes us proud every night,” said Causey. “Glad to have him on our side.”
It’s worth mentioning that Plumlee played without his top two receivers—Kevin Barnett and Brandon Hayes. Both players hold multiple Division I offers, and both missed Friday’s game due to injuries. Insert Tavion Smith and Jordan Coleman, who each caught their first career varsity touchdown in the win.
“We got a lot of depth there [at wide receiver], and those guys can make plays,” said Causey. “You gotta watch out for them, too.”
On the game’s first possession, Oak Grove got the ball, and Plumlee led the Warriors straight down the field. He capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Smith. A successful two-point conversion gave Oak Grove an early 8-0 lead. In the final minute of the first quarter, Plumlee added touchdown No. 2, a 35-yard strike to Coleman, as the Warriors took a 15-0 lead into the second quarter.
Less than a minute into the period, Laurel got on the board when Sinclair Ulmer hit Jontarius Henderson for a 65-yard touchdown pass. The ensuing extra point attempt was blocked.
On the very next possession, the Warriors fumbled it away, and the Golden Tornadoes looked primed to keep things rolling. Then, the Oak Grove defense stepped up not once but twice. After the fumble near midfield, Oak Grove forced a Laurel punt.
And in the final minute of the first half, Laurel’s offense was just five yards away from the end zone. The Golden Tornadoes had multiple opportunities to punch it in, but they were denied each time, including on fourth down with two seconds left. The goal line stand allowed Oak Grove to take a 15-6 lead into halftime.
“To me, that was the difference in the game, those two defensive stands,” said Causey. “I’m fired up about those guys.”
Causey’s Warriors won the third quarter, 14-0, and took a 29-6 lead into the fourth after another Plumlee-to-Smith touchdown connection and a 15-yard rushing score from E.J. Newell.
In the fourth, Michael Terrell and Zias Perryman found the end zone for Laurel, but so did Plumlee, again, for Oak Grove. His 11-yard rushing touchdown with 7:40 left pretty much sealed the win for the Warriors.
As previously mentioned, Oak Grove improved to 3-0 with the victory. It sets up a colossal battle of 3-0 teams next Friday, as the Warriors will host rival Hattiesburg.
“We got a good football team, they [Hattiesburg] got a real good football team,” said Causey. “I think everybody oughta show up at Oak Grove Friday night and come watch a good football game.”
Laurel, now 1-2, will look to bounce back at Petal (0-3).
