Laurel picked a perfect time to be playing “as well as we’ve played all year.”
Head coach Todd Breland and Company closed out the regular season last Friday night, beating Natchez at R. H. Watkins Stadium, 47-14.
The Tornadoes finished the regular season 7-4 overall and 5-2 in Region 3-5A. They play Picayune this Friday night on the road in the first round of the MHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
“We’ve been preaching to our kids over the past few weeks about playoff mode,” said Breland. “We were [already guaranteed a spot] in the playoffs, but fighting for position. Our kids prepared themselves. Natchez is a very good football team, who was coming here with a shot to make the playoffs. So, they were juiced up pretty good. That game had me on edge, to be honest with you, but our kids responded and did what they had to do.”
Junior wide receiver Jontarious Henderson finished the regular season in style too, hauling in four passes for 104 yards and one touchdown.
“Henderson is a tremendous route runner,” said Breland. “He is a long, rangy kid. He’s just a junior, so he has another year to go and develop. He is a good player, and he [practices hard]. He knows how to rally the kids around him, and he always has a good attitude. I just can’t say enough good things about him. He’s made several plays down the stretch for us.”
The 6’0, 179-pound junior, according to MaxPreps, has 384 yards on 19 catches and three touchdowns this season thus far. Henderson averages 20.2 yards per catch.
