#HSFT17: Stop No. 46 – Noxubee County Tigers

MACON, Miss. (WCBI) — Last season left a bad taste in the Noxubee County Tigers.

The 3-peat run came to an end on a soggy and rainy night in Pontotoc in 2016.

But, Noxubee is back with a rejuvenated and revitalized team that includes a new coaching staff and new senior leaders but most importantly, a new hunger to succeed.

“I think we will be more mature this year,” head coach Tyrone Shorter said. “This team has a different attitude. They came to work this off season. They’re intense. They’re ready to go.”

“We’re a family,” senior Terry Joiner said. “The team chemistry, everybody is a part of this brotherhood. It’s a good vibe in the weight room and on the practice field.”

Seniors from last year played around in the weight room and the practice field,” senior L.C. Clemons said. “Out here we take everything seriously.”

“We have more explosiveness,” senior Rashad Eades said. “The 2-QB system. We should do good this year. State Championship, we should be there.”

The age old saying goes if you have two quarterbacks then you don’t have one. Throw that out the window.

Noxubee is rolling with two talented signal callers in senior Armoni Clark and junior Maliek Stallings. Both have the ability to run & pass, so that State Title talk is without a doubt warranted.

“It gets difficult sometimes but we manage it well,” Clark said. “We come together and we make the team better. We don’t make it a 1-man thing.”

“They both have a year under their belt,” Shorter said. “We’re excited about both quarterbacks.”

“Armoni and Maliek are both good quarterbacks in my eyes,” Eades said. “They both know the system well and can get the ball there.”

Noxubee is the protoypical “we don’t rebuild, we reload” program and after last year’s finish to the season, the Tigers are chomping at the bit to have another crack at the 4A State Title.

That’s what our kids believe in,” coach Shorter said. “No matter who graduates, our expectations stay the same. We expect to make it to the Championship game and that’s what our kids live for.”

“We have to redeem ourselves from the Pontotoc game,” Eades said. And Clemons reiterated that sentiment. “We have to get it. We won’t fall short this year.”

The Tigers will start the season at home versus Starkville and Columbus in back to back weeks then visit Shannon to kick off September.