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Covington’s 65-6 rout of Bolivar Central on Friday night would lead one to believe the Chargers had put up gaudy offensive numbers.
Not so.
CHS amassed just 253 rushing yards, well under their almost 430 yards per game average. The passing game was more productive than previous nights with 5 of 7 completions by two quarterbacks for three touchdowns.
The difference in this one was Bolivar’s decision to keep going for it on fourth down deep in its own territory. The Chargers drove 55 yards on their opening possession to take a 7-0 lead on Jalen Fayne’s 53-yard run. The next six Covington possessions, all resulting in scores, began at the Tigers’ 39, 22, 29, 11, 13 and 6.
“I don’t think that it was Bolivar’s game plan to go that many times fourth down,” said CHS head coach J.R. Kirby. “Some of that appeared to be the quarterback ad-libbing … We pretty much played a complete game on both sides of the ball and on special teams.”
With a number of younger players getting valuable playing time, Covington put up 51 points on just 17 plays from scrimmage in the first half, a three-points-per-play average.
Jamarion Dowell had nine rushes for 55 yards and three touchdowns, plus a 33-yard TD reception. Fayne ran three times for 93 yards and two TDs and completed 3 of 5 passes for 64 yards and two TDs. Skylan Smith had eight rushes for 47 yards and Braden Gover made the best of his sub time at QB rushing three times for 40 yards and a TD while completing 2 of 2 passing attempts for 30 yards and a TD. Add in a 9-for-9 night on PATs by Gabe Wellentin for good measure.
The defense had a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery and just missed a shutout as the Tigers scored with three seconds remaining on the clock. Prior to the score on the final possession, the Tigers had crossed the 50-yard line twice in the entire game.
The Chargers step out of region play to host the Dyer County Choctaws on Friday night on Senior Night for CHS.
“Dyer County is a 5A team,” Kirby said. “They are big physically. They employ a spread offense and will run and throw equally well. We have to get them in space on the edges, a spot where they seem to be vulnerable.”
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