Resurrection reloads, aims for first state title

The Resurrection Catholic football program has become one of the more dominant teams on the Coast in recent seasons, emerging as a consistent contender for a Class 1A state title.

The Eagles came up just shy of their first state championship a year ago, falling 25-9 to a talented Simmons squad in the title game in Oxford.

While they didn't quite reach their ultimate goal during a 13-1 campaign in 2015, head coach Scott Sisson has no plans on making significant changes.

“If it's not broke, don't fix it,” Sisson said. “We're just going to try to reload with younger guys and go with it. We've got most of our starting offense back except (running back) Dillon Jolly.”

RCS does lose key players like a pair of 2015 Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Team members, linebacker Steve Demetropoulos and defensive end Renzell Jackson, but there will be no lack of talent on both sides of the ball. The Eagles return 10 starters on offense and six on defense.

“The offense will definitely have to score more, but we should be able to do that,” Sisson said. “The defense won't be as good as last year, but we'll be OK. We've still got six starters coming back.”

Senior Patrick Watts, a bruising runner at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, is entering his fourth year as a key player for the Eagles after rushing for 1,634 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. He will be joined in the backfield by senior Justice Sharp, who had 589 yards rushing and eight scores last year.

Junior Cearly Parker will also add depth to the RCS ground game.

The Eagles also return their starting quarterback, junior Blake Porter, who showed improvement as a passer as the 2015 season wore on. He completed 57.7 percent of his passes for 989 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.

RCS should be much more adept at throwing the ball this year with a more experienced Porter and a quality receiving corps that includes four juniors – Pat Roth, Jerry Johnson, Becht Rowell and Caden Hinman. Roth led the way with 20 catches for 230 yards and a pair of scores last season.

“We're going to open it up a little more on offense,” Sisson said. “We have some home run hitters who were a little young last year.”

RCS has four starters back on on the offensive line – sophomore guard Jack Sisson, senior center Hunter Sharp, junior tackle Jackson Byrd and junior tackle Justin Archer. Junior Andy Murphy will be the lone new starter for the Eagles at guard.

Byrd, who stands 6-feet, 280 pounds, will be the centerpiece of the defensive line as the lone returning starter on the line after registering 85 tackles and six sacks last season. He will be joined by senior defensive ends Carter Warren and Ben Walley. Working alongside Byrd at tackle will be freshman Elijah Watts, who is 6-foot, 235. Junior Tyus Bond will also see time on the line.

Becht Rowell and Parker, a pair of juniors are returning starters at linebacker and they will be joined in the starting lineup by junior Jacob Langston.

The most experienced area on defense is in the secondary where all four starters return – senior David Alfred, senior Barron Freeman, Johnson and Roth.

RCS will again be expected to compete for a Class 1A state title in 2016, but Sisson has shied away from talking too much about putting that goal in front of his players.

“(Coaches) haven't talked about it, but they talk about it,” Sisson said.

This story was originally published August 5, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Resurrection reloads, aims for first state title."