Greyhounds nearly stun state power. ‘We have a lot of work to do, but we’re really close’
Ocean Springs nearly played spoiler on opening night.
The Greyhounds hosted state championship contender Madison Central on Friday and took the Jaguars to the final minutes in a 27-20 loss.
The Jaguars were heavy favorites around the state with a top-prospect-ladened roster, but it was the youthful Greyhounds who had a halftime lead and had MCHS tied in the fourth quarter.
Ocean Springs shut out the visitors for the first 23 minutes, but Jaguars running back Glen Singleton scored rushing touchdowns on four straight possessions — three in the second half — and gashed an OSHS defense that had 10 first-time starters on the field.
“We play these type of games early in the season to gauge where we are as a ball club,” Ocean Springs head coach Jake Bramlett told the Sun Herald after the game. “We had concerns going in as far as defensively ... and they answered the bell and held them down in the first half.”
Ocean Springs had three drives into Jaguars territory that came up empty. One ended in a punt, another in a turnover on downs at the goal line and the third in the same fashion late in the fourth quarter.
“You’ve got to finish these drives whenever you eat clock like that, run that many plays and you’re effective on offense you’ve got to finish drives,” Bramlett said. “That was our Achilles this game, not finishing when we got inside the five.”
Offensive weapons on display
The self-proclaimed “Legion of Zoom” debuted and gave a defense that allowed just 16.6 points a game last season fits.
Led by running back Will Smith and multi-position athlete Sharroid Whitehead, the Greyhounds’ offensive attack was vertical, horizontal and between the tackles and did so with two different quarterbacks.
“We have the fastest receiving corps in the state,” Whitehead said. “I feel like with me at quarterback, I can get it there and use my legs. With Connor (White) there he can sling it around and do anything. We’re going to grow from that. We’re just going to keep adding gems in the playbook, doing what we have to do to be an unstoppable offense and not leave the money on the table like we did today.”
Three different players scored for the Greyhounds and numerous others made big plays. Jax Coleman had a long 31-yard reception from White that set up a score and Bryhsen Smith was difficult to corral in the open field.
Smith — Region 4-7A’s leading returner rusher — scored on a two-yard plunge in the first quarter and Nolan Wells caught a goal line fade thrown by Whitehead for a 22-yard touchdown in the third.
In between those scores, Bramlett reached across his line of scrimmage for yet another weapon to put in his holster. Facing a fourth and goal from the two yard line one possession after coming up short inside the five, 230-lb. edge rusher Bryant Ausmer trotted out to take the snap and plow his way across the plane.
“I needed somebody with the will to get it into the end zone,” Bramlett said. “I don’t care what happens, I don’t care if you get hit five yards deep in the backfield, you have the will and the mentality to get it into the end zone and that kid has it. ... I knew he was going to do what he needed to do for this football team and he did that.”
It was the second straight season-opening loss for the Greyhounds, but the explosive potential shown and the upset win nearly snagged showed Bramlett his team is not far from the championship picture.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we are really close,” Bramlett said. “We had the weapons on offense, the defense plays hard-nosed. That defensive front I could not be more proud of. ... We’re close, man, and we’re going to figure it out over the next two to three weeks.”
Ocean Springs has an unenviable non-district schedule that Bramlett uses as a measuring stick and preparation tool for November games. The Greyhounds follow this week up with a trip to the home of reigning champs Oak Grove and still have a date with Picayune on the horizon.
“I feel like we’re right there with them,” Ausmer said. “(Madison Central) is one of the best teams in the state. We feel like we can compete with them and we did.”
“We’re going to keep getting better every week and then we’ll get them,” Whitehead promised.
This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 11:44 PM.
