Blue Devils Dominate Railroad Classic, Set for Thursday Showdown With Eupora
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Water Valley quarterback Zae Bradford delivered through the air and on the ground in Friday’s Railroad Classic, throwing for two scores and adding a pair of long touchdown runs to lead the Blue Devils past Coffeeville, 55–6.
COFFEEVILLE – For the first time since 2018, the Railroad Classic was back on the schedule last Friday night, and for the first few minutes it felt like Coffeeville might make it a fight. The Pirates struck first, hitting on a tipped pass that turned into an improbable 85-yard touchdown and a quick 6–0 lead. For a rivalry game, the play was exactly the kind of spark Coffeeville needed.
But that was as good as it would get.
On the ensuing possession, quarterback Zae Bradford rolled out and spotted Derion Gale all alone streaking downfield. The sophomore hit him in stride for a 58-yard touchdown, and although the extra point was no good, the Devils had seized control of the game. After the defense held, Water Valley wasted no time striking again. Bradford connected with Tre Adams on a short pass that turned into a 15-yard gain, and on the next play Adams broke tackles on a 29-yard scoring run that made it 12–6.
The Blue Devil defense began to clamp down, forcing Coffeeville into third-and-long situations, and soon it was Bradford’s legs that delivered the knockout punch. On a second-and-20 play, he kept the ball on a quarterback draw, weaving through the middle of the Pirate defense for a 55-yard run before being pulled down inside the 15. A few plays later, he called his own number again, this time scoring from seven yards out as the first quarter came to a close with Water Valley in front 19–6.
Coffeeville’s next possession ended the same way as the first: with a turnover. This time it was Adams, stepping in front of a pass inside the 10 and returning it out near midfield. Bradford wasted no time cashing in. On first down, he rolled right but was pulled back by a holding flag. That only delayed things — on the next snap he dropped back and launched a deep ball that Gale hauled in for a long gainer, setting up Adams’ 16-yard scoring run to make it 26–6 midway through the second quarter.
The Pirates never found an answer. The Freeman brothers broke up passes in the secondary, and Shaddai Freeman picked off a tipped ball at the six-yard line, returning it 22 yards to set up another short field. Bradford added a bruising 37-yard touchdown run just before halftime, and when the teams went to the locker room, the scoreboard read 33–6.
Coffeeville’s Davarin Scott hauls in a tipped pass and takes it the distance for the Pirates’ only touchdown in Friday’s Railroad Classic against Water Valley.
The second half was all about depth. After forcing a punt, the Devils took over at the Coffeeville 31 and Adams turned what looked like a modest run into a highlight-reel moment. Four defenders had a shot at him before he broke free, racing into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown. Faust dialed up the swinging gate on the conversion, and Bradford flipped it back to Adams for two points to push the lead to 41–6.
The defense kept pouring it on. On the next Pirate punt, the snap sailed high and was pounced on in the end zone by lineman Jaklin Scott for another touchdown. The reserves finished the job in the fourth. Freshman Braylon Benson took a handoff off the left side, cut back through the seam, and outran everyone for a 37-yard touchdown that capped the scoring at 55–6.
The younger players were getting valuable snaps in the second half, and Faust pointed to that as a sign of progress. “That’s big-time when we can play more kids,” he said. “Last year we were playing 16 or 18 guys. Now we can play a lot more, and that’s a huge advantage in 2A ball.”
In the post game huddle, Faust encouraged his team.
“This is how we play football at Water Valley,” Faust said about the three-gram winning streak. “We just need to put a full 48 minutes together and we are going to be tough.”
He also reminded his players how hard work pays off.
“You don’t think you have a target on your back now?” Faust told his squad about Eupora coming to town. “They want to beat Water Valley.”
Faust also encouraged the players for their commitment.
“Think about it – a year ago we were sitting at 0-3. Now we’re sitting at 3-0. That’s the difference a short time can make if you just buy in and put your head down. Last year, they were telling us we can’t coach and you can’t play. Keep those receipts, baby.”
Now the focus shifts to Eupora, who will bring their own 3-0 record into Bobby Clark Field Thursday night. The Eagles, coached by Water Valley native Brad Gray, defeated Ethel 44–14 last week. Eupora will be looking for revenge after last year’s meeting when the Eagles jumped out to a three-score lead at home before Water Valley stormed back behind Bradford’s huge 396 rushing yards and four scores from Adams. With seconds left, Gabe Butler calmly drilled a 35-yard field goal to win it 48–46.
“Last year’s win against Eupora was one of the biggest comebacks I’ve ever been a part of,” Faust said. “We had a slow start, but we battled back in the second half.”
That victory is still fresh, but Faust knows it only adds fuel to Thursday’s fire. “We’re not hunting anymore – we’re the hunted,” he said. “No doubt.”
