2001 Football Playoffs: Vardaman vs Durant

The road to the 2001 MHSAA Class 1A State Championship converged at Carter Field on Friday night. The Vardaman Rams hosted the Durant Tigers in a North State semifinal. The winner advanced to play for the state title.

The matchup brought together defense against offense. Mark Bray’s Vardaman Rams relied on control and toughness. Danny Robertson’s Durant Tigers thrived on speed and scoring.

Bray was in his 17th season leading the program. His team allowed only 10.1 points per game, one of the lowest marks in Mississippi. Vardaman played its best when games slowed down.

The Rams survived Weir 20-19 in the opening round. They then blanked Calhoun City 7-0 in the quarterfinals. The formula was clear. Keep the game low scoring. Limit possessions. Win with defense.

Durant dominated with offense all season. The Tigers piled up 620 points, averaging 41.3 per game. Their defense was also sharp, giving up only 11.7 points per game.

In the quarterfinals, Durant defeated Smithville 44-16. That was the same Smithville team that had beaten Vardaman in the regular season. The Tigers wanted to prove their system could overwhelm even the best defenses.