Flip has St. Joe on the go

I see where Madison St. Joe advanced to 10-0 on the season last night, quite an achievement for Coach Flip Godfrey's Bruins.

Godfrey, whom I first covered when he was at Canton Academy, can flat coach, and he has surrounded himself with an outstanding staff.

Years ago, The Clarion-Ledger did a special project called “One Friday in Mississippi.” Writers were dispatched across the state to spend the day and night at high schools of all sizes. I drew Canton Academy.

Flip gave me all-access, from the pep rally to the pre-game meal, to his pre-game talk, to walking the sidelines with him during the game. I will never forget those last two parts.

I can't remember what year it was, but Godfrey was scripting the first series of downs long before it became a common practice in the NFL.

Canton Academy probably didn't have more than 20 players, but Godfrey addressed them in the pre-game meeting and told them: “Tonight, we're only going to over the first two plays because the second one is going to score.”

The first play was a sweep of left end. The second was a reverse back around the right end. Godfrey had seen time and time on film where the night's opponent did not contain on the back side.

Canton took the field, received the opening kickoff . The first play gained about five yards. The second play, as Godfrey predicted, scored. The wide receiver who ran the reverse was not touched.

“Does it happen that way every week?” I asked Godfrey.

“No,” he answered, “but, damn, it's fun when it does.”