BY WILL HART/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
lenniehart2006@yahoo.com

WINDSOR—After catching a key interception late in the fourth quarter, Southampton’s Devon Peterson touched the No. 77 jersey laid out on the team bench as if to say, “that was for you.”

One week earlier, Southampton senior defensive tackle Brian Rushing wore No. 77 when the Indians played Franklin. The 17-year-old from Capron was found dead the next morning from an undiagnosed heart condition.

“The kids had a rough week this week,” said Southampton Coach Wes Griffith after the Indians’ 24-6 win over Windsor in a non-district game on Friday night. “Emotions have been all over the place. I’m proud of the guys and what they’ve been through.”

Out of respect for Rushing and his family, Windsor senior center Nick Powell did not wear his No. 77 jersey; he wore No. 70.

Windsor is 2-1 and Southampton improves to 3-1.

Southampton led 21-0 before Windsor scored with 3:06 left in the third quarter on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Justice Chapman to Sharoz Patterson.

Southampton rushed for 266 yards. Leading rusher was Saiquan Mason with 22 carries for 115 yards followed by Jaron White with 19 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. Indians’ quarterback Mason Wright went 2-for-6 for 29 yards. Southampton freshman kicker Russell Ballance kicked his first field goal of the season from 31 yards and improved his extra-point kicks to 13-for-14.

Windsor rushed for 125 yards. Caleb Dundlow led in rushing with 33 yards on five carries and led in receiving with three catches for 52 yards. Chapman threw for 90 yards, going 8-for-17.

Southampton had 10 penalties for 70 yards and Windsor was penalized five times for 25 yards.

Southampton’s Jamar Bell opened scoring on a 5-yard run with 4:48 left in the first quarter. Ballance kicked the extra point.

White scored next on a 26-yard on the first play in the second quarter.

Wright then threw a 5-yard pass to Christian Boone with 44 seconds left in the half.

Windsor scored next and the final score came from Ballance on the field goal.

“We didn’t execute well,” said Windsor Coach Chuck Parrish. “The kids kept fighting. Southampton executed the run and we could not stop them. We got in a position to make tackles, but we couldn’t make the key tackles.”