THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Houston High School Athletics

Canon Day wouldn't believe you if you told him he'd be the one taking the knee to seal Houston football's region-title-clinching win on Friday night. The freshman hadn't taken snaps at QB in practice in nearly a month. Why would you when your older brother, a senior, was All-State last year and won the 6A state title? As coach James Thomas said after the game, things never go as expected. When Chandler Day exited with a shoulder injury during the first quarter vs. undefeated Collierville, Canon was thrust into the spotlight, the most important game of his life and with thousands watching. "I started to panic at first," Canon Day said. "But then I realized I needed to be calm, be under control and be the leader of this team." "He was helping me see what I can't see," Day said of his brother, Chandler, on the sideline. "He's been through it so I just listened to him." The realization and help of his brother paid dividends as the younger Day helped lead Houston to a 17-13 victory over Collierville, clinching the team's first Region 8-6A title since 2019 and a No. 1 playoff seed. "Winning this region is no joke," Thomas said. "Every night is a fight and tonight was a fight." Houston (8-2) will host Dickson County (5-5) at 7 p.m. next Friday in the first round of the 6A playoffs. Collierville (9-1) will host Rossview (8-2). With Friday's game plan quickly unraveling, Thomas turned to the running game and leaned on a defense full of veterans who excelled, intercepting Collierville QB Grant Troutman three times. Day rushed eight times for 21 yards and had 26 yards passing. "He wasn't perfect but at the end of the day he got it done," Thomas said of Canon Day. "We had to run the ball a lot and what an effort by the defense." Houston linebacker Owen Waggener intercepted Troutman's first pass of the game and returned it nine yards for a TD and an early 7-0 lead. Chandler Day was injured minutes later and from there, Thomas turned to junior running back Celley Davis to control the pace of the game, picking up 82 yards on 19 carries against an imposing Dragons defensive line. As the Houston offense slowed, Collierville crept back into the game with field goals, eventually taking a 13-10 lead with 5:58 left in the game. Needing a spark, Ladeadrick James changed the game. "Davis ran the ball hard and then Ladeadrick James came in and he was the closer," Thomas said. Deep inside its own territory, James took an inside handoff up the gut for 34 yards. Two plays later, the same thing. Only this time, the senior cut outside to his right and took off down the sideline for the game-winning 43-yard TD. All of James' eight carries came in the second half, running for 97 yards. "I'd been waiting a long time for an opportunity like that," James said of the touchdown run. "When my coach put me in, I was there to make plays. I'm happy." "They're two different backs with two terrific skill sets. I'm proud of them," Thomas said of Davis and James. Houston's thunder-and-lightning combo will be vital as the team enters the playoffs beginning next Friday, with Chandler Day's status in question. Nevertheless, the Mustangs' staff has faith in their freshman whose future as the team's next QB may begin sooner than expected. "We have no worries about (Canon) playing as a freshman, we just weren't ready for it right now," assistant and father Collins Day said. "He'll get better."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Houston High School Athletics

HOW CANON DAY THRUST INTO SPOTLIGHT HELPED SEAL HOUSTON FOOTBALL'S REGION TITLE OVER COLLIERVILLE

WENDELL SHEPHERD JR.

Commercial Appeal | 11/2/2024

PHOTO CREDIT: Emily Hume