After things got a bit chippy in the closing seconds of Friday’s Class 6A state quarterfinal game against Collierville, Southwind coach Jerome Griffin had some sharp words for his men.

“We don’t do that,” he told his team after some back-and-forth jawing with the hosts. “We let our play do the talking.”

Southwind’s play certainly spoke volumes against the Dragons. And no one spoke louder than Kelvin Perkins.

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The senior quarterback — who is headed to Austin Peay — was scintillating in his final game in Shelby County, throwing for four touchdowns, running for two more and accounting for nearly 500 yards of offense as the Jaguars advanced to the semifinals with a 42-21 victory.

The victory improves Southwind’s record to 13-0, the second time in three seasons they’ve accomplished that feat. They’re also in the semifinals for the second time in three seasons and will travel to face Ravenwood next week.

The Raptors (13-0) eliminated Whitehaven, 20-12.

It’s a situation that will feel very familiar to the Jaguars. In 2023 — when Southwind competed in Class 5A — they visited Nashville’s Page High School in the semis on the day after Thanksgiving and lost, 10-7. Several key players from that squad are still around, most notably Perkins.

Griffin is looking forward to a different outcome this time.

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“Man, we know how tough it is,” said Griffin. “It was cold at Page and we made some plays. We just didn’t make that one at the end. We were one play away.

“So we know we’ve got to finish. We’ve got to put everything together.”

Perkins agrees. In 2023, he was named Mr. Football and he’s likely to be announced as a finalist once again on Tuesday. Another trip to Nissan Stadium will be nice, of course, but he and his teammates have bigger goals in mind.

“It’s a road game and they’re going to have their atmosphere,” he said. “So we just have to stay locked in. Just play Southwind ball. If we play Southwind ball, we’re good.”

Friday’s first half was a thrilling display of Southwind ball — with Perkins in the middle of it all.

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After halting Collierville on its first three plays, the Jaguars went 78 yards on 10 plays to score. The touchdown came on fourth and goal from the 10, as Perkins connected with Jontae Alexander.

The Dragons went three-and-out again and this time Southwind went 93 yards on 11 plays, scoring on Perkins’ 17-yard pass to Shakim Atkinson. The Jaguars then made it 3 for 3 on touchdown drives as Perkins lofted a beautiful ball over the top of the defense and into the arms of a streaking Tray Moore, who completed a 69-yard score.

“The offense came out hot,” Perkins said. “And we just kept capitalizing.”

Collierville got on the board thanks to a 2-yard touchdown run from Brayden Santibanez but the Dragons left enough time on the clock for Southwind to score again before halftime. Once again it was Atkinson on the receiving end, as he did a fine job to seal off a defender and track the ball like a baseball centerfielder to complete a 50-yard touchdown pass.

“Everything,” said Griffin when asked what was working in the first half. “Our linemen really did a good a job and it’s a game like Germantown — a lot of kids (on each team) know a lot of kids (on the other).

“But our offensive line, they’re special.”

The momentum shifted somewhat in the third quarter as Southwind turned the ball over on downs two possessions in a row. Collierville scored each time, the first on a 26-yard Santibanez pass to Nick Graham.

The Dragons then pulled to within 28-21 on a bit of trickery; running back Lawrence Autry lined up in a Wildcat set on that one but instead of running, pulled up and popped a little jump pass to lineman Braylon Warren.

“That was kind of on me,” Griffin said. “We should have punted.”

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. Thanks to Perkins.

He scored his 24th rushing touchdown of the season on a 34-yard run late in the third quarter and added his 25th on a 57-yard run in the fourth. With under two minutes to go, Perkins then iced the game with a 40-yard keeper on fourth and 1.

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For the game, he finished with 222 yards on 16 carries while completing 12 of 20 passes for 263 yards. He personally accounted for 485 of Southwind’s 620 yards.

Perkins also has a combined 64 touchdowns for the season, extending his own Shelby-Metro record.

In a career full of special games and big moments, Friday will stand near the very top.

“I’ve poured so much into the kid the last four years,” Griffin said. “He runs the plays I want; he knows what I like and don’t like. He checks the play off if it doesn’t look good and he keeps us in good position.”

For Perkins, takeover mode is not something he reserves just for himself. He has the gaudy numbers; but Southwind wins as a team.

The two fingers Griffin held up to his team afterward indicated the job is far from done.

Collierville ends the season with a record of 9-4. The Dragons were hosting a quarterfinal game for the first time since 1994.

Senior Cayson Stanford led the Dragons with 132 passing yards on 11 of 18 completions. Santibanez, a junior, finished 11 of 15 for 110 yards.

In another game

Covington 42, Dyersburg 21: Shawn Macklin got his team off and running with a spectacular first quarter as Covington (12-1) advanced to the Class 3A semifinals for the second straight season.

Macklin — in just his third game as a starter — scored on a 66-yard run on Covington’s first play from scrimmage. Then, after Dyersburg had tied the game at 7-7, he gave his team the lead for good with a 61-yard scamper.

Before the quarter was over, he had added a 43-yard touchdown to his ledger.

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Macklin then scored from 71 yards on the first drive of the second half to hike Covington’s lead to 28-7. Quarterback Walker Davis later scored on a 62-yard keeper.

Next week’s semifinal game against Martin Westview will be a rematch of the regular-season finale won by Westview, 42-20. Westview ended Covington’s 2024 season in the semis.

Friday’s scores

Class 6A

Southwind 42, Collierville 21

Ravenwood 20, Whitehaven 12

Class 3A

Covington 42, Dyersburg 21

Martin Westview 44, Melrose 6

Class 1A

Fayetteville 43, Middle College 20

Division 2-AA

Franklin Road Academy 49, Lausanne 21