RAYMOND – Jones County Junior College used a punishing ground game to snap a two-game losing skid here Thursday night at Joe Renfroe Stadium.
Running back Scott Phillips (South Jones) rushed 35 times for 149 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Detric Hawthorn (Collins) carried 20 times for 127 yards and one score as JCJC rallied from a 20-7 third quarter deficit and defeated the Hinds Eagles, 28-27.
Phillips now has 13 rushing touchdowns, which leads the MACJC and ranks fourth in the NJCAA.
JCJC finished the game with 24 first downs, 322 yards rushing and 356 yards of total offense. Hinds had just 10 first downs, 109 yards rushing, 195 yards passing and 304 yards of total offense.
End Markel Winters (Tallahassee, Florida) had two sacks, giving him 12.5 sacks on the season. That leads the MACJC and is third in the NJCAA.
Linebacker Cannon Gibbs (Northwest Rankin) had six tackles and one pass breakup. Linebacker Ramon Patton (Pascagoula) had four tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one pass breakup. End Brandon Young (West Jones) and linebacker Tramond Lofton (Wayne County) each had a sack and end Marques Ford (Riverview, Florida) had 1/2 a sack.
JCJC was credited with 5 1/2 sacks, giving them 52 on the season, which tops the state and the nation.
The Bobcats had 72 plays from scrimmage, while the Eagles only had 46 – 22 in the second.
JCJC is now 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the MACJC South Division. The Bobcats clinched a winning season with the victory.
Hinds falls to 2-6 overall and concludes division play at 2-4.
The Bobcats put together a 46-yard, 11-play drive on its opening possession of the night. Phillips ended the drive with a 2-yard run and Brady Farlow (Purvis) booted the extra point to give JCJC a 7-0 lead with 7:09 left in the first quarter.
Hinds answered with a 79-yard, 7-play drive. DeVante Scott ran 37 yards for a touchdown and Spencer Cole's extra point tied the game at 7-7 with 4:29 left in the first quarter.
Midway through the second quarter, Hinds took advantage of JCJC's only turnover of the game to take the lead.
The Eagles recovered a fumbled punt at the Bobcat 25-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback JP Elkins connected with Stephen Guidry on a 27-yard touchdown pass.
However, the extra point attempted failed when the snap was bobbled and the Eagles led 13-7 with 6:40 left in the first half. That missed extra point would prove to be crucial.
Late in the half, Elkins hooked up with Guidry on a 70-yard touchdown pass. Cole's conversion gave Hinds a 20-7 lead with 1:23 left in the second quarter.
The Bobcats would come out strong to start the second half, holding the ball for 6:51 on its first possession.
JCJC took the second half kickoff and moved 75 yards in 15 plays for a touchdown. Phillips capped the march with a 1-yard run and Farlow's kick made it 20-14 with 8:09 showing in the third quarter.
The biggest play of the drive came when JCJC faked a punt when facing a fourth and 7 at its own 49.
Punter Taylor Wallace (Jackson Prep) took the snap, ran to his left and flipped the ball to Detric Hawthorn, who found Logan Scott (Oak Grove) for a 13-yard gain to the Eagle 38.
But Hinds came right back, taking the ensuing JCJC kickoff and driving 65 yards in just three plays. This time, Elkins hit John Hightower for a 46-yard touchdown pass. Cole's extra point gave the Eagles a 27-14 lead with 7:03 left in the third quarter.
JCJC would then turn the ball over on downs at its own 28 when Phillips was stopped for no gain on fourth and 1.
But the JCJC defense would hold and force a 43-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked by the Bobcats. Derric Hawthorn (Collins) – Detric's twin brother – picked the ball up around his own 30 and returned it to the Hinds' 47.
Five plays later, Detric Hawthorn weaved his way 33 yards into the end zone for a touchdown with just 37 seconds left in the third quarter. Farlow's extra point made it 27-21.
JCJC would take the lead the next time it had the ball.
The Bobcats went 79 yards in seven plays – all rushes – with Phillips going over from 3 yards out for the score. Farlow's extra point gave the Bobcats a 28-27 lead with 9:57 left.
The Eagles took the kickoff and moved from its own 25 to the Bobcat 18 where they faced a second and 7. But Elkins was sacked for an 11-yard loss by ends Marques Ford (Riverview, Florida) and Markel Winters (Tallahassee, Florida). On third and 18, Elkins' pass was almost intercepted by A.J. Bracey (Terry).
On fourth down, Cole attempted a 46-yard field goal into the north wind, but it was well short and JCJC took over at the 29 with 5:58 left.
The Bobcats moved for three first downs, but eventually had to punt the ball. Wallace's kick sailed into the end zone from 37 yards away and the Eagles took over at its own 20 with 1:01 left in the game and no timeouts.
Elkins would then misfire on four straight pass attempts and the Bobcats took over at the Hinds' 15 with 33 seconds to play.
The Bobcats went into 'victory' formation, Detric Hawthorn took a knee and the game was over.
JCJC ends regular season play at home at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27 against Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The game will air on www.jcjc.tv with Mark Easley and Chris Robinson on the call.
Hinds ends its season at No. 3 East Mississippi next week.
 
 
Jones County 28, Hinds 27
Thursday, October 22
Joe Renfroe Stadium
Raymond
 
Jones County  (5-3, 2-3)     7  0   14  7  – 28
Hinds (2-6, 2-4)                   7  13  7   0  – 27
 
Scoring summary
1^st quarter – JCJC, Scott Phillips 2-yard run, 7:09. Brady Farlow PAT. JCJC, 7-0.
1^st quarter – Hinds, DeVante Scott 37-yard run, 4:20. Spencer Cole PAT. 7-7.
2^nd quarter – Hinds, Stephen Guidry 27-yard pass from JP Elkins, 6:40. Kick failed. Hinds, 13-7.
2^nd quarter – Hinds, Guidry 70-yard pass from Elkins, 1:23. Cole PAT. Hinds, 20-7.
3^rd quarter – JCJC, Phillips 1-yard run, 8:09. Farlow PAT. Hinds, 20-14.
3^rd quarter – Hinds, John Hightower 46-yard pass from Elkins, 7:03. Cole PAT. Hinds, 27-14.
3^rd quarter – JCJC, Detric Hawthorn 33-yard run, :37. Farlow PAT. Hinds, 27-21.
4^th quarter – JCJC, Phillips 3-yard run, 9:57. Farlow PAT. JCJC, 28-27.
 
Jones County                                                Hinds
24                               FD                               10
62-322                       Rushes-Yards              28-109
6-10-0                        Comp-Att-Int                7-18-0
34                               Passing Yards             195
356                             Total Offense               304
5-30                            Penalties-Yards           8-50
5-35.4                         Punts-Ave.                   5-45.0
2-1                              Fumbles-Lost               0-0
 
JCJC statistics
Rushing
JCJC – Scott Phillips 35-149; Detric Hawthorn 20-127; Rashaud Green 5-33; Alex Ward 1-8; Nate Cohen 1-5.
 
Passing g
JCJC – Detric Hawthorn 5-8-0 for 34 yards; Alex Ward 1-2-0 for 1 yard.
 
Receiving
JCJC – Chancie Tidwell 2-10; Logan Scott 1-13; Trevor Terry 1-10; Kendall Parham 2-2.