Football | 10/2/2018 1:53:00 PM

ELLISVILLE – The 7^th-ranked Jones College Bobcats want to stay on top of the MACJC South Division standings.
To do so, they must defeat Pearl River Community College this week in the 88^thannual "Catfight" in Poplarville. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Thursday at Dobie Holden Stadium and the game will air on www.jcjc.tvand WLAU-FM, 99.3, with Mark Easley and Luke Johnson on the call. Jones leads the series, 43-42-2.
This season, the Bobcats are 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the division, while Pearl River is 0-5 and 0-3.
But Bobcat head coach Steve Buckley knows the team records will mean absolutely nothing when both versions of the 'Cats collide this week.
Two years ago, Jones was 4-2 and Pearl River was 1-5, but the Wildcats spoiled the Bobcats' Homecoming with a 30-23 victory.
"We talked to the team about this last night," he said in his office Monday. "I go back two years ago and they came in and beat us, 30-23. We were not ready to play and we turned it over six times."
Pearl River has lost to Itawamba (34-30), No. 1 East Mississippi (59-10), Copiah-Lincoln (49-0), East Central (24-21) and Hinds (28-18).
PRCC led Itawamba 27-7 at halftime, but stumbled in the second half. The Wildcats were down 21-0 to East Central and 21-6 to Hinds before rallying and having a chance to win both games in the fourth quarter.
"You look at their games with Hinds and East Central and they are down three scores, but they come roaring back in the second half and make it a (close) game," Buckley said. "Obviously, they are continuing to fight as a football team and as an opposing coach, you can look at the film and see that they know what they are doing, but they are just starting off bad.
"It is very important we have a fast start. We have to have a complete game in all three phases Thursday night."
Coach Ted Egger's Wildcats are led on offense by running back Ron Thompson (5-8, 195), who has 538 yards on the season. Cooper Callis (6-3, 205) and Tavis Williams (6-1, 178) have both seen action at quarterback and Tyler Polk (5-10, 172) is their leading receiver with 20 receptions.
On defense, PRCC's top tacklers are linebacker Reggie Williams 6-0, 234), tackle Gi'Narious Johnson (6-1, 280) and back Kyron Norwood (5-11, 190).
The Bobcats are coming off a 51-21 victory over Southwest.
Buckley was pleased with the win, noting the Bobcats were sound in all phases of the game.
But he was not happy with the fact that Jones was penalized 12 times.
"It was a big division win for us," he said. "The frustrating thing is we are having way too many pre-snap penalties. We had 12 penalties the other night and 11 of them were pre-snap. We had a pass interference penalty and we can live with that. But there is too much 'non-focus' before the ball is snapped."
Buckley said the players and coaches have worked hard to eliminate those mistakes.
"We went back this weekend to try and see what's causing it," he said. "Defensively, we play with tremendous effort and we are trying to get a jump on the ball. We just have to sit in there and wait until the leather moves. Offensively, we just have to do a better job of communication from the sideline to the line of scrimmage and from coaches to players. 
"All but one of the (offensive) penalties the other night was from receivers moving. There is no excuse for that. They should be looking at the football and not listening to anything. That was the most disturbing thing about the ballgame. When you look at the end results of a series with pre-snap penalties, it's usually not in your favor."
Buckley said the Bobcats were very good in the kicking game last week, noting the play of punter Greg Hayden (Vicksburg) and the coverage teams. Hayden averaged 44.5 yards per kick on five punts.
"To me one of the biggest things that people don't see is field position," he said. "Our average starting position in the ballgame was our 44-yard line. Their average field position was at the 23. When you break it down, that's a huge swing. That's a tribute to our special teams with Greg punting. He had four punts inside the 20 last week. He continues to do a great job. 
"Our coverage team is doing a great job on kickoffs and punt coverage. Greg understands field position. We spend a lot of time talking with him about that – where to place the football. Our kids understand that and when you've got a chance to pin them back, you want to pin them back and keep the field flipped."
On defense, the swarming Bobcats had 17 tackles for loss and limited the triple option Bears to 230 yards. Two Southwest touchdown plays – a 71-yard pass and a 67-yard run – accounted for 138 yards.
Freshman linebacker Daylen Gill (Louisville) had 9 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble, while end Chei Hill (Miami, Florida) had 8 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 forced fumble. End Lamarcus Keyes (West Jones) had 5 tackles and end Devonte Toles (Pass Christian) returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown.
"Daylen had his best game," Buckley said. "I felt like we dominated up front again and I think we were solid in the back end."
Offensively, quarterback Stetson Bennett (Blackshear, Georgia) completed 18-of-30 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Johnquarise Patterson (Pearl) had three catches for 89 yards and two scores, wide receiver Gabe Douglas (Denton, Texas) had six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown and wide receiver Nataurean Watts (Petal) had a touchdown catch.
Running back Kalyn Grandberry (Memphis, Tennessee) rushed 20 times for 101 yards and a touchdown. Grandberry is averaging 116.2 yards per game and leads the MACJC and ranks seventh in the nation in rushing. Donte Edwards (Mobile, Alabama) rushed for 42 yards and a score.
Last week's game began in a steady downpour and Buckley was pleased with the way the Bobcats started.
"I thought we did a good job early of focusing in the rain," he said. "We ended up with several dropped passes in the second half when it stopped raining. That just shows us as a coaching staff when we need to focus, we can focus. We did some things in the passing game that opened up things in the running game.
"We did not have a lot of big plays in the running game, but I thought we were very consistent. We only had one tackle for loss and it was on a busted protection."
Buckley said each division game is vital, so Thursday night's game at Pearl River has the team's attention.
"They are 0-5, but I know Ted and his staff and they do a great job with Xs and Os in everything they do," Buckley said of the Wildcats. "We had better be ready to play. I don't think there is any doubt our kids will be ready to play because they understand where we are right now as a football team. There is no room for error."
The Bobcats will play their final non-division game next week. Jones travels to Booneville to meet Northeast Mississippi in a 6:30 p.m. kickoff on Oct. 11. 
Pearl River goes to Southwest Mississippi on Oct. 13.
 

MACJC standings

SOUTH DIVISION
                                    DIVISION                                 OVERALL
                                    W        L                                  W        L
Jones College              3          0                                  4          1
East Central                 2          0                                  3          2
Copiah-Lincoln            2          0                                  3          2
Hinds                           2          1                                  3          2          
Miss. Gulf Coast          0          2                                  3          2
Southwest                   0          3                                  1          4
Pearl River                  0          3                                  0          5
 
NORTH DIVISION 
                                    W        L                                  W        L
East Mississippi          2          0                                  5          0
Northwest                   2          0                                  5          0
Itawamba                    2          1                                  3          2
Holmes                       1          1                                  3          2
Northeast                    1          2                                  1          4
Mississippi Delta         1          2                                  1          4          
Coahoma                    0          3                                  0          5
 
Last week's results
Jones College 51, Southwest 21
Copiah-Lincoln 38, Mississippi Gulf Coast 13
Hinds 28, Pearl River 18
East Mississippi 24, East Central 21
Northwest 27, Holmes 14
Itawamba 37, Northeast 31 (2OT)
Mississippi Delta 27, Coahoma 26
Thursday's games
Jones College at Pearl River, 6 p.m.
Copiah-Lincoln at East Central, 6:30 p.m.
Mississippi Gulf Coast at Southwest, 7 p.m.
East Mississippi at Northwest, 6:30 p.m.
Itawamba at Holmes, 6:30 p.m.
Mississippi Delta at Northeast, 7 p.m.
Saturday's game
Hinds at Coahoma, 2:30 p.m.