POPLARVILLE – The heroes were many in Jones College's 16-10 victory over Pearl River here Thursday night at Dobie Holden Stadium in the 94th "Catfight."
Running back
Cobey Craft (Taylorsville) rushed for 100 yards – the first time a Bobcat had reached the century mark this season. Quarterback
Cannon Crowder (Presbyterian Christian School) threw for 184 yards and a score. Wide receiver
Shaden McCollum (Pearl) had three receptions for 93 yards.
On defense,
Kelten Mickell (Petal) had 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and a blocked field goal.
Jonathan Wiltz (Columbia) and
Isaiah Lindsey (West Jones) had six tackles each. Punter
Bart Edmiston Jr. (Ocean Springs) averaged 49.0 yards on two punts.
It was the eighth straight Jones victory in the "Catfight' and the Bobcats now lead the series 50-42-2. Jones ends the season at 5-4 overall, 3-3 in the MACCC South Division. Pearl River finishes at 4-5 overall, 2-4 in the division.
The Bobcats scored on its opening possession when it drove 48 yards in 13 plays. Jones had a first and goal at the 1-yard line, but had to settle for a
Christian Baglione (Northwest Rankin) 24-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 6:45 left in the first quarter.
Both teams could not convert opportunities for the remainder of the half. Jones would miss a field goal and the Wildcats would miss a field goal and have another one blocked.
Jones got the game's first touchdown when they took the second half kickoff and drove 71 yards in just four plays. Craft would score on a 3-yard run, but the extra point was blocked and the Bobcats led 9-0 with 12:45 showing in the third quarter. A 56-yard pass from Crowder to McCollum was the big play of the drive.
But the Wildcats quickly answered.
Starting at his own 25, quarterback Kabe Barnett completed a pass to Howard Kinchen, who was hit by
D.J. Cloyd (Columbia) and fumbled at the Bobcat 40. However, the ball was knocked forward inside the Jones 10 and PRCC's Shadamien Willis recovered at the 1. On the next play, Willis scored on a 1-yard run and Morgan Craft's extra point made it 9-7 with 11:37 left in the third quarter.
The Bobcats took the ensuing kickoff and marched 75 yards in eight plays. Crowder connected with
Marlon Lindsey Jr. (West Jones) on a 13-yard scoring pass and Baglione's PAT made it 16-7 with 8:08 left in the third quarter.
Early in the final quarter, the Wildcats drove from their own 20 to a first and goal at the Bobcat 2. After a running play lost a yard and an incomplete pass, PRCC had third and goal at the 3. Barnett was sacked for a loss of 10 yards by
Zechariah Parodi (Scott Central) and Craft then missed a 30-yard field goal.
Later, the Wildcats moved 71 yards in 12 plays and Craft booted a 26-yard field goal to make it 16-10 with just 3:55 remaining.
Jones then took the kickoff and proceeded to pick up three first downs and run out the clock.
The Bobcats ended the game with 22 first downs, 188 yards rushing, 201 yards passing and 389 yards of total offense. Pearl River had 17 first downs, 197 yards rushing, 133 yards passing and 330 yards of total offense.
