No. 5 Bobcats survive Hinds comeback

Jones College Sports Information

RAYMOND, Miss. (WDAM) - Robert Henry’s (Lumberton) 17-yard touchdown run with 1:28 remaining lifted No. 5 Jones College to a 31-24 victory over Hinds here Thursday night at Gene Murphy Field at Joe Renfroe Stadium.

The Bobcats are now 5-0 overall, 3-0 in the MACCC. Hinds drops to 2-3 and 2-1.

Jones held a 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter before the Eagles began a furious comeback.

After the Eagles tied the game at 24-24, they held the Bobcats and forced a punt.

Hinds had a third and 2 at their own 31-yard line, but Travor Randle (Greenwood) tackled Pittman for a 2-yard loss. The Eagles got a long punt from Ben Duncan, but they were called for illegal formation and Jones made them punt again.

This time, Jerry Johnson Jr. (Pearl) returned the kick 34 yards to the Eagle 24.

Henry gained 7 yards on first down and then ran 17 yards on the next play for the go-ahead score. It was Henry’s third touchdown of the night, giving him a nation’s best 13 on the year.

Hinds took over on its own 29 with 1:19 to play after the kickoff, but the Bobcats held them on four plays, took possession and ran out the clock to seal the victory.

The Bobcats began the game in complete control.

Jones took the opening kickoff and drove 66 yards in 11 plays. Henry scored on an 8-yard run and Yohan Thompson’s (Adams County Christian School) extra point made it 7-0 with 9:31 to play in the opening quarter.

The Bobcats added to the lead with a 54-yard, four-play drive. Henry scored on a 14-yard run and Thompson’s PAT made it 14-0 with 4:15 to play in the first half.

Lardarius Webb Jr. (Jackson Academy) would then intercept an Eagle pass and return it to the Hinds’ 3-yard line.

After two plays lost seven yards, quarterback Alan Follis (West Jones) hit Kendall Coleman (Choctaw County) for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Thompson’s kick gave the Bobcats a 21-0 lead with just seven seconds to play in the first half.

Early in the second half, Bobcat Cedrick Beavers (Taylorsville) recovered a fumbled punt at the Hinds’ 24. Four plays later, Thompson booted a 38-yard field goal and Jones led 24-0 with 9:33 to play in the third quarter.

Hinds would take the ensuing kickoff and march 51 yards in 11 plays to get on the scoreboard. Kaleb Mosley caught a 9-yard scoring pass from quarterback Ranson Oakes and Duncan’s extra point made it 24-7 with 5:25 to play in the third quarter.

On Hinds’ next possession, they drove deep into Bobcat territory, but turned the ball over on downs at the JC 7-yard line.

Two plays later, Follis was sacked in the end zone by Jaylan Ware and Da’Vonta Jackson for a safety to make it 24-9 with 11:21 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles got a 31-yard return by Jerrell Boyd on the ensuing free kick and took over at the Bobcat 47. Six plays later, Pittman scored on a 3-yard run. Pittman then rushed for a two-point conversion and Hinds was within 24-17 with 8:49 to play.

The Bobcats took over at its own 25 after the kickoff. On first down, Follis would fumble the ball and Jackson recovered at the JC 17.

Jamarian Samuels ran for 16 yards and Pittman then scored from a yard out on the next play with 8:15 remaining. Duncan’s extra point tied the game at 24-24, setting up the game’s frantic final minutes.

Henry rushed 29 times for 138 yards and three scores. He now has 787 yards on the year – an average of 157.4 yards per game, which leads the NJCAA.

Coleman had five catches for 25 yards and a touchdown and Tavion Smith (Oak Grove) had three receptions for 45 yards. Follis was 14-of-20 for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Randle had six tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and one pass breakup. Jonathan Wiltz (Columbia) also had six tackles. Ty Rawls (Wetumpka, Alabama) had five tackles, Jamison Kelly (Columbia) had five tackles and one TFL and Ricky Willis (Harrison Central) also had five tackles. Webb had four tackles, one interception, one pass breakup and one TFL. Raymond Collins (Harrison Central) had two tackles, one sack and one TFL.

Pittman rushed 24 times for 136 yards for the Eagles.

Jones had 17 first downs, 147 yards rushing, 141 yards passing and 288 yards of total offense. Hinds had 16 first downs, 211 yards rushing, 76 yards passing and 287 yards of total offense. Hinds had only 85 yards of offense in the first half.

The Bobcats will host Pearl River for Homecoming in a 3 p.m. contest on Oct. 8. The game will air on JCJC.TV. There will be no radio broadcast on WLAU-FM.

Hinds goes to Southwest on Oct. 6.

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