Wolves Secure Playoff Spot with Win Against East Central

WESSSON – The Co-Lin Football team wrapped up South Division play by hosting East Central on Thursday, October 23, while celebrating both Homecoming and Sophomore Night. The Wolves overcame a slow start and scored one touchdown in each quarter while pitching a three-quarter shutout with a 28-3 victory over the Warriors.

The Warriors looked to get in the scoring column on the opening drive of the game as they marched the ball down the field and lined up for a 32-yard field goal attempt. However, Tre Webb (New Orleans, Louisiana) blocked the kick and kept the game scoreless while giving the Wolves offense the chance to put the first points up.

After the offense stalled out on their opening drive, the Warriors then scored on their next possession as they hit a 41-yard field goal for their only score of the game. The lead stood at 3-0 with 6:06 left in the first quarter. The Wolves found their response late in the first quarter as quarterback Jaylen Pettway (Jacksonville, Florida) connected with Kamron Pittman (Clarksdale) on an 18-yard touchdown pass that capped off a four play, 40-yard drive that was setup by an interception by Calvion Johnson (Flora). The PAT by Ty Jones (Summit) gave the Wolves a 7-3 lead with 52 seconds left in the quarter.

The Wolves never looked back as the defense held off the Warriors offense for the remainder of the game while the offense added their second score in the second quarter. The Pettway to Pittman connection struck again for a second touchdown, this time from 12 yards out, to end a nine play, 97-yard drive. Another successful PAT increased the lead to 14-3 with 1:15 left in the first half. On the ensuing drive, the Wolves forced another turnover as Dayshawn Mcgee stepped in front of a pass by the Warriors and gave the Wolves the ball on their own 12-yard line. The Wolves then kneeled the ball to run out the clock in the first half and took the 14-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Wolves looked to score on the opening possession of the second half, but the Warriors picked of a Pettway pass on the one-yard line to bring the drive to an end. However, the Wolves found the endzone on their next possession as Dezmond Ray (Itta Bena) powered the ball in from two yards out to end a 13 play, 43-yard drive. Another successful PAT increased the lead to 21-3 with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter.

The Wolves added their final touchdown on their first possession of the fourth quarter as Pettway threw for his third touchdown of the game on a 37-yard pass completion to Ca'Ron Williams (Natchez). The final PAT was good increasing the lead to 28-3 with 11:28 left to play. The Wolves defense then forced a punt on what was ultimately the final possession for the Warriors as the Wolves offense ran out the final eight minutes and 45 seconds off the clock to secure the 28-3 victory.

Jaylen Pettway had his best game in a Wolves uniform as he had season highs in completions, yards and touchdowns going 14-for-19 for 263 yards with three touchdowns while Eli Viniard went 1-for-1 for 8 yards and had one rush for six yards.

Martavious Boswell (Fort Worth, Texas) led the rushing attack with 76 yards on 15 carries while Dezmond Ray had 68 yards on nine carries with one touchdown. Ja'Quan Bentley (Thomaston, Georgia) had 58 yards on 11 carries with Kendarious Porter adding 47 yards on six carries.

Dezmond Ray led the receiving corps in yards with one reception for 45 yards while Jabraxton Boone (Forest), Kamron Pittman, Trevor Fortenberry (Brookhaven), and Jermarj Bell led the team in receptions with two each for 37, 30, 26, and 11 yards respectively with Pittman adding two touchdowns to his night. Ca'Ron Williams, Martavious Boswell, Darnell O'Quinn (New Orleans, Louisiana), Matt Mayfield (Sunset, Louisiana), Jordan Richardson (Gainesville, Florida) and Que Tillman (West Point) had one reception each.

The Wolves defense held the Warriors to 170 yards of total offense, 165 passing and five rushing, as Archie Chambers (New Orleans, Louisiana) led the unit with seven total tackles. Josiah Vaughn (Gulfport) and Dayshawn Mcgee (Biloxi) had five tackles each while Trenton Rocker (Booneville) had four tackles. Rocker led the team in sacks and tackles for loss with 1.5 while Lonnie Smith (Jackson) and Lance Taylor (Memphis, Tennessee) had one sack each while Tashawn Johnson (Byram), Fred Dampeer and Joshua Davis both of Mendenhall had a half sack each.

Co-Lin improves to 7-1 overall and finishes South Division play 5-1 and have earned a spot in the MACCC playoffs after the win against the Warriors. The Wolves will finish the regular season on the road at Northeast Mississippi on Thursday, October 30. Kickoff between the No. 7 Wolves and the Tigers is set for 6:30 p.m., at Tiger Stadium in Booneville.